RNC piles on with Democrats in criticism of Sen. Clinton

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has increased its attacks on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), joining her Democratic rivals in seizing on what they see as a shaky debate performance last week.

RNC officials acknowledged they’ve been encouraged to tap into the “stockpile” of opposition research they have amassed on Clinton more and more in recent days because of the senator’s debate showing last Tuesday, combined with the upcoming Iowa caucuses and Clinton’s continued leads in most polls.

{mosads}The RNC has been responding daily to Clinton’s comments during the debate and pretty much anything else the senator says on a daily basis.

In the last week, it has issued several press releases criticizing Clinton for everything from her energy speech on Monday to receiving former Vice President Walter Mondale’s endorsement on Sunday.

Poking fun at Clinton’s endorsements from both Mondale and former Sen. George McGovern (D-S.D.), the RNC put out a release, entitled “Hillary Doubles Up,” in which it referred to Mondale as a “landslide loser.”

“Hillary Clinton’s endorsement from yet another failed Democrat presidential candidate underscores concerns the American people will have with her own candidacy,” the release states.

Like some of Clinton’s Democratic rivals, the RNC has focused on whether Clinton should release sealed documents from her days as first lady in the Clinton White House.

Since last Tuesday, there has been a steady drumbeat of less than flattering stories promulgated by the RNC about the Clintons’ role in releasing documents to the public. Those stories, and the RNC’s constant attention to them, have coincided with ramped-up attacks from Clinton’s two main rivals, former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), about what they see as Clinton’s inability or unwillingness to be straightforward with voters.

“We feel it is important that the American people have a chance to review materials that speak to Sen. Clinton’s record,” an RNC official said. “We are confident that once they have had the opportunity to review the details of her record, they will reject her candidacy.”

Danny Diaz, the RNC’s communications director who until this summer was handling communications for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), said Clinton’s standing in the polls and increased interest in the race are the reasons behind the increased amount of paper being moved on her.

“The level of information we’re putting out about Hillary Clinton certainly reflects where the race stands,” Diaz said.
Like many pundits, the RNC has seen Clinton as the presumptive nominee for much of the year, and one official in the RNC’s research department said they have sought throughout the year to portray Clinton as “calculating.”

Her trouble in last week’s debate, quickly seized upon by her Democratic rivals, is helping paint that picture, the official said.

“She’s really fallen into the framework that we’ve been using on her,” the official said. “It’s just been great for us.”

The Clinton campaign, as it has done before, said the RNC’s focus on Clinton is, in some ways, a source of pride.

“I think they clearly think we are the strongest candidate, and the one most likely to win the general election,” Phil Singer, a Clinton spokesman, said. “It’s unfortunate, but we’ll remain focused on our campaign.

“We’ll knock down whatever they throw at us.”

The RNC’s ramped-up anti-Clinton operation is also in part a result of a new, perhaps fresher communications team.
Diaz is heading a relatively new communications department at the RNC. After veterans Lisa Miller and Tracey Schmitt left the committee for the private sector earlier this year, Diaz, fresh from the McCain campaign’s implosion, took over.

“Danny is relentless,” one former Republican official said.

Shawn Reinschmiedt, who has been heading up the RNC’s research department for most of the year, and Jim Landry, who is working as deputy research director, have joined Diaz. Brian Walton is working as the deputy communications director for regional media, and the RNC will announce a new press secretary in coming weeks.

The former official said he noticed last week “seemed like a critical-mass week” for the Clinton campaign that provided an opening for the senator’s opponents, Republican and Democrat alike.

“It was the first time you saw a chink in her armor,” the former official said.

After putting a strategic framework in place to define Clinton as both calculating and evasive, Diaz and the rest of the RNC communications team are trying to capitalize on what many saw as Clinton’s first significant stumble.

“They put themselves in a position to be successful because they were driving a message on her,” the official said.