Dean laments lack of diversity

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean yesterday said that Maryland's Democratic ticket should have had a black or other minority at the top, but added that the national party isn't to blame for the lack of diversity.

"I do think there should be more diversity on this ticket," Mr. Dean said during a visit to the Maryland Democratic Party's campaign headquarters in Hyattsville.

However, Mr. Dean said that the national party bears no responsibility for Maryland's Democratic ticket, which offers four white men for the state's top offices -- the U.S. Senate, governor, attorney general and comptroller.

"We don't interfere in primaries," he said of the DNC.

The Washington Times yesterday reported that black business owners and religious leaders have expressed discontent with the Maryland Democratic Party's lack of black statewide candidates and said it will encourage support for Republicans -- especially Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's run for the U.S. Senate.

In addition, the Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that Maryland's 10 black state senators met last week with U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, the Democratic nominee for the Senate, and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, the Democratic nominee for governor, to complain about the lack of diversity at the top of the statewide ticket.

State Sen. Ulysses Currie, a black Democrat from Prince George's County, blamed a lack of discipline by the national party for the lack of diversity among the top nominees on Maryland's Democratic ticket.

"The Republican Party made the decision at the national level that they wanted Michael Steele to run for the U.S. Senate," said Mr. Currie, who supported Mr. Cardin over Kweisi Mfume, a past president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in last month's primary.

Mr. Cardin beat Mr. Mfume in the statewide contest, but Mr. Mfume trounced the 10-term congressman in the majority-black districts of Prince George's County and Baltimore.

In next month's general election, Mr. Cardin squares off against Mr. Steele, who is the first black to win a statewide office in Maryland.