GOP plans votes to put Democrats on the spot

[rodbarnett]

Republicans plan to use Congress to pull Sen. John F. Kerry and vulnerable Democrats into the cultural wars over gay rights, abortion and guns, envisioning a series of debates and votes that will highlight the candidates' positions on divisive issues, according to congressional aides and GOP officials.

The strategy will be on full display today, as Kerry (Mass.) and Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), the leading Democratic presidential candidates, plan to interrupt their Super Tuesday campaigning to fly to Washington for half a dozen votes on gun legislation, including liability protections for gun manufacturers. Both men oppose the liability bill, placing them in their party's majority even though some prominent Democrats -- including Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) -- support the bill.

A top Edwards aide said the senator is "not thrilled" to be voting on gun control one week before southern states such as Texas hold their primaries. Kerry, who has missed every Senate vote this year -- plus several key votes last year -- canceled a Florida campaign event tonight to be on hand for the gun votes, several of which are expected to be close.

<snip>

Republicans openly welcome the discomfort that votes on issues such as gun control might cause Kerry, Edwards and other Democrats, now and later this year. "The Senate floor is full of bear traps," said Eric Ueland, deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

GOP leaders are not specifically scheduling votes to influence the election, he said, but they are aware of the political calendar and the potential impact of congressional votes. "We've got a lot of things to get done," Ueland said. "If they have resonance with the campaign, that's an added benefit."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4424568/

comment : how will they vote? it looks like daschle and other prominent democrats support the bill.

[MrBenchley]

1. I suspect this is going to backfire big time

The spectacle of Republicans fighting to give immunity to corrupt gun manufacturers and put assault weapons back on the street is not going to be well received by American voters...

[sadiesworld]

2. On the other hand...

I heard some great stuff on NPR yesterday about how many hard conservatives from the hunting and fishing crowd may vote for the dem nominee b/c of *'s destruction of forests, wetlands,etc.