Dean: GOP 'all about suppressing votes'

Howard Dean this morning

Speaking at a political conference yesterday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean lambasted Republicans as vote suppressers who "have never made an honest living in their lives."

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Dean's remarks, captured on CSPAN, came as he told the annual gathering of the liberal Campaign for America's Future that Democrats under his leadership would institute "significant changes" in strategy for upcoming elections.

"The Republicans are all about suppressing votes," he said. "Two voting machines if you live in a black district, 10 voting machines if you live in a white district."

In Florida, he recalled, some voters had to stand in line all day to vote in the November election.

"You think people can work all day and then pick up their kids at child care or wherever and get home and still manage to sandwich in an eight-hour vote?" he asked.

"Well Republicans, I guess can do that. Because a lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives."

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt responded in a statement.

"Howard Dean's diatribe ... illustrates that the Democratic Party not only lacks leadership but is overflowing with anger," Schmitt said. "His comment that a lot of Republicans have never made an honest living in their lives makes it clear that Dean's priority is to generate mudslinging headlines rather than engage in substantive debate."