During a meeting with the CBC on Friday, Dean joked: "You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here."

Beyond being offensive to minorities, Dean's characterization of Republicans was just wrong, Mehlman said.

"I wish Governor Dean had joined me last Monday when I, along with Lieutenant Governor Mike Steele of Maryland, who's African-American, had an event at Prince Georges Community College where 250 mostly African-Americans and I met to talk about our party and our agenda."

The flap over Dean's "hotel staff" remark isn't the first time critics say he has crossed the line on race.

During the primary campaign last year, the former Vermont governor repeatedly told audiences that he wanted to be the candidate of "white folks in the South who drive pick-up trucks with Confederate flag decals."

He also came under fire for not having a single black in a senior position on his gubernatorial staff.

Dean defenders said that was because only 4,000 African-Americans live in Vermont.

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