Valued LST reader Kristi left a comment yesterday that bears examination:

You guys are ridiculous. Howard Dean does not hate Republicans. He said this himself - he hates the things that Republicans are doing in our country, he hates some of the things that Republicans stand for. He does NOT hate REPUBLICANS. If he did, I doubt he would spend so much time and money traveling to Red states and trying to unify our country. Howard Dean loves the United States and he wants us all to work together to make it the country its capable of being. He knows, as well as the rest of us, that our country can not be its best if Democrats and Republicans hate each other. Howard Dean wants nothing more than for all of us to work together and make this country, our country, the very best it can be!!

Sorry if you’ve been misled, Kristi, but Howard Dean does hate Republicans. He said so himself. Here are the specifics. On Saturday, January 29, 2005, Dean spoke to the DNC faithful at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan. He was rallying support for his candidacy to head up the DNC. Here’s part of what he said:

I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for

That’s not too ambiguous. Notice that he didn’t claim to hate "some of the things the Republicans stand for." He said everything. EVERYTHING.

Here’s a quick recap. Kristi says:

He does NOT hate REPUBLICANS

he hates some of the things that Republicans stand for

Dean says:

I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for

This will be on the test.