Howard Dean, Shadow of His Former Self

The Howard Dean who once shocked Washington is now a model of docility, “unwilling or afraid to confront the establishment that was once so afraid of him," the New Republic’s Eve Fairbanks argues. The Democratic National Committee chair is also the wrong man for a bitter primary season, refusing to intervene when the party needs a strong hand.

The ex-presidential candidate who once raged on TV now watches while Florida and Michigan delegations get trampled, causing untold headaches for the left. He’s a "chronically misunderstood man" who prefers peace to conflict, Fairbanks writes. The Democrats would fair better if he ditched the silent act and revived his famous, campaign-ending scream.