On TV With His Wife, a Softer, Gentler Dean

Howard Dean said he is just another hockey dad. His wife of 23 years, Judith Steinberg Dean, said she cannot remember the last time he lost his temper. She said he's "a good dancer." He said "she's a lot smarter than I am."

Nestled on a formal sofa in a quaint Vermont inn, fingers intertwined, the couple appeared in their first nationally televised interview Thursday in an effort to revive Dr. Dean's embattled presidential campaign by reassuring the public that his emotional outburst after a disappointing third-place finish in Iowa's caucuses was an anomaly. As Diane Sawyer of ABC News showed the screech heard 'round the political world for the umpteenth time, Mrs. Dean looked lovingly at her husband, and let out a little giggle.

"He just doesn't get that angry," Mrs. Dean, 50, told Ms. Sawyer in the segment broadcast on "Primetime Thursday." "I mean, he doesn't. You know, he just, he's very kind, very considerate, and, it just doesn't happen."

Dr. Dean, the former governor of Vermont, acknowledged on the program that his performance Monday night was not "presidential," but said he was not "apologetic."

"Was it over the top? Sure it was over the top," Dr. Dean told Ms. Sawyer. "Do I do things that are a little nutty? Sure, I do things that are a little nutty.

"Last night, I went to a hockey game, my son got an assist on the first goal, I went `Yahoo,' and jumped up in the air," he added. "That's presidential? Probably not. So, I'm a dad, I'm a human being, I'm going to keep being a dad and a human being."

"I learned a long time ago that all you have in your life is your family," said Dr. Dean, who described his wife as "a real life partner" and a friend. "My marriage and my family's the most important thing to me. More important than being president.""

Mrs. Dean said she had not watched her husband's Iowa concession speech live, and had seen the clip only once before Thursday's taping. "I thought it looked kind of silly," she said, then quickly added, "but I thought it looked O.K."

Wearing lipstick and blusher — unusual for her — Mrs. Dean said she expects her hair and clothes would be criticized if her husband were elected, noting, "I don't really care too much what I wear." Asked about the unromantic gift of a rhododendron bush for Mrs. Dean's 50th birthday, Dr. Dean joked it was only her 39th, and Mrs. Dean told of their family tradition of a birthday bike ride with squished cupcakes in a knapsack.

"I'm not a very thing person," she said.

Throughout the day, the candidate promoted his background as a doctor and a governor, in contrast to the opponents he sees as "Washington insiders," all in a quieter — at times, inaudible — tone. He barely mentioned the war in Iraq, once his signature issue, instead focusing on balanced budgets, health insurance, his willingness to stake out unpopular positions, and the communal nature of his campaign.