We have nothing to fear...

I mean nothing. Really.

It wasn't long ago that one of the measures of prospective Democratic nominees was how they might stand up in the face of the seemingly invincible talents of the mad genius Karl Rove and the mighty forces of BC04.

That, of course, was before we had an apparent nominee who was setting all time fundriaing records for a challenger campaign while BC04 invested 80-some million dollars in the earliest, nastiest run of negative advertising by any incumbent President in history, to virtually no effect.

Suddenly, Rove & company seemed a great deal more vinicible.

Of course, they still had their web shop, the home to the sinister masterminds behind brilliant ideas like the late, great Bush-o-Matic sign machine, the handy tool that allowed people like me to make things like this...



at Bushco expense. Now they've graduated to running images of Hitler interspersed with pictures of prominent Democratic spokesmen, which has engendered widespread condemnation and a frantic response from BC04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlmen. Steve Gilliard got Mehlman's emailed rejoinder to the criticism of the Bush campaign's violation of Godwin's Law, which he has reprinted, with appropriately acidic commentary.

OK, so the TV stuff didn't work so well, and there are problems with the internet thing, too. But hey, they've got an incumbent President on the road, with all the trappings of the office. That's it, they'll win on the road, right?

Turns out that they have an advance operation unworthy of a high school student council presidential campaign.

First there was Dr. Compton Girdharry, who Bush rolled out as an example of the need to protect MDs from the predations of patients who were driving malpractice costs through the roof. According to the New York Times, "The president praised Dr. Girdharry and thanked him for his "compassion." And then the rest of the story...

If Mr. Bush was looking for an example of a doctor who was victimized by frivolous lawsuits, Dr. Girdharry was not a great choice. Since the early 1990's, he has settled lawsuits and agreed to the payment of damages in a number of malpractice cases in which patients suffered horrible injuries.

***

Yesterday a White House spokesman said the president had not been aware of the problems in Dr. Girdharry's background. "Had this doctor provided that information," the spokesman said, "he would not have been at that event."

Moving the campaign to Cincinatti, Bush made an appearance at Talbert House, one of the 'faith based' social service agencies he's channeled federal funding to, and highlighted their success in the rehabilitation of Tami Jordan, a bookkeeper who ran afoul of the law when she embezzled over $300,000 from her employer in 2000. Bush applauded Jordan as "a "good soul" and an "inspirational person" who was making the best of her second chance."

He might have checked with Jordan's victim, Susan Morin, owner of Gorman's Supply Inc.

According to the AP, Morin

"...said she was stunned to see Tami Jordan appear with Bush on television Monday. Morin's company had employed Jordan, 35, as a bookkeeper before she was convicted of theft and forgery in 2000. She was sentenced to three years in prison for having embezzled more than $300,000 from the company, according to court and prison records.
Morin's company obtained a civil court judgment in 2000 against Tami Jordan and her husband, Bruce - also convicted in the case - for a total of $308,765.

Morin said Thursday that she received about $1,000 in restitution while Tami Jordan was in a work-release program and her wages were garnished. She said Jordan has paid nothing since finishing her sentence.

****

After her story appeared in newspapers Thursday, Morin said she received an e-mailed apology from the White House and a telephoned apology from the Talbert House.

White House spokesman Jim Morrell said people who meet Bush on such visits are screened, but he declined to explain the process. Morrell said he didn't know if Bush aides knew of Jordan's debt in advance.

I'm not saying we don't have to work hard, but they seemed determined to make it easier, providing plenty of ammo to fight back with.

I am saying Don't Panic.