I missed this priceless exchange about Howard Dean’s faith, until prodded by Jay Nordlinger:
WOODRUFF: Was it just over a bike path that you left the Episcopal Church?
DEAN: Yes, as a matter of fact it was. I was fighting to have public access to the waterfront, and we were fighting very hard in the citizens group to allow the public to use it. And this particular diocese decided to join a property rights suit to close it down. I didn’t think that was very public spirited. One thing I feel about religion, you have to be very careful not to be a hypocrite if you’re a religious person. It is really tough to preach one thing and do something else. And I don’t think you can do that.
WOODRUFF: And you don’t believe, Governor, the Republicans are going to have a field day with comments like these?
DEAN: The Republicans always have a field day with things like this. That’s the reason Democrats lose, is because they’re so afraid of the Republicans having a field day with comments like this or like that, that they never make any comments.
But what strikes me about this is not Dean’s godlessness. I don’t think that kind of thing should be a factor in presidential politics. What strikes me is how Waspy this whole thing is. A certain type of Episcopalian is precisely likely to decide his denomination on the basis of a bike path. If we have a contest between Dean and Bush, we’ll have a choice between a WASP who’s unashamed of his origins and a WASP who has abandoned them. Take it away, Tom Wolfe.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “For 50 years, Iraq went without freedom and democracy. You can’t make it happen in three weeks, three months or three years. It takes time.” – young Iraqi, Atheed Al-Naimy, quoted in an interesting report from Iraq yesterday by Bill Johnson. One simple question: after six months, why are there still gas lines in Iraq?
The Dish 