Republicans defending Jefferson are setting up a trap for Dems

[Grebrook]

At first I couldn't figure out what the GOP was doing when it came to Jefferson's defense, regarding the raids of his congressional office. This seemed like the perfect time to coordinate a counterattack with Fox News and hammer the "HYPOCRITES, CULTURE OF CORRUPTION IS BIPARTISAN!" back home. But only Fox News was gloating about it. The Republican seem to be generally petrified, even guys like Newt Gingrich who doesn't even hold office.

Then it struck me that this was designed for a reason. We all know that at least two Republicans are probably going to get indicted before the November elections. Bob Ney, in the House, and Conrad Burns, in the senate. The GOP's intentions are pretty clear at this point. They're leaping to Jefferson's defense to contrast against the expected Democratic response in the coming months to coming indictments against Republican lawmakers. They've been focusing for the last straight year on perfecting the caricature of the "angry Democrats" message (Anyone want to take bets that John Gibson will slip that one in at least once today?) and convince voters that Democrats are insane. Republicans can't win on policy because their policies are batshit insane and the overwhelming majority of Americans are deadset against them, hence they focus on wedge issues. But the most effective way they campaign is by crafting caricatures. The "welfare queen" black woman who sucks off welfare. The "militant homosexual" who want to sexualize everything. The "feminazi" who gets pregnant on purpose just to have abortions because she actually enjoys it. The "la Raza Mexican" who is secretly trying to take back the Southwest.

Hence, this is a perfect opportunity for them to play nice with a (probably) corrupt Democrat, and hold Jefferson's hand as he's walked down into the dungeon. That way, when Democrats talk about the culture of corruption in the coming months, we'll look like mean-spirited jerks as opposed to hypocrits, which wouldn't be as effective of a message, since it still presents Democrats on equal terms with Republicans. They're attempting to set up a contrast of our reaction to their indictments and show that we didn't play nice when the gavil started falling on Republican heads. It's about kicking people when their down. They're going to avoid it to try to look nice and are hoping Conyers will be crushing Republicans' testicles on the floor of the House when the indictments come.

Don't believe the GOP. It's a public relations set up.

[MADem]

1. No they aren't--they're scared shitless that a Democratic President

will use HIS executive branch to toss their offices and find their copies of Boys/Girls Gone Wild and their stacks of lobbyist cash and emails documenting illegal activity. This isn't a Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner exercise, this is a "IT COULD HAPPEN TO MEEEEEEEEE!" exercise.

Self-preservation, the first law, is at work and play here. What it tells me is Hastert thinks the next president could well be a Democrat.

[AuntPatsy]

4. I agree with you, they are scared themselves finally.

[JeffR]

2. I agree, Grebrook

Welcome to DU!
:toast:

[madokie]

11. good work on the visual, woke me the f right up

the rechiseling of the stone faces

[Richardo]

3. Pretty weak set-up then.

Showing "compassion" for a guy with $90K in his freezer shows them as tolerant of corruption in my view, and I'd play it that way if I were running for anything.

Democrats showing outrage at GOP indictments will only work if they're as tough on their own as they are with the GOP. I would not want it any other way. The crooks need to be in jail.

[etherealtruth]

9. I agree completely ...

Dem's need to oppose corruption from both sides of the aisle, not align themselves with with criminals or those that give the appearance of criminal activity.

[Squeech]

12. Exactly

Corruption, no matter who does it and in which party, inevitably short-changes the citizenry. If we care enough about it to police our own, we show the voter that we stand by him/her. If the Repukes want to coddle our crooks as well as their own, all we need to do is show the voters how the money in Jefferson's freezer comes out of their body armor, their levees, their social security, etc.

[ificandream]

5. Wouldn't surprise me...

Sounds like a Rove tactic.

[dogday]

6. The media already has the talking point

that the Dems can't talk about the culture of corruption because they have their own corruption to deal with. They are making a deal out of this, plus Kennedy, plus McKinney, and they tried to get Conyers caught up in some crap, but could not....

I have said many times that the Democrats just cannot run on how corrupt the Republican party is, that they need to fight for people's rights to get the vote... Most people think politicians in Washington are corrupt, so the Democrats need to be making a stand....


I find it very telling that R. Cunningham's congressional office was not searched when he was caught up in his bribery scam.. The same as Jefferson, yet they choose to raid his office....

[RandomKoolzip]

7. I wondered about that, too.

Hastert defending a Dem accused of taking bribes?! DIdn't make sense. Then I remembered that everything a modern republican does is motivated by two things: greed and PR.

[Beetwasher]

8. Actually, The More Stink They Raise The More Attention This Story Gets

They're outrage and defense of the Dem makes more news and more awareness about the corrupt Dem.

I'm not so sure they're really outraged, but it's a bigger story because they're "outraged" and defending a Dem and it draws more attention to the story of the "Corrupt Dem" in congress.

[spanone]

10. Disagree, they know the pendulum swings in both directions

and they will be the 'victims' next time and by the way it IS unprecedented.

[peacetalksforall]

13. Don't you all recognize Rovian? They never isolate a reason,

purpose, benefit, advantage. They never have just one bird in the hand, they have a flock.

Therefore, you are all probably correct. Play it up, down, sideways, backwards, and forwards.

If you stand in the middle of a situation circle and you turn to view all the benefits and all the repurcussions, you pick and choose and strategize for a bucket full of advantages. Rovian = multiples.

[peacetalksforall]

14. You are also forgetting one of the benefits. PNAC wants to survive.

Though all the generous Representatives and Senators have aided PNAC immensely, they are being used and they can be sacrificed. They can turn it to say - the Legislative branch was crooked, but the Executive wasn't and Executive is the heart of PNAC.

[Norquist Nemesis]

15. ding ding ding!!!

While it may not be straight from Rove, he's watching the Cons and quietly saying, "You have learned well, Grasshoppers."