Goodbye Terry!

Howard Dean takes over Terry McAuliffe's DNC job tomorrow and last night the Dems held a farewell gathing for the departing chief. Byron York attended and writes about it today in National Review Online.

Although it was all meant in fun, the evening was basically a retelling of election defeat after election defeat during McAuliffe's term. Here's what Tim Russert contributed to the evening:

And then there was NBC's Tim Russert. On the set of Meet the Press, Russert played clips of McAuliffe predicting a big Democratic victory in the House. And a big Democratic victory in the Senate. And a big Democratic victory in the Florida governor's race. And a big Democratic victory in the presidential race. Before those predictions, McAuliffe had bet $1,000 — to be given to charity — on his side winning. As Russert listed the losses, McAuliffe's debt rose and rose.

It was all done in good humor, but the effect, at the supposedly gala tribute to McAuliffe, was awkward and painful.

No one seemed to sense that more than Franken. "Didn't the planners of this event do a great job helping us relive all those losses?" he asked, not even trying to be funny.

Let's wish Howard Dean the same success enjoyed by Terry McAuliffe.