NRSC attacks on Herb Kohl part of candidate recruitment effort?

I don’t know if I can take 22 and a half more months of this. If you thought the last campaign season was stupid, the NRSC is trying to blow your mind. Fresh off a couple of November attacks on Sen. Herb Kohl that could have only fallen on campaign-weary deaf ears, the NRSC was moaning yesterday that Kohl “refuses to tell Wisconsinites where he stands” on the vote to extend the Bush tax cuts.

Bear in mind:

• GOP senator-elect Ron Johnson won an election by refusing to talk to the media.

• The controversial aspect of extending the Bush tax cuts are the provisions on the “rich” which includes Kohl more so than nearly any other senator.

And the kicker:

• Kohl voted for the package yesterday, saying it “protects the middle-class from tax increases and preserves critical unemployment benefits. It is a reasonable compromise to get past the partisan bickering and support our struggling economy.”

Ultimately Senator Kohl took the Republicans’ preferred position when it came time to vote. What now?

The Republican Party of Wisconsin is blogging with glee over Dem pollsters Public Policy Polling calling Kohl’s seat safe, noting Feingold’s seat was considered solid in 2009. The RPW is forgetting the Republicans actually have to do some governing over the next two years, instead of just campaigning on “NO!” a luxury they had from 2009-10. It’s doubtful Kohl and all his money will go down following the divided-government-mess this 112th Congress will no doubt prove to be.

The NRSC may be doing this premature Kohl-bashing in an attempt to recruit a candidate. It will not be an easy task. The Sconz points out Kohl won by 18 points even during the Republican Revolution of 1994. In 2006 Kohl stomped his competition 2-1. That was admittedly a good year for Democrats, but 2012 will not be the cakewalk Republicans had this year. The 2010 midterms showed voters have a short attention span and are results-oriented, being the party of no won’t cut it this time.

Maybe the NRSC is trying to get a candidate before anyone figures this out?

NRSC attacks Herb Kohl. Really?

Campaign 2012 begins with this attack on Herb Kohl from the NRSC.

Glad to see Republicans focusing on the economy…

In similar news, Matt Drudge has done a great job manufacturing Republican outrage over TSA searches. The right is taking the bait (which might not be saying much) but I’m still at a loss over Drudge’s motives. I guess the searches make Obama look bad? I wonder if the Patriot Act bothered any of these people…

We’re done licking our wounds here, blogging will resume in earnest shortly.

UPDATE: NRSC hits Kohl again.

Wisconsin “Pro-Life” Groups Are Anything But

Both of Wisconsin’s anti-contraception, anti-women’s health advocacy groups are spreading falsehoods and endangering citizens again this week.  Wisconsin Right to Life demonstrates tighter abortion restrictions outrank the health of Americans, while Pro-Life Wisconsin publicizes a stunt disparaging Planned Parenthood doctors.

With the Senate defeating the Nelson/Hatch amendment WRTL claims;

“Senators…voted to keep abortion covered in the proposed federal government insurance program.”

The federal government insurance program? Like a public option? Like the dead public option? The amendments defeat does not put the federal government in the abortion business, no matter how you spin it.

So WRTL is “in strong opposition to the Reid pro-abortion health care bill.” The abortion opposing Senate majority leader is pushing a pro-abortion bill? That doesn’t make any sense…but neither does fighting health care for Americans.

Also outrageous is WRTL’s claim Sen. Herb Kohl lied when saying “I do not want health care to be used as a vehicle to expand abortion access” because he voted against the amendment. A vote against restricting abortion rights does not contradict a position against abortion expansion.

Pro-Life Wisconsin joins the “liar, liar” name-calling, accusing a Planned Parenthood doctor of lying to an undercover operative posing as a confused and moronic (asking multiple times “what’s a fetus?”) potential patient. In Peggy Hamill’s (PLW director) world, statements contrary to her opinion are lies. The rest of us do not operate under that luxury Peggy. I don’t see a “Dr.” in front of your name, pardon me if I don’t take your statements on human growth and development over someone who does.

So-called “pro-life” groups are a threat to the health of our country. Without health there can be no life. By opposing any health care reform that does not further restrict abortion rights the anti-choice movement is selfishly seeking attention at the cost of human lives they claim to place such a high value on.

Butler Nominated as Western District Judge, Sensenbrenner Complains

Jim Sensenbrenner (R) of Wisconsin’s fifth district is slamming the nomination of Louis Butler as Western District Judge. Sensenbrenner’s reasoning? Butler lost a Supreme Court election last year. To Michael Gableman, now facing ethics charges over an ad he ran which was a downright lie. Gableman used Butler’s profession as a public defender, a noble position and underpaid when compared to private practice law, to portray Butler as letting child molesters loose on the streets.

The real issue, from Sennsenbrenner’s mouth, is he didn’t get any input on the selection;

“Under the Bush administration, we showed great care and concern for these appointments and worked on them in a bipartisan way.”

Sorry Jim, but Bush isn’t the president anymore. Wisconsin has clear guidelines for the appointment of district judges, and with two Democratic Senators and a Democrat in the White House, you don’t get a say. Rep. Sensenbrenner politicized the issue further describing the nomination as;

“Another example of the mismanaged way Washington is working under President Obama.”

The nomination guidelines have been in place since 1979. Your party is out of power Sensenbrenner. Deal with it.

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Update:  Dave Westlake, running for the Republican nomination to the US Senate released a statement on Butler following the same reasoning as Sensenbrenner. The guy is also a 9/12er…I don’t expect much out of him.