Hit ‘Em Where it Hurts

Hit 'Em Where it Hurts

No matter where that is.

Don't tell me the light has finally dawned for the Dems.

The Democratic Party is getting personal and it's about time. The Republicans
need a dose of their own medicine, which is likely to make them choke before
they are made to swallow.

If the wound is open, rub salt in it.

In New Jersey, Democratic candidate Linda Stender this week sent voters a two-page brochure accusing Rep. Mike Ferguson (R) of improperly preying on young women in a fashionable D.C. nightclub. Stender, who is shown by polls to be within striking distance of Ferguson, said the Foley affair “opened the door to talk about the ethical challenge of my opponent.” Ferguson has denied the allegations, and a spokeswoman last night called the attacks “pathetic and desperate.” Democratic candidate Chris Carney is running an ad accusing Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.) of “repeatedly choking” and “attempting to strangle” a young mistress. Foley and Sherwood share “the arrogance of power,” said Carney. “They're willing to cover up these types of things to retain power.” Sherwood has apologized for the affair but said in a television ad that the “allegation of abuse was never true.” Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand is calling on GOP Rep. John E. Sweeney in Upstate New York to explain a drunken driving arrest 30 years ago and a more recent car accident. “Your decision to release any and all records related to your arrests and other incidents with law enforcement will send an important signal about your willingness to come clean with voters,” Gillibrand said in a letter to Sweeney this week. (snip) Top targets are Republican incumbents who have been bruised by the Abramoff scandal. In California, for instance, Democrats are assailing Rep. John T. Doolittle for supporting “forced abortions and sex slavery” in the Northern Mariana Islands, which were represented by Abramoff. Democrat Charlie Brown said the attack is fair because Doolittle has refused to return contributions from supporters of the government there. In most cases, these attacks are akin to a “Hail Mary” football pass because the chances of success are so low. An example is in Nevada, where Democrats are trying to oust GOP Rep. Jon Porter from a seat that would be very hard to flip under normal circumstances. Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) — facing his own controversy over a big profit on a land deal — has twice raised questions about Porter's divorce. The Democratic candidate in that race, Tessa Hafen, is a former Reid aide. In Key Races, Democrats Look at Rivals' Personal Lives Amid Voter Disgust Over Foley Scandal, Strategists Believe Attacks on GOP at Local Level Won't Backfire