I browse through news titles, and generally don’t pay much attention to what I am glancing over unless something catches my attention. I certainly did a double-take when I read “Howard Dean Hits Mexico”. First of all, what the hell is Howard Dean doing hitting Mexico? Second of all, does the news even still cover this guy? I thought his period of fame, as it were, was long gone.
And then, I belatedly realize is a hurricane, not a former candidate for the US presidency, that is pummeling Mexico.
Not me.
I haven’t made the sort of dyslexic connection you have, but yeah. Every time I hear of it, I think of Howard. 
ETA: Howard Dean is still the head of the DNC… still occasionally in the news.
Fark has already been playing up the connection.
“Hurricane Dean to hit Texas, followed by Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and all the way to Washington! YEEEEEEAAAHHHHHHRRRRR!!!”
The Boston Globe has the unfortunate headline “Hurrican Dead **Roars ** Into Mexico” (bolding mine).
YEEEEEEAAAHHHHHHRRRRR!!!
Obviously it was trying to hit Crawford.
I thought Hurricane was Howard Dean’s nickname…
But seriously, yes I also initially misinterpreted the headlines as referring to the former presidential candidate.
–FCOD
I thought I was the only person!!! I looked at the TV at Ruby Tuesday’s on Monday and I thought I saw “Howard Dean rips through southern states, to hit Florida by Wednesday.”
And I thought,
YYAAAAAHHHHRR!!!
I’m actually a big fan of a show called Supernatural, which has a lead character named Dean. Thus, I am vastly amused by each headline that comes up and / or going to hell.
hides in handbasket
I didn’t mistake “Hurricane” for “Howard”, but sometimes they’ve been just using “Dean” as shorthand, and Howard is what always comes to mind first for me.
re. the OP: I can see the resemblance – they’re both blowhards.
I’ve been out of the country for a few days and checking the news on my Blackberry. When I saw things about Dean pummeling Jamaica, I thought of Howard Dean for a moment, but most of my attention was focused on Dave Chappelle doing his imitation of Howard Dean pummeling Jamaica: “We’re going to go to the airport, and get in a taxi, and go get some of the finest chronic known to America… BYEAWWWWWW! And then we’re going to get some hookers and trash our hotel room like a hurricane just hit it… BYEAWWWWWWW!! And then we’re going to run up the long distance bill by calling Dick Cheney’s lesbian daughters… BYEAWW BYEAW BYEAWWWWW!”
I can’t help but think:
Howard Dean angry!
Howard Dean smash!
Yarrrrrgh!
Yeah, I was alarmed by the headline “Dean weakening.” I thought, gosh, I didn’t know he was ill.
Sailboat