"Killing them softly"

[Clio the Leo]

Killing them softly
By: Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns
March 8, 2011 04:32 AM EST

President Barack Obama has come to praise his Republican challengers - and to bury them.

Over the last few weeks, Obama and his top allies couldn’t seem to stop applauding several of the GOP’s potential 2012 contenders.

To listen to them tell it, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is a health care visionary and U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman is a loyal foot soldier of the administration.

The political calculus behind that praise is straightforward: by wrapping their arms around some of the GOP’s most credible and deep-pocketed potential challengers, Democrats undermine the party’s attempt to win over its conservative base in the primary.

Obama aides deny that they’re wading into the Republican contest, but they’ve sought to intervene in GOP politics in the past, if on a smaller scale. Part of the benefit of sending Huntsman to Beijing was the hope that it would remove a moderate and wealthy Republican from the 2012 field, just as appointing Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y) as Secretary of the Army and attempting to place Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and former Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) in the administration would have freed up GOP-held seats.

Republicans are starting to call out the White House for their tactics.

“You may have noticed,” Romney told a gathering of Republicans in New Hampshire last weekend, “that the president and his people spend more time talking about me and Massachusetts health care than Entertainment Tonight spends talking about Charlie Sheen.”

That’s hyperbole, but only barely.

In a meeting with governors at the White House last month, Obama was effusive in lauding Romney’s health care achievement, which remains a major source of distrust toward Romney among conservatives.

“I agree with Mitt Romney,” Obama declared, “who recently said he’s proud of what he accomplished on health care in Massachusetts.”

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=177ABEB2-7B6B-43E6-AA42-4FB74493D856

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) watches on as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Miami Central Senior High School March 4, 2011. Obama visited the school with Bush and Education Secretary Arne Duncan for an event on the future of education funding.

[Pacifist Patriot]

1. Hmmm.... lie down with dogs....

I'm honestly not sure what to think of such political tactics. I can't help but taste vomit when I see any image of a Bush, so that didn't help.

[Clio the Leo]

2. Well, the message isn't directed at those of us on the left....

... as we are not the only ones voting (unfortunately.)

[babylonsister]

3. I love this; great strategery, and the gop is getting annoyed. Perfect. nt