Howard Dean is digging in.
The former DNC Chairman appeared on MSNBC's Hardball on Wednesday, getting into a heated health care debate with both host Chris Matthews and senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA).
Dean defended his "kill the bill" position espoused a day earlier on the network's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, saying that good things about currently proposed health care reforms are outweighed by "goodies" to insurance companies. "It turns out that insurance companies, in the fine print, can charge 300% more for older folks than they can for younger folks," said the physician and former Vermont governor.
"Democrats aren't tough enough," continued Dean, setting his sights on his own party. "If we were the Republicans right now, this bill would be done through reconciliation."
Matthews took issue with reconciliation process and insisted that it could destroy congress. "This is demagoguery, you know it's not going to happen," said the host. Then he got personal. "You know how democracy works? It's the reason you didn't get elected president. It's numbers. You have to get a certain number."
But things didn't peak until Landrieu joined the discussion.
The current senator accused the former of wanting to eliminate insurance companies. "Nonsense," Dean interrupted.
"You would not let us choose another program," he argued. "You forced us into the insurance industry. We don't want to be forced into the insurance industry. You took away our choice. That is wrong!"
"That is not true. You never had that choice to begin with," responded Landrieu.
The sparing -- and interruptions -- continued as they disputed whether president Obama had campaigned on the issue.
WATCH (it really heats up at the 10:25 mark):