Posted on 01/04/2006 7:17:59 AM PST by Hadean
You've got to give the Democratic National Committee credit: It's not about to be caught flat-footed in 2008 if a Republican dark horse emerges in the coming presidential race. Nearly three years before Election Day, the DNC opposition-research department has begun digging up dirt on potential Republican candidates. It's a pretty straight-up approach: File Freedom of Information Act requests with several offices of agencies related to the potential candidate and see what comes back in the mail. Take Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as an example. He's one of the dozen or so DNC targets. One FOIA landed at the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board and is typical of those received at other state agencies, seeking a wealth of info on him—specifically, any paperwork between the departments and Huckabee from 1993, when he was lieutenant governor, to today. What's more, the DNC wants copies of other FOIAs filed for Huckabee papers. See it here (pdf file).
One unusual fact: The DNC isn't identified as the group asking for the information. But DNC officials said that the letter writer was a deputy in the party's research department. A party spokeswoman said, "This is standard. We're just doing what we need to do to prepare for 2008." The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, wouldn't talk about its opposition research efforts, but a party adviser said that much of the information about potential candidates was collected during the past two elections.
The DNC efforts have also targeted Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Platform? We don't need no stinkin' platform!
The best defense is a good offense.
We want Jack Bauer candidates!
I doubt the RNC will blab about it though.
I wonder if we can get any info on DNC head Howard Dean. Oops, I forgot, he hid his state records from public view before he ran for president. And has JF'nKerry ever released the military files he promised Tim Russert he would release soon?
Hey, not releasing records is part of a record, too. In Kerry's case, I'm sure there is video of him promising to sign the form.
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