politics

Say What?

January 29, 2004

Slate‘s Will Saletan, whose coverage of the campaign so far has been excellent, trips up here.

Saletan notes that Howard Dean told Fox News Channel that the small donors who have been the backbone of his financial support are still giving, despite Dean’s rocky performance in Iowa and New Hampshire. (Average contribution: $77.)

Saletan then comments: “How poignant: The man who entered this race pledging to elevate people above money now pledges to survive on money, despite losing the votes of the people.”

Huh?

Dean’s reliance on small donors, many of whom contribute online, has been amply documented. Why Saletan suddenly finds this hypocritical, now that Dean has hit a rough patch, is a mystery.

–Z.R.

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Zachary Roth is a contributing editor to The Washington Monthly. He also has written for The Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast, and Talking Points Memo, among other outlets.