Howard Dean

Howard Dean's Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform reading, Thu., Sept. 24, noon, free, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

by Shaun Brady

reading/signing

We can only imagine what President Howard Dean's reaction would have been to Rep. Joe Wilson's recent outburst. But while the ex-party chairman's own ill-timed vocalizations helped torpedo his '04 run, progressives hoping for health-care reform shouldn't forget they have a doctor in the house. Dean may regret heading a chapter of his book "Reform Without a Public Health Insurance Option is Not Real Reform" given Obama's recent backtracking, but his slim volume is a well-reasoned best-case scenario for rejiggering the system.