Republicans are taking a big gamble...

[kentuck]

By going after Barack Obama over this Governor Blago mess in Illinois. There is an old saying about when you go after the King, you better make sure you complete the job. It may be appropriate in this case. If Obama comes out of this clean, which is most likely, he will be much stronger than he is even now. And even now, he is at 73% approval rating.

In effect, the Republicans are about to guarantee Barack Obama a re-election before he is even sworn in for his first term. Only the "over-the hill" gang could shoot in such a scattered manner as this present bunch of Republicans.

In their rush and zeal to tear down the new President, they will only empower him more. Once the people see that they have an ethical leader that is above this mess and totally opposite of what the Republicans attempt to portray, he will be stronger and more popular than ever. Way to go, Republicans!

[AspenRose]

1. +1

They can't help themselves. They're Republicans. It's what they do.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. When you have one chip left, bet it...

[mdmc]

3. Corruption is what is wrong with politics

So it is always good to go after the corrupt ones...
It seems that Obama's (D) Governor was corrupt... too corrupt to even find a noble person to replace Obama...

The thing is that the GOP is down with a fight. Big money always supports the fighting GOP.

I wish the dems would fight for workers or the poor the way the GOP fights over just about anything...

They never seem to tire. We never seem to bother...

[amborin]

12. good point, wish dems would fight for dem issues and workers the way rethugs fight over anything

[LynneSin]

4. As Forest Gump would say: Stupid is as stupid does

I find that very appropriate it in this situation.

[lame54]

5. "...For nothing? F#@& him."...

is the quote that clears him

it should be repeated often

bumper stickers wouldn't hurt

[Bjorn Against]

6. I wouldn't call it a "gamble", it is simply a smear

The Republicans know that they can lie over and over again and the media will report it because they have to cover "both sides of the story" even if one side of the story is fiction. The wingnuts will buy it and the people who are smart enough to know the accusations are false will defend Obama, but the very fact that he needs to be defended for a crime he didn't commit shows the wingnuts will have won. This is what they do all the time, it is not a gamble for them because they know that this very discussion will harm Obama if it makes even a few people ask ridiculous questions. If we only had a media that would turn the tables on them and make them defend themselves for making such baseless accusations, but we know that won't happen. They will continue to smear with immunity, and the media will cheer them right along as they do it.

[Johonny]

7. I disagree

There is no act he will do that won't be compared to the most evil act ever done on Earth. Their audience has no memory. No matter how wrong they are, how often they are wrong their audience doesn't care. So basically I see no problem in their strategy. It's the same thing they've done for 30 years now.

[Cha]

8. It didn't work during the primaries and

the general election and it's not going to work now.

[Johonny]

9. Depends

It almost certainly will work on the 16 % of people that will miss W when he leaves office. In general it has and keeps working on the Republican core base. At this point if the Republicans can rally their base and keep the seats they have, I imagine they'd be happy. I mean for these core people it's worked for 30 years. I'm not sure the Republicans are trying to be liked. Their non-stop smear against the Clintons didn't make them unpopular, they left office with high popularity ratings. But in general it appears to have helped the party as a whole.

[CitizenPatriot]

10. couldn't agree more- I posted about this yesterday

One thing our guy has is impeccable instincts. Lipstick on a pig, anyone?

he's letting them dig a big wide hole so we can get this out of the way before he even steps into office. You gotta love this guy.

They're pissing themselves with glee that he's not responding. They are so stupid it's sad.

Obama is not only smarter, he's more well liked, and he has the political instincts that beat out the clintons and the roves. If they are too dumb to take notice of that, they accuse at their own peril.

I predict they will fall flat on their faces with this one. It's right up there with B girl episode. never never attack the king who is loved unless you are sure you are right. Big mistake.

Obama won't cut them off at the knees; he'll gently put them in their places, never let them forget it, and use this as a reason why he institutes some needed policy...but most of all, he'll have a weapon. The weapon of whiplash.

The media will not like how the GOP (aka, themselves) went after an unarmed, innocent man and they'll side with him (after he's "cleared").

Teflon Obama. I love this man! Playing for the long win, not the short gain.

[deaniac21]

11. Hopefully, the Obama Administration will get rid of all these

Republican appointed prosecutors.

[librechik]

13. They will take EVERY opportunity, no matter how petty

because they have no agenda worth promoting. They only have negative campaigning now.

This is how they will be for the whole Obama administration. Nothing but whining, blaming and shenannigans.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I think they're grasping at straws.

This is egregious enough that it's not going to go away, like Larry Craig and Ted Stevens. They know that they have a fight on their hands, so are grabbing at anything that they can, including Obama, because he's the new leader and is also from Illinois. But they're not going to get away with it, and they know it, which makes them even more desperate... And then there's still Sarah Palin...:eyes: