SC GOP gets off message

Sometimes one just has to wonder what some people are thinking.  VUI has had several different people tell us that Karen Floyd's state party operation was "off the reservation," but that happens.  

Then came the way in which the SC GOP kicked off the Governor's race for the Fall by attacking Demoratic nominee Vincent Sheheen.  The attacks seemed silly and not necessary.  The SC GOP made clear it wants to nationalize the Governor's race and tie Sheheen to President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  

Fair enough.  But, nationalizing the race will tie Nikki Haley to Sarah Palin's recent ethical lapses with her PAC.  Further, to launch a campaign by attacking an opponent goes against the campaign of positive reform that got Haley the nomination in the first place.  Simply put, in a act of self delusional cleverness, the state party operation has taken the white hat and the the Teflon armor off of Haley in the eyes of the media types who cover races and the middle or the road voters who actually pay attention and decide such races.  In other words, the Democrats can hit Haley now that the GOP has hit Sheheen so quickly and in a manner that is like Haley is behind. 

It defies logical reasoning.   When the Republican nominee is up 20 points in a Republican state, you don't kick off the campaign by attacking the Democrat.  You stay on message, and you get the party on board with you.  Further, politicos are telling us how strange of a year this has been.  It is strange in one regard, people have a very low tolerance for sneaky moves and attacks.  They want to hear solutions.  Good grief, that's how Haley won the nomination.  Why party operatives want to stray from that message right off the bat is puzzling.  Even if the party operatives think that Haley can only win if they attack Sheheen, why waste the ammo now?  Haley's people, of course cannot say anything about the party's moves, but they are too smart to be pleased with them.