Dean: Wire Hanger has "a lot of explaining to do"

The man who orchestrated the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006-2008 by rejecting Blue Dogs in favor of the 50-State Strategy took aim yesterday at Kentucky's own Blue Dog Extraordinaire, Wire Hanger.

Former Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean said Thursday that he was “deeply disappointed” in U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler’s vote against health care reform legislation last week, adding that Chandler will have to answer to Kentucky Democrats for it.

Speaking to The Courier-Journal’s editorial board, Dean said Chandler had a responsibility to vote with the Democratic majority for the bill after supporting an amendment that would bar federal money from being used to pay for most abortions.

Chandler was one of just 39 House Democrats who voted Saturday against the bill, which was approved 220-215.

“I think if you’re going to vote on the anti-abortion stuff, that’s your business. But then you ought to turn around and vote with the party on the rest of it,” said Dean, a former Vermont governor and a Democratic presidential candidate in 2004. “… I was deeply disappointed that he didn’t (vote with his party’s leadership), and he’s got a lot of explaining to do to Democrats all across Kentucky.”

Read the whole thing, including Wire Hanger's sniveling excuses.