Only one way to explain this

According to this story that Drudge found in the Bennington Banner, DNC Chairman Howard Dean is endorsing a socialist for run for the Senate seat Jumpin' Jim Jeffords is planning to vacate. By socialist, I don't mean a Democrat with socialist tendencies, but a real-live socialist.

The man's name is Bernie Sanders, and he is serving now as a Congressman from Vermont.

I read the Banner story and saw no mention of the "s" word; and I began to wonder if Drudge was exaggerating. According to the story, Sanders was "an independent". So I looked up Bernie Sanders on his official Congressional web site and, by gummy, the guy really is a socialist! And he's proud of it!

That might cut the mustard in Vermont, but it sure won't help the Democrats' image nationally. I'm at a loss to explain such a decision making process.

All I can imagine is Howard Dean sitting down with his staff on the first business day of every month and saying, "Folks: let's do some brainstorming. What can we do next to convince the American people that the Democratic Party is a pack of certifiable, lefty-loons?"

I hope Dean stays DNC chairman a long time.