Rep. David Wu of Oregon is a Democrat. He is also a supporter of green initiatives. He has been pushing for tougher vehicle emissions standards among other things. Wu is up for election again in 2010. He has been in office for six terms and, if the Republicans get their way, he won’t be around for a seventh. Republicans actually PAID someone to follow Wu! You heard that correctly boys and girls. The Republicans have PAID someone to follow Rep. David Wu and videotape his comings and goings.

An article appeared on Yahoo today about how David Wu drove an SUV while in Washington. Now the Republicans drive SUVs too, however, the point was to try to make David Wu seem somehow dishonest for driving an SUV yet touting tougher emissions standards in Oregon. What does wanting tougher emissions standards have to do with driving an SUV? Just because you want tougher emissions standards doesn’t mean that you don’t want to drive something spacious. Those desires aren’t mutually exclusive. He just wants vehciles which adhere to tougher emissions standards in Oregon.

Anyway, the issue that I find most distasteful isn’ t the fact that David Wu drove an SUV while asking for cleaner emissions in Oregon. What I find distasteful is the fact that the GOP PAID someone to follow him and videotape him! Why can’t the GOP rely on issues to fight their battles? Why do they always have to be so fundamentally dishonest as a group? It is almost like a disease among the GOP. I’m not saying that Democrats are angels, but my goodness! The GOP just doesn’t seem to get it. Instead of developing a clear message, sticking to that message, not being antagonistic, relying on the issues and their positions on the issues and being honest, they instead take the underhanded route to power. They invest time in trying to discredit their opponents instead of just focusing on the good things they can do.

If I was a GOP strategists, I would get the party together by doing just that. I wouldn’t waste time hiring people to follow David Wu, running around calling Barack the Magic Negro, focusing on being oppositional to any and every good idea that a Democrat comes up with just so you could say you didn’t agree with “them” and being racist. The Republican party is seen as out of touch by many. When you looked over the masses of people who celebrasted together when Barack was elected, you saw Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians - people of all colors. When you looked at McCain’s concession speech audience, you saw angry White people and that’s it. Michael Steele only obtained his position because the GOP was grasping at straws and decided to try to put a Black person in charge. Michael is neither highly intelligent or favorably regarded among traditional GOP members. It is sad, but it is totally true.

The Republicans need to step back and rethink their mission. Even after admitting that they hired someone to follow David Wu around, they acknowledged that they too drive SUVs when in Washington. So I guess pointing out David Wu was meant to say “See he is just like us!”. Guess what Republicans……that just isn’t good enough anymore!

Check out the original story here.