Obama appears with new DNC chief – AP (1/8/09):

President-elect Barack Obama appeared Thursday at Democratic Party headquarters with his hand-picked incoming chairman, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, but his predecessor, outgoing chief Howard Dean, was nowhere in sight.

Dean, who has clashed with Obama’s top aides and Democratic leaders in Congress during his four-year term, is stepping down Jan. 21.

“My understanding is that he’s traveling, so he couldn’t attend,” said Tommy Vietor, an Obama spokesman.

Obama’s transition officials, however, did not immediately respond when asked whether the former Vermont governor was invited to appear alongside the president-elect and Dean’s successor at the news conference.

But Democrats with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering the Obama team, say Dean won’t attend the event at the request of Obama advisers.

Obama should be building a monument to Dean. Instead he won’t be seen in the same room and has his people lying about it. Meanwhile Tim Kaine is coming for your gays and uteri. Don’t worry, he’ll leave you a bible so you can see the error of your ways.