POLITICS - Frugal Dean

I keep hearing that Dean is some fiscal conservative guru, responsible for balancing Vermont's budget...

I have to wonder. Are the citizens of Vermont looking at these books carefully? Because Dean has spent some pretty wild money in this campaign.

From the NYTimes:

Dean's presidential campaign spent at least $6,779 last year at Lake Champlain Chocolates, a premium truffle maker in Dean's home state of Vermont, on thank-you gifts for hosts of major fund-raising events. The Burlington-based chocolatier's specialties include the ``Chocolates of Vermont,'' a box with a different bonbon for each season.
[...]
Campaign finance reports for 2003 show the chocolate purchases were part of at least $281,000 in spending described by the campaign as ``paraphernalia.'' Other spending in that category included $2,772 at Kentucky's Louisville Slugger Museum and $691 at the Cabot Creamery, a stop on the Vermont Cheese Trail.

On another fiscal note... Jack O'Toole notes:

Another point worth noting: Based on these figures, Howard Dean appears to have spent approximately $207 for each vote he's received to date.

(Links Via PoliticalWire)