"Dean Wrestles With the Question of Faith" (Jan. 3) describes how, on a plane flight, Howard Dean was asked what his favorite book in the New Testament was, and that Dean first cited the Book of Job, which is actually in the Old Testament. Although Dean corrected his error about an hour later, and went on to answer the reporter's question by citing the Gospels as his favorite book, I believe Dean's more serious error was in answering the question at all.
Dean should have reminded the reporter that at the end of Article VI of the Constitution, it says, " ... but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." And he should have emphasized that since he, Dean, is a candidate for the office of the president, the question could be construed as applying a religious test, and that as president he will be expected to uphold the Constitution.
