An LA Times story lays out Dr. Dean's game plan for the Democrats. It wins the irony award of the week. He intends to "use" the Schiavo case as an election issue in 2006 and 2008.
One of the main talking points trotted out by Dems during Terri Schiavo's court-sanctioned murder was that Republicans were exploiting her case to score political points.
For three weeks, Democrats and the mainstream media were foaming at the mouth about what they referred to as the "Republican talking points memo." On March 18, George Stephanopoulus was waving a copy around as if he were waving a flag on the Fourth of July. That memo was depicted as an outrage, the GOP using Terri's tragedy for political advantage. The MSM wouldn't let go of the story, dogging Republicans until they learned its origins.
The one-page unsigned memo originated in Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez' office. It was written by Brian Darling, legal counsel to the senator.
From The Washington Post:
[Martinez] said he inadvertently passed it to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who had worked with him on the issue. After that, officials gave the memo to reporters for ABC News and The Washington Post.
...The mystery of the memo's origin had roiled the Capitol, with Republicans accusing Democrats of concocting the document as a dirty trick, and Democrats accusing Republicans of trying to duck responsibility for exploiting the dying days of an incapacitated woman.
...Harkin said that when he read the part about the politics of the case he thought that was "rather out of line," but he said he did not discuss the matter with Martinez. Harkin said he has no complaints about Martinez.
...Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said he believed that the memo originated with the GOP because it is "totally consistent" with how the Republicans have operated for the past four years. "They just shouldn't lose their memos," he said.
Darling lost his job for authoring that memo, daring to write, "This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue."
Now, we have DNC Chairman Howard Dean saying the Democrats will use the Schiavo case against the Republicans in upcoming elections.
Dean Says Democrats Will Make Schiavo Case an Election Issue
"We're going to use Terri Schiavo later on," Dean said of the brain-damaged Floridian who died last month after her feeding tube was removed amid a swarm of political controversy.
Dean, who has called congressional intervention in the Schiavo case "political grandstanding," singled out House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) for his leading role in the matter.
"This is going to be an issue in 2006, and it's going to be an issue in 2008," Dean told about 200 people at a gay rights group's breakfast in West Hollywood, "because we're going to have an ad with a picture of Tom DeLay saying, 'Do you want this guy to decide whether you die or not? Or is that going to be up to your loved ones?' "
What happened to all the outrage about this draft by a staffer detailing the Republican party's intent to use Terri Schiavo as a political football?
Gone with the wind.
Brian Darling was forced to resign his position because he suggested the Schiavo case was important to pro-life supporters. What an abomination to point out the significance of Terri's plight to members of the Republican base!
Are Dr. Dean's comments abhorrent?
Isn't he exploiting Terri Schiavo's tragic circumstances?
Will the MSM go into full drool mode over Dr. Dean's conscienceless game plan?
Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Dean's "outrageous remarks help underscore why Dean is the leader of the minority party."
"Terri Schiavo was never about partisan politicking, but instead about a woman's life," she said.
Undoubtedly, Dr. Dean's statements will not be criticized by other Democrats or the Old Media. They will be considered completely acceptable.
To use Biden's phrase, that would be "totally consistent" with the way the Democrats and liberal news outlets have operated for the past four years.
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