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Another Democrat Dons the “Kick Me” Sign

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Guest post by Steve M.

On the op-ed page of today’s New York Times, Francis Wilkinson, the blog editor (UPDATE: actually former blog editor) of the Huffington Post (the Times IDs him as “a former Democratic consultant”), makes note of an apparent lull in partisan sniping on the part of Republican candidates.  Mistaking this for a cease-fire, Wilkinson proposes unilateral disarmament:

Fighting to Lose

…On the trail, Mrs. Clinton has assured voters that she is the only Democratic candidate who has been “vetted” and shown capable of withstanding the right-wing attack machine. But that machine has grown curiously quiet of late.

In the Republican races in Iowa and New Hampshire, the harsh partisan noise of the past two decades grew faint.

… on Tuesday, John McCain seized victory in the Republican primary in New Hampshire after a campaign essentially devoid of attacks on Democrats….

Could Hillary Clinton retool her image and campaign to prevail against a Republican who attacks with love bombs instead of wedge issues? …

Maybe Wilkinson has a point about the closing days of the New Hampshire contest, but let’s go back to distant, long-forgotten days — i.e., this past fall.Remember the Florida GOP debate in October — the one that led to the AP headline “GOP Hopefuls Pile on Clinton”? Giuliani attacked her. Romney attacked her.  Even that nice Mike Huckabee (nicely) attacked her.And John McCain, he of the “love bombs,” specifically attacked her for supporting funding for a Woodstock museum.  He got an ovation for that — so he brought it up again in an ad. And then another ad.

Oh, and this was around the same time a voter at a McCain event asked, “How do we beat the b–ch?” Before making a pro forma statement of respect for Clinton, McCain laughed and said this was “an excellent question.” He never chastised the voter.

If the Republicans mellowed out in the days before the voting took place in New Hampshire, it was for two reasons only: (1) New Hampshire is an increasingly moderate-to-liberal state that allows crossover voting and (2) Republicans weren’t sure which Democrat they should treat as an Antichrist.

Meanwhile, the hit of the first post-New Hampshire debate this week in the new, mellow, love-bombing GOP was Fred Thompson, who lashed out at liberalism on the part of all sorts of people, particularly fellow Republican Mike Huckabee.

Mr. Wilkinson, the GOP is not becoming mellow, and this will not be a nice race, no matter who the Democratic candidate is.  The only place modern Republicans bury hatchets is in Democrats’ (or insufficiently doctrinaire Republicans’) backs.

(Cross-posted at No More Mister Nice Blog.)

Comments

  • petorado

    says:

    With incredibly low approval ratings of both Bush and Republicans in general, their only hope, as always, is to somehow portray Democrats as being even worse. The hate bombs will return, as you aptly noted, when the real Democratic antichrist emerges.

    Democrats should stop pushing away the silver platter and accept the gift that is Bush’s legacy and make every Republican candidate choke on that albatross around their necks named W.

  • JRS Jr

    says:

    Partisan sheep are the only folks who enjoy the attacks and bickering. The independents and moderates are looking for pols who can actually get things done.

  • Steve

    says:

    In response to Mr. Wilkinson’s call for a unilteral disarmament, I can only say this:

    I will agree to “unilaterally disarm” when every last ounce of the uberschweinen smear machine—and those who gainfully profit from its maniacally-shrill little screeds—lies in a smoldering heap beneath my feet. I can work with, respect, and debate with Republicans who have demonstrated, over the long term, the truthful desire to moderate the tone blared out from their bipedal bully pulpits—but the only offer I’ll accept from the hatreds proffered by the “Right-cubed” fringe that currently holds sway in the court of neoconservativism is “an offer of their unconditional surrender.”

  • JRS Jr

    says:

    “With incredibly low approval ratings of both Bush and Republicans in general…”

    The somebody tell me why McCain polls so well vs. Clinton (+5) and is even with Obama in recent national polls. Despite the last 8 years under W, the Dems still are far from a lock in this election.

  • Wren

    says:

    Welcome, Steve M.!
    I can’t agree with Wilkinson even regarding recent days. If the Republicans cranked down the vitriol against the Democrats in the run up to the New Hampshire primary, it was only because the media took care of the gleeful sliming for them.

  • slip kid no more

    says:

    Respectable Republicans (I know that seems like an oxymoron), who practice ethical campaigning, are hard to find. There are some Republicans that can reach across the aisle like Sen. Grassley of Iowa–but I don’t know if he “talks trash” when he campaigns for reelection. “Smearing” may be genetically inherent in being Republican.

  • benjoya

    says:

    the Rs are just confused. Until recently, they were certain that “I’ll beat Hillary” would suffice as a campaign platform. Now they’re not so sure. They’ll catch up, whatever we do.

  • just guessing

    says:

    Rethugs have just been retooling to dump on one another ahead of SC and are just biding their times to see who emerges on the Dem front, stil hoping beyond hope that it is HRC. They’ll be back.

  • beep52

    says:

    (Welcome, Steve.) Surprise, Surprise! Another Dem consultant giving advice on how to lose an election that any competent candidate should win comfortably. We’re still in the early stages of this thing and with no early favorite, candidates are busy right now distinguishing themselves from others in their parties. Once clear leaders begin to emerge, this is going to get nasty. And the worst is probably going to come from the 527s. Whoever gets the D nomination had better be prepared for all hell to break loose.

  • Charles

    says:

    A commenter asked why McCain polls well relative to other candidates.

    Answer: McCain seems the least like a Republican of the GOP candidates.

    This advantage will vanish as soon as he is perceived to represent the GOP — I.E., the instant he is nominated.

  • dnA

    says:

    I think it’s worth noting that under similar circumstance, most of the Democratic candidates have not taken those opportunities to take cheap shots at their rivals on either side of the aisle.

    I don’t see where there’s a need for a “cease-fire” on the Democratic side.

  • Perry

    says:

    The Huffington Post has been doing more to undermine HRC than any Republican outlet. Look at the headlines they post, then look at the content of the stories themselves and you’ll see what they’re doing. Plus, they discard reasonable looking photos of any Clinton in favor of the goofiest moment they can find. I don’t know why anyone would take seriously anything said by the Huffington Post about Clinton.

  • Mark

    says:

    I continue to be convinced the GOP devoutly hopes Hillary Clinton will be the nominee – and is even covertly aiding her campaign – because they think she will be easiest to beat. Nobody ever suggested Obama or Edwards was not “likeable”; to have the suggestion even introduced implies there is something about Mrs. Clinton that turns some people off. Yes, she’s smart. Yes, she’s experienced.Yes, she sometimes comes across as cold and patrician and condescending. At the moment, the qualities being underlined by the Right are the first two.

    You can count on it that the love bombs will turn into cluster bombs the moment she gets the nod, if she does.