Michael Crowley @ TPM has more on the Hackett Senate buzz. Much of it dwells on the eternal to Bush bash or not to Bush bash debate:

Many Democrats feel Hackett was too anti-Bush for his own good, that his blazing rhetoric may have scared off some war-weary Republicans who nevertheless respect the president. Needless to say, Hackett’s liberal champions don’t buy that. So if party consultants convince Hackett to hold back on the Bush-bashing in a Senate race, his liberal-blog-fueled fundraising could dry up fast.


Crowley misses a big point in the race. Hackett didn’t raise lots of money from Bush bashing. He raised it by being plain spoken and by having his service in Iraq questioned. So called Bush bashing didn’t enter the picture until the very end, and it was mainly an issue played up by the national media.

BTW, the whole Bush bashing thread started when reporters asked Hackett about Chickenhawks and Bush, and he told them. (Politician speaks his mind! news at 11) This then got echoed all through the media and blogosphere. At the point where this because a major topic of conversation, Hackett had already raised around $350,000 online.

(via DKos)

I guess I should name drop and let everyone know that I was at a party yesterday where Paul Hackett was the guest of honor. Couldn’t get out of him if he was running or not, BUT, I did hear that he was talking to Chuck Schumer, and he was flying to Washington this week.

At this point I will reiterate my reason for why Democrats should never attack Bush:

Bush is a lightning rod sucking up all intelligent discussion. It draws all thought away from issues of meaning into personal nonsense. If you want to talk about issues and get them reported on, don’t get drawn into talking about Bush personally. Since Democrats have so many winning issues they have no reason to want to draw away from them. Obsess about Bush and you will. Call Bush a name and that is ALL that the media will report on.

Hackett had so many good things to say and the only thing that the national media reported on was his name calling of Bush. It is starting to brand Hackett and if he’s not careful it will be impossible for him to escape from it. He will be known as the Bush bashing veteran politician. Not a winning label. The media loves to brand people. The Dean Scream. Wacko Jacko. Fat-assed drug addict. So much easier than talking about things of substance. It becomes a thick film that covers all of a person’s coverage. Eventually if you aren’t careful it becomes a cocoon.

Attack the White House, attack Rumsfeld, attack Congress, attack Rush, attack anyone but Bush, because if you do you will win the attack and in the process it will suck up all of your mojo.

Here’s a crazy idea: OFFER SOLUTIONS! No one in Washington is doing it right now. Politicians who offer solutions will be seen as heros. Right now America could use some heros.