Lieberman: Dean Will 'Melt' Under GOP Attacks Rival Says It Was 'Outrageous' for Front-Runner to Suggest Party Shield Him By Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei Washington Post Staff Writers Tuesday, December 30, 2003; Page A04 Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) charged yesterday that former Vermont governor Howard Dean will "melt in a minute" under Republican attacks if he becomes the Democratic presidential nominee and said it was "outrageous" of Dean to suggest that Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe step in and shield him from growing criticism by his rivals. Lieberman pounced on a comment Dean made Sunday in which he criticized McAuliffe for allowing the other Democratic candidates to attack him. "If we had strong leadership in the Democratic Party, they would be calling those other candidates and saying, 'Hey look, somebody's going to have to win here,' " Dean said. He added that "if Ron Brown were chairman, this wouldn't be happening," referring to the late former DNC chairman. Dean spoke with McAuliffe yesterday morning to clear the air. They chatted for about five minutes, according to Dean aide Kate O'Connor, who called the conversation "very, very friendly," but refused to elaborate. DNC spokeswoman Debra DeShong also declined to describe the content of what she said was a private conversation. She offered no indication McAuliffe was prepared to intervene in the escalating fight between Dean and his rivals. "The chairman understands and the message is that politics is a combat sport, and ultimately it's going to be up to the voters to decide what they like and don't like," DeShong said. Dean and McAuliffe talk often, as do their top aides, but several Democrats described the relationship between the front-runner and the DNC chairman as civil though sometimes awkward. McAuliffe is a close friend of former president Bill Clinton, whose former top aides are playing leading roles for some of Dean's rivals. As party chairman, McAuliffe has remained neutral in the race and turned to Dean for fundraising help on a few occasions. If Dean wins the nomination, he could shake up the DNC leadership. Dean's rivals have no plans to back off. Lieberman, who has been one of Dean's harshest and most persistent critics, said he found it "stunning" that the former governor was calling for help to fend off attacks after launching the first negative ad of the campaign and after answering criticism "not with substance but with personal insults." Earlier this year, Dean ran the first ad of the campaign that specifically mentioned one of his rivals. Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (Mo.), the target of that ad, yesterday echoed Lieberman, as did Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.). "Howard Dean has spent the last year criticizing me and other candidates at every opportunity," Gephardt said. "Now, as he makes a series of embarrassing gaffes that underscore the fact he is not well equipped to challenge George Bush, he suddenly wants to change the rules of the game." Over the past few weeks, Dean's rivals have grown more pointed in their attacks, and Dean has been forced to explain or clarify several controversial remarks. Lieberman said he believes the attacks are prompting many Democrats to rethink their support of Dean. "I've got some news for Howard Dean," Lieberman added. "The primary campaign is a warm-up compared to what George Bush and Karl Rove have waiting for him. . . . He's going to melt in a minute once the Republicans start going after him." Jay Carson, spokesman for Dean, said the Vermont Democrat is running a positive campaign that can generate the money and momentum to beat Bush. He said it is Dean's rivals who are doing the attacking -- out of desperation. "The politics of attack . . . is exactly the kind of politics that turns off voters and suppresses turnout," Carson said. "It's bad for the party."