Democrats Against the Ropes

Lt. Governor Steele unveiled his "Steele Democrats" yesterday. How did the Democratic establishment/intelligentsia respond? Let's just say "not well". First, political "observer" Donald Norris from UMBC:

Donald F. Norris, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, said that while such cross-party coalitions are a routine campaign gimmick, Steele's new signs are "underhanded" and a "dirty trick."

"Oh ho, we're a blue state, aren't we?" Norris said. "This is an obvious attempt on the part of a candidate who is behind in the polls to confuse the voters about which party he actually represents. To me, it's a form of dirty politics."

Not only does Norris show disdain for the Steele campaign, but also an abject rejection of the voter's ability to figure out which candidate is in which party.

Next, a DSCC spokesman bloviates:

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Phil Singer said that Steele's ties to the national GOP are indisputable and that signs alone will not mask his allegiances.

"Michael Steele is trying to hide the fact that his campaign is funded and directed by George Bush and the Republican party," Singer said in an e-mail statement. "When Steele returns the money he's gotten from the national Republicans and unequivocally rejects the President's support, he can try to portray himself as an independent."

And of course Terry Lierman had something to say too:

"Steele's new logo is the biggest election fraud perpetrated on the voters of Maryland in this campaign to date - and proves that Steele thinks his only chance is political identity theft," Lierman said in a statement. "But 'Steeling' a logo or party name won't work; Maryland's voters are smart enough to know that the former Maryland Republican Party Chairman - who was on the executive committee of the Republican National Committee and who was recruited to run by George Bush himself - will just be another Bush Republican vote in the U.S. Senate."

Lierman's statement was so hyperbolic that I was amazed David Paulsen didn't give it himself. At least he called it the biggest fraud to date, because I don't think we need to remind anybody about 1994.

Finally, Ronald Walters, political science prof from the University of Maryland, throws this at the wall:

Ronald Walters, a professor in government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park, said Steele's new signs are an attempt to avoid a discussion of the issues. Noting that Steele's conservative policy views are not in sync with the beliefs of the majority of Maryland voters, he said that Steele is better off selling an image that might have broad appeal.

"He wants to stay away from any discussion of the issues because that would be to his detriment," Walters said. "He wants to run instead on his personality."

Hey...isn't O'Malley using the same strategy? Heck, so is Cardin isn't he?

This is is sheer lunacy from the Democratic Party. They are proving once and for all that Michael Steele has Ben Cardin against the ropes and, like the 1998 attacks against Ellen Sauerbrey and the 2002 gubernatorial debate, they are acting out of desperation. How else can you explain comments like these that insult the intelligence of the voters and, quite frankly, make the quoted not sound particularly smart?