Dem Opposition Research Puts Heat on GOP Presidential Field
A decision by the Democratic National Committee to have its research team focus on potential GOP presidential candidates way back in 2005 is paying off in dividends and hampering the growing Republican field.
Insiders say that the research team has played a major role in bringing old scandals or contrary votes and statements of the GOP candidates to public and press view, in some cases forcing the candidates to react. Party strategists claim that the effort gets some credit for raising doubts, for example, about Sen. John McCain's ties to conservatives and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's positions on abortion and gay marriage.
The effort is also expected to remind the press and voters about Rudy Giuliani's problems in New York before becoming "America's Mayor" after 9/11, and it has just started to focus on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his "messy exit from office." The party opposition research and communications team has also started to give titles to each of the candidates. McCain and Romney are the first.
McCain has been dubbed the "Double-Talk Express" and Romney the "Smooth-Talking Mitt."