WP: In a pivotal year, GOP plans to get personal

[IDemo]

Millions to be spent digging up dirt, ‘defining’ Democratic candidates

By Jim VandeHei and Chris Cillizza
The Washington Post
Updated: 12:06 a.m. ET Sept. 10, 2006

Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched a half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

The hope is that a vigorous effort to "define" opponents, in the parlance of GOP operatives, can help Republicans shift the midterm debate away from Iraq and limit losses this fall. The first round of attacks includes an ad that labeled a Democratic candidate in Wisconsin "Dr. Millionaire" and noted that he has sued 80 patients.

"Opposition research is power," said Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (N.Y.), the NRCC chairman. "Opposition research is the key to defining untested opponents."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/09/AR2006090901079.html

[derby378]

1. They want Dems to roll over and play dead

It's the frame game that George Lakoff has been warning us about for a long, long time. Unfortunately, most Democratic candidates are still behind the curve.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Here comes the swiftboating...

you'd think the vast majority would
figure out that republicans are the
nastiest bunch of crooks and liars
to disgrace our nation

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

3. Look at this nasty little quote to see what we're up against..

Against some less experienced and little-known opponents, said Matt Keelen, a Republican lobbyist heavily involved in House campaigns, "It will take one or two punches to fold them up like a cheap suit."

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be bumpy ride. MKJ