Jim Webb blasts those involved in the Murtha smear

DallasBlog.com | Tom Pauken:

“Those ad hominem attacks against John Murtha’s military record are not something that should be countenanced or encouraged by officials in the Bush Administration. The demonizing of John Murtha sounds like a page out of Karl Rove’s ‘political playbook’, and it doesn’t serve the President or the Republican Party well to pursue this ‘scorched earth’ policy. If this kind of conduct is continued against legitimate critics of the war like John Murtha, there will be a price to pay for the Republican Party.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Like Tom Pauken, I tip my hat to former Secretary of the Navy James Webb, too. But I have to disagree with Mr Pauken when he says these tactics don't pay. President George H.W. Bush owed his 1988 election to the dirty tricks played by his campaign manager, Lee Atwater. President George W. Bush has his Karl Rove, who smeared the reputations of John McCain, Al Gore, John Kerry, Max Cleland, and others in winning the White House twice. Now, the knives are out for Rep. John Murtha (D-PA).

Will the tactic work again? Maybe not if even conservatives with Republican credentials like James Webb and Tom Pauken are becoming disgusted with that approach to politics. But right now, I wouldn't bet against the Republicans in the 2006 mid-terms. Dirty politics is still the champion until proven otherwise.