Democratic Truth Squad

The Democratic presidential candidates laced into each other on the issue of race tonight during a Des Moines debate sponsored by the Iowa Brown and Black Forum.
As in recent debates, Howard Dean was a frequent target although he came in from the heaviest criticism this time around from Rev. Al Sharpton rather than Rep. Dick Gephardt or Sen. John Kerry.
Dean, who has talked about leading a national discussion on race, fumbled for an answer when Rev. Al Sharpton noted that Dean had not employed any minorities in his cabinet. Dean first said his state government had African-American and Latino workers, which evaded Sharpton's point. Then he said one member of his staff was a minority member; still not a direct answer. Finally he acknowledged that had not filled any cabinet position with a man or woman of color.
"If you want to lecture people on race you ought to have the background and track record to do that," Sharpton said as the audience applauded.
He also admonished Dean for failing to "talk about whether you went outside of the box" to hire minority advisors for top spots in Vermont's government "on a peer level, not just 'friends' you might have had in college."
The evening exposed once again the hypocrisy that is Howard Dean. It's doubtful that Gephardt or Kerry, Dean's closest pursuers in Iowa, gained much ground in terms of the Jan. 19 caucuses because of the events at the forum.
Still, Preston Daniels, an African-American businessman who recently concluded several terms as mayor of Des Moines, noted during a news break on local TV that Dean appeared "off balance" and "unprepared" as he bumbled through the answer to Sharpton and other points in the debate.
From a strategic standpoint, the candidates trailing Dean continue to do what they need to do: Create doubts about the frontrunner's credibility and electability. And, Dean isn't doing much to dispel the growing chorus of questions.
I'm sure we'll see another round of responses from Dean devotees that I'm "just taking his comments out of context" or I'm "spouting the Message of the Day from the White House" or there's a perfectly plausible excuse for whatever their darling cadidate does. But, once again, I'm talking about what's the Democrats are doing in Iowa.
The Democrats are tattooing Dean pretty good leading into the final week of the campaign here in Iowa, and Republicans are enjoying it.