(This could be interesting)- - -The DNC's watchful eye

[babylonsister]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0507/The_DNCs_watchful_eye.html

The DNC's watchful eye

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. -- Though it's tough to spoil anything in sunny Southern California, the DNC will do their best to rain on the GOP parade here tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning, they will release a research packet on the Big Three titled, "The Real Republicans." The document, obtained by Politico, says Giuliani, Romney and McCain are "ut of step with the mainstream of their party, out of step with the American people and even out of step with their own previous positions and public records.

Passing out the oppo on site at the Reagan Library will be DNC staffers Mike Gehrke and Karen Finney. They'll be live-blogging and offering rapid response as the debate unfolds and will be backed up by a war room back in D.C. that will fact-check the Republicans.

Also, the DNC is set to launch a new website tomorrow devoted to the Republican presidential contest. The page will include plenty of goodies on the 10 candidates on stage, but also on two others who may get in the race later, Newt Gingrich and Fred Thompson.

[seasat]

1. Cool

I saw the stuff that the Repugs have put up against our candidates. It'll help us all out if the DNC provides us with some research. Will they have in their handouts those cute pictures of Rudy in drag, McCain in the flack jacket in the Baghdad market, and Romney in a photoshopped hunting vest?

[babylonsister]

3. Now THAT would be interesting!

:D

[Cha]

2. Way to do your homework..

DNC and Deano! The real poop on rudy mcromney reads like a horror story..just in time for "FEAR" repuke style.

[Catchawave]

4. Hope the DU servers are ready for the GOP Debate

I can't wait :party:

[windy252]

9. Is this "debate"

going to be as painful to watch as it sounds?

[Alamom]

5. Great news. Thank you for the information. This should be very interesting.eom

[illinoisprogressive]

6. Dean is sitting in his office with that cheshire cat grin...

[madfloridian]

7. Read the DNC blog at least twice daily for the latest on the GOP

Their researcher, Michael Gehrke, was hired because of his great research skills...especially again Howard Dean in the last primaries.

:D

http://www.dnc.org/blog.html

[bklyncowgirl]

12. Do you mean that Dean hired a guy who dug up dirt on him in 2004?

If so that's pretty cool. I guess Dean would be the best judge of his talents. Most people would find it hard to get beyond the smears--but I guess it's all politics.

[madfloridian]

13. Yes, that is what he did. From Hotline blog....

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/02/dnc_launches_08.html

"Republican presidential candidates take note: if you didn’t think the Democratic National Committee was serious about scrutinizing your every utterance this early in the cycle, look at the resume of the man Howard Dean hired to be his new director of research.

Back in 2003, when Gehrke worked for John Kerry, Dean fell victim, often, to Michael Gehrke’s opposition research. “The chairman has a unique appreciation of tough he is and how critical he is to the effort,” says DNC communications director Karen Finney.

[blm]

16. Actually, there wasn't THAT much dirt - but that wouldn't have stopped BushInc

from pretending there was and creating it where necessary to attack Dean - like they did with the swifts. If you control most broadcast media you can get away with many a lie and smear.

[Mabus]

8. Thank you Dean and the Dems for the 41 pages of information

As soon as we can we're sending off a donation with a thank you note to the DNC.

[madfloridian]

10. To paraphrase Pelosi's "new congress" comment...

Folks, we have a "new party" in town. On the offense.

[madfloridian]

11. Kind of cute column about Dean.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/02/usnews/whispers/main2756399.shtml

He's Still Plain Ol' Howard

May 2, 2007
(US News) "Success hasn't gone to Howard Dean's head, despite the fundraising and political victories the Democratic Party chairman has collected in the past year. We hear that he still tries to get home to Vermont every weekend and still lives in a hotel near Democratic Party HQ when in town.

He likes to eat at his desk, where he sometimes tries to book his own flights around the country. "He knows all the connecting-flight schedules, he's traveled so much," says a friend. And he won't use a limo to get around town, instead keeping the number of a favorite cab driver-a Mr. Singh-handy."

I just figured out BTW why this is not getting more recommends.

Bear with me...follow me on this. The same thing happens whenever the DNC is mentioned or does something different.

There are those on the right who don't like the new direction of the DNC...it is too outspoken and too ready to go on the offense. Me, I like that. But the ones are DLC supporters don't like that at all. Won't get recommends from them.

Second, there are the ones on the left who don't think the DNC is left-leaning enough for them. Doesn't matter it has to stand for the whole of the party, not just one wing. I think Dean has done well at keep the appeal pretty moderate.

So that leaves a few of us in the middle who will recommend it.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. It's not that unusual to run into Gov. Dean riding the Metro.

I can't say that it's advisable, but it is admirable.

[DFW]

17. I didn't know about the cab driver, as I don't see Howard in DC

But anyone who knows him knows that his wife does not like all
the travel, and he does everything he can to be able to get home
on weekends. Continental has regular flights up there, although
you have to connect in Newark a lot (I hear, anyway, I have never
flown up there).

Don't be surprised to see Howard on the Metro, and don't be surprised,
if he isn't poring over some document or other, if he's perfectly
willing to talk to you if you approach him. He is so much the opposite
of a typical high-profile politician, you wouldn't believe it. He is
the least full-of-himself guy in politics (and I include much of the
electronic press here, too, Eleanor Clift, who is one cool lady, excepted)
that I know, with the exception of Al Gore.

Howard Dean and Al Gore are two men who in some parallel better universe
were two of our best presidents.

[madfloridian]

14. The webpage is up now.

www.dnc.org

Tough research.