RNC ATTACK CAMPAIGN DRAWING REPUBLICAN CRITICS.... Within a few hours of Rod Blagojevich's arrest, the Republican National Committee was circulating materials to reporters hoping to prove that the governor was closely tied to Barack Obama. As the week progressed, the attacks intensified, reality notwithstanding. This culminated in a three-minute web video, released over the weekend, featuring evidence of instances in which the senator from Illinois met the governor of Illinois. This was helpful in proving ... well, that the RNC is pretty desperate right about now and hard up for content with which to smear Obama. On Sunday, John McCain distanced himself from the RNC's efforts, saying there's corruption in both parties and describing the RNC's campaign as a distraction. Today, Newt Gingrich went even further. From a written statement issued by the former House Speaker: "I was saddened to learn that at a time of national trial, when a president-elect is preparing to take office in the midst of the worst financial crisis in over seventy years, that the Republican National Committee is engaged in the sort of negative, attack politics that the voters rejected in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles. "The recent web advertisement, "Questions Remain," is a destructive distraction. Clearly, we should insist that all taped communications regarding the Senate seat should be made public. However, that should be a matter of public policy, not an excuse for political attack. [...] "This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008. "The RNC should pull the ad down immediately." Interesting. Now, I won't presume to know Gingrich is thinking here, and for all I know, his statement was sincere. But I think his denunciation speaks to a larger strategic truth -- there's just no reason for Republicans to pursue an Obama "connection" with Blagojevich, because, as is obvious by now, there's nothing linking the president-elect to this scandal. The more efforts the Republicans invest, the more time they waste, and the less credibility they'll have when their attacks fail to pan out. Substantively, the RNC is pursuing a scandal that doesn't exist. Politically, the RNC has nothing to gain by throwing around bogus smears that no one seriously believes anyway, in a time of crisis where tolerance for far-right nonsense is awfully low. Gingrich, whatever his motivations, is for a change offering his party some good advice. âSteve Benen
I'm surprised that Drudge, fair and not balanced "foxynews" and Rush are not out talking about Obama's failed economic policies too. I wonder if Newt's comments are related to his 2012 campaign. Seneca
One question. Do you not think that the democrats would be trying to smear McCain if he was elected president if the governor of Arizona tried to sell his senate seat? When will you pitifuls realize that both parties use smear tactics. Only putting blame on the conservatives for using smear tactics only shows how stupidly bias you are.
The GOP has some major problems that it is not addressing. The biggest problem is what was a winning strategy in 2000 and 2004 is not working, but the RNC is locked into it now. Limbaugh, Hannity, et al are working at making the GOP extinct now. But they are among the stars of the party. Gingrich, Powell and McCain see the problem, but they do not control the party.
Neo, The "pitifuls" are now in charge! Maybe if the republkans didn't impeach Clinton on a silly issue all this crap would not have reached the levels we now see. I don't hear Obama and his team demonizing the opposition like Rush and the non thinking followers of him do. Put your house in order as the Newt suggests and get back to traditional conservative policies and then maybe we'll see another Republican in the WH. Seneca
The democrats already have a major problem because the man they elected president isn't going to change a damn thing. Sense he hasn't changed anything you will most likely argue that he hasn't even been inaugurated yet. Although if the media would have hailed his executive position picks, stances on Iraq and the stances on the economy than you would be on here yelping see everyone Obama is changing everything for the better. Have you not noticed that the media has barely even scratched the surface of what Obama is really thinking and doing? Why haven't they done this? The haven't done this because they don't want people to see that Obama is actually just another politician who on top of that is inexperienced. Just look at him. He looks like the biggest intern on the face of the earth. Obama convinced the American people that he can change the economy. How in the world could Obama change the economy besides giving people money? Seriously answer the question.
So basically your saying that there aren't any liberals who use smear tactics? You must have been living in a cave for the last 8 years. The amazing thing is that you liberals bitch more about Rush and Hannity even though there are massively larger proportions of liberal media. It comes down to the fact that you guys love bitching about anything you can wrap your mind around. Obama was elected and your still bitching. If Obama became the best president ever you would still be bitching.
That is already happening with bailouts. Somebody already beat him to it. There is no doubt that Democrats may screw up when they have both the WH and Congress. Seems to be par for the course. But Limbaugh and the like are going to be helping the Democrats keep the GOP as a minority. This is going to be the real legacy of the last 8 years. Watch it happen.