Republicans' Obama/Blagojevich Guilt-by-Association Push: Will it blow up in their faces?

[DeepModem Mom]

WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
Republicans' Guilt-by-Association Gamble

National Republicans moved aggressively over the weekend to link scandal-tarred Gov. Rod Blagojevich to President-elect Barack Obama -- a guilt-by-association tactic that represents a significant gamble for a party still looking to pick itself up off the electoral mat.

The Republican National Committee released a web video (read: electronic press release) over the weekend that dug up a series of pro-Blagojevich quotes from Obama -- dating back to 2002. That video followed hard on a series of statements from the RNC over the last week that sought to raise questions about the nature and depth of Obama's ties to Blagojevich and that demanded more information concerning the number and substance of contacts between Obama's aides and the governor and his staff about the possible Senate appointment....

The goal here is clear: Blagojevich is the prototypical example of political power run amok, and if he can be used in any way to slow Obama's momentum throughout the transition, then Republicans regard that as a worthwhile endeavor. At issue for Republicans (and herein lies the risk) is whether, in fact, there is any there there as it relates to Obama's relationship with Blagojevich. If not, will voters perceive this strategy as nothing more than a partisan attack at a time when people want political leaders to come together to solve problems?

It's no secret to anyone who has spent any time following Illinois politics that Obama and Blagojevich were not close....

***

To our reading, none of the accounts of (Rahm) Emanuel's conversations with Harris suggest that they were anything other than incoming chief of staff relaying names -- far from a crime. Combine the relative paucity of proof that Obama or anyone in his political inner circle has any strong ties to Blagojevich with the fact that a series of national polls have shown widespread approval for Obama and it becomes clear that Republicans' strategy is not without risk....

***

While Republicans are eager to score points against Obama and see the Blagojevich scandal as a ripe opportunity to do so, they might do well to heed the advice offered by Sen. John McCain -- the party's 2008 presidential candidate. "With all due respect to the Republican National Committee, we should try to be working constructively together," McCain said during a weekend appearance on ABC's "This Week".

How hard will Republicans continue to push on Obama-Blagojevich? And will it work in their favor or blow up in their faces?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/republicans_guilt-by-associati.html?hpid=topnews

[fascisthunter]

1. Then Man O' Man are Republicans Guilty

[DesertFlower]

2. i've been tuning in to fox

just to see hannity almost having a stroke.

[Cha]

3. I say "should blow up in their faces" like

the attempt to bust the UAW up by voting against the Auto bailout.

They're so stupid and greedy and don't ever stand for anything..it must be gross to be them.

[damntexdem]

4. I hope so. And on Dec. 22, I hope the announcment is that:

they had to keep their contacts with Blago under wraps till then because Immanuel was the one who tipped off the prosecutors as to what Blago was doing.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Odd...but I thought that I saw Chris Cillizza repeating the GOP crap

on this just a few days ago. Was I imagining? What am I missing? :shrug:

[AZ Criminal JD]

6. Rahm Emanuel has the problem, not Obama

And it won't be what he said on the tapes, it will be how he said it. He has a filthy mouth and when people hear all the f-bombs on the tape, many will be turned off that a President's chief of staff has such a sewer mouth. Anyone who has been around Rahm knows this.