Howard Dean faces off against Republican Senator Toomey on CNBC (updated)

[ProSense]

Howard Dean: John Boehner 'A Good Speaker' (VIDEO)

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"I think John Boehner's a reasonable person. I certainly don't agree with his political thought philosophy, but I think he's a good Speaker, and I think he understands how you get things done in Washington," Dean said on CNBC's "Squawk Box," adding that he hoped cooler heads would prevail in the ongoing battle to reach an agreement on a plan to fund the government through September.

President Obama signed a temporary solution last week, a two-week stopgap spending measure that prevented a government shutdown. The White House has also sought to take the lead on the next steps to reach a longer term accord.

What Dean said he didn't find reasonable, however, was the GOP's recent insistence on mounting larger ideological battles by tacking on social spending cuts to its budget proposals.

"No one's going to get everything they want here, but the ideological stuff is the stuff that needs to be put aside," Dean claimed, mentioning Republican-led initiatives to defund Planned Parenthood and public broadcasting. "Then I think we can get some serious cuts in the budget."

WATCH:

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On edit, Dean makes some good points, but he also says some strange things. Watch the video.

Updated to add this from Daily Kos: Republican governors push for Medicaid block grants

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It's not a new idea, by any means. President Reagan wanted to implement a block grant program for Medicaid back in 1981. President Clinton vetoed legislation in 1995 that would have done the same. It's a go-to "solution" for conservatives who want to dismantle entitlement programs.

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[Bryan]

2. ""I think John Boehner's a reasonable person... I think he's a good Speaker"

Wow. When Pres. Obama displays this level of banal civility, he's loudly accused of "caving in", but Dr. Dean can say it with impunity. Fascinating.

[young but wise]

3. +1

[madfloridian]

4. Lots of people say "odd" things lately. Dean stood up for the WI 14 strongly.

He criticized the Koch brothers. That is more than most of our other Dem leaders have done.

He stood up for unions.

[ProSense]

5. Yes,

the strange stuff was agreeing with Toomey about getting rid of regulations and moving toward Meidcaid block grants. That is not good.

[blue neen]

6. "There's big majorities of Americans who don't think we ought to be subsidizing oil companies,

either"---I loved that statement by Governor Dean.

:)

[blue neen]

7. Toomey is a typical Republican hypocrite.

He wants to limit abortions and family planning at the same time that he wants to do away with Medicaid.

The Republican message to women: Have babies, no matter how poor you are==and we don't care whether those children are taken care of after they're born.

Pennsylvania, what have you done? Tom Corbett and Poindexter Pat elected in the same year.

[old mark]

9. and so much of the PA legislature that the remaining dems are

near powerless.

We are in for some very bad years.

mark

[madfloridian]

8. You can relax. Most of us now realize Dean is not going to stand with workers.

Not in any especially strong way anymore. He used to, but now he doesn't.