Dean Reprises Infamous Scream at de Blasio Event

Sunday, July 21, 2013 9:48 pm | < 1 Minute Read

By Yochonon Donn

The scream that reverberated through the nation in early 2004 and cost Howard Dean the Democratic presidential nomination was once again heard in the byways of Brooklyn.

The former Vermont governor did not mind reprising it Thursday night to benefit Bill de Blasio at a fundraiser for the New York City mayoral candidate.

“So we’re going to Brooklyn! And then we’re going to the Bronx! And then we’re going to Staten Island and we’re going to go to Manhattan and all the way to, uh, Gracie Mansion,” Dean said — before topping it off with the “Yeah! YEAH!” that caused people to wonder in 2004 if the frontrunner had lost himself after losing the Iowa caucus.

But the crowd on Thursday applauded when Dean said he was wearing the same shirt he wore at his “Dean Scream” speech.

The former chairman of the National Democratic Committee was then the antiwar candidate who lost the nomination to then-Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), presently the secretary of state. Republican President George W. Bush won reelection that year.

Dean, who at one point mixed up what the stop and frisk controversy was about, predicted that de Blasio, the public advocate, would come in at second place, spawning a runoff with Anthony Weiner — which de Blasio would win.

“[Weiner] has name recognition, he’s a credible candidate, but he’s probably at his ceiling,” Dean said. “What this is, is a race to see who gets into the runoff with Anthony. That’s how it’s going to work.”

While polls have Weiner and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn trading for the top spot, and Bill Thompson in third place, de Blasio has remained stuck at about 10 percent in all surveys.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the July 22nd, 2013 edition of Hamodia.