Thursday, October 28, 2010

DNC Demands Info From Pentagon on Potential 2012 Challengers

Does this sound a bit panicky to you? The DNC is requesting information from the Pentagon on nine (9) Republicans thought to be potential contenders for the 2012 Presidential election. The deadline for the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request is even before November 2, mid-term elections day. This article caught my eye, leading off with this:

The Democratic National Committee formally has
asked the Pentagon for reams of correspondence
between military agencies and nine potential
Republican presidential candidates, a clear indication
that Democrats are building opposition-research files
on specific 2012 contenders even before the midterm
elections. An internal Army e-mail obtained by ABC News
indicates that the DNC has filed Freedom of
Information Act requests for "any and all records of
communication" between Army departments and
agencies and each of the nine Republicans -- all of
whom are widely mentioned as possible challengers
to President Obama.


The nine Republicans that Democrats are seeking
information on are former Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska;
former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.; Gov. Haley
Barbour, R-Miss.; Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.; former
Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.; former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.; Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.; Gov.
Mitch Daniels, R-Ind.; Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La.


This seems particularly smarmy. Why the rush? Is it because of the President's plummeting approval on his job performance? These records are certainly detailed in request: some going back to 1979, in the case of Gingrich, for instance. This means one thing - the 2012 election will continue in the personal and petty tones of nastiness that Team Obama has employed since taking office in 2009.

Opposition research is a part of any campaign. This request jumps the gun, though, especially for a President who has stated more than once that he is ok with the possibility of being a one term President. Sure, no one believes that but this extensive request for info - dirt - on potential competition in 2012 isn't about military service from the Pentagon. It is about correspondence written while some were staffers for elected officials. The request even asks for information from Palin's time in office in Wasilla. Really? Hasn't every lamestream reporter been to Alaska by now to dumpster dive for information on Palin?

Maybe the DNC's time would be better spent - at this particular time - coaching President Obama on speaking as though he is President of all the people, not just far left liberals he hopes will turn out to vote for his agenda.

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