Moments before taping was to begin with host Tim Russert, Mehlman asked Dean outside the NBC studio’s green room: “There’s still time for us to go on together Governor.” Dean declined with a shrug of his shoulders and an uncomfortable cackle and then proceeded to walk away into the green room.

DRUDGE has learned MEET THE PRESS producers have been working to get a head to head Dean/Mehlman appearance on the program since Dean was named chair back in February. Dean and his handlers have repeatedly turned down the request. The former Vermont governor only agreed to do this week’s program if they appeared in back-to-back interviews.

Mehlman brought up Dean’s unwillingness to appear alongside him during the show: “I was hoping that Chairman Dean would be on sitting next to me this morning. Maybe we can do that on a future program. Look, he's somebody I've enjoyed getting to know. We meet in a lot of green rooms….”

Tim Russert: “We invited him -- do you have a question for him?”

Former Dem Party Chair Terry McAuliffe participated in regular head-to-head appearances with his Republican counterparts during his tenure from ‘01 to ‘05. McAuliffe went head-to-head with Republican chairmen at least five times on MEET THE PRESS alone, going up against past GOP chairs Ed Gillespie (twice), Marc Racicot (twice) and Jim Gilmore (once).

Could his cowering be related in away to the fact that Chairman Dean has done so poorly as Chairman of the Democractic Party and has failed to be competitive in fundraising? Or perhaps it is a simpler reason, maybe he just doesn't want to get his clock cleaned by Ken Mehlman.

UPDATE: This story doesn't end. As reported by the Washington Times, Ken Mehlman challenged Chairman Dean by proxy (since Dean was apparently too frightened to sit across from Mehlman) to condemn the racist remarks made towards Maryland's Lt. Governor Michael Steele. Dean rank and filed, ignored the challenge, and proceeded to whine and whimper.

"There's been an utter silence in response to what have been vicious and racist attacks on Michael Steele in Maryland," Mr. Mehlman said.

Mr. Mehlman on "Meet the Press" called on Mr. Dean to "condemn this kind of racist and bigoted activity. It's wrong."

"He's had racial epithets thrown at him. He's been derided on a Web site that the Democrats have. And while some Democrats in Maryland have criticized it, there's been utter silence from national Democrats on this important issue," Mr. Mehlman said.

"I would also hope he'd condemn the following: There are a whole bunch of Democratic candidates and Republican candidates around the country. But Charles Schumer and the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee] chose one candidate [Mr. Steele] to go after his credit report and engage in identity theft against him," Mr. Mehlman said.

Mr. Russert put forth both questions to Mr. Dean, who said "moral values" should bring a "better tone in our political campaigns."

"I don't like that stuff," Mr. Dean said of the credit-report incident.

Mr. Dean declined to address the statements against Mr. Steele, but said, "I didn't hear Ken condemning the chairman of the Maryland party when he called me an anti-Semite."

The Washington Times also reports that John M. Kane, Maryland's Republican Party chairman, was not involved in the incident Dean refered to, according to a Lexis-Nexis search.

Dean also complained about things uttered of him.

"So far I've been called a racist, a terrorist, an abortionist, and anti-Semitic," Mr. Dean said.

Aww, poor Chairman Dean. Perhaps he lost his backbone in his fall from the top of the list of Democratic candidates for President. Maybe his skin has gotten thin from all thta global warming. As I have said before, the Democrats have no problems dishing it, but they just can't take it, as illustrated with the 'KKK' (Kerry, Kennedy Klan) joke made last week.

John Kane is demanding an apology from Howard Dean. Don't count on ever hearing from Chairman Dean.