Last Friday, we reviewed an investigation into the dirty politics of John Kline, R=GreedOverPrinciples. The story focused on "transparency" - more specifically, lack thereof - and "accessibility" - and again, lack thereof - and John Kline.
And as disgusting as John Kline and his paid staff's actions were, Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul actually acts worse. Yes indeed, Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul set a new low in the dirty tricks department last week.
For the very first time (that I'm aware of), an elected Republican official - Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul - actually did the dirty deed himself. And not only did Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul stage the ambush attack himself, he did it inside the office of his target.
As pathetic and disgusting as it was for someone on the John Kline gravy train to stand outside a Coleen Rowley campaign event and yell racial slurs - Mike Osskopp - or crash a Steve Sarvi campaign event and badger the candidate - Diana Bratlie - at least John Kline could maintain some kind of plausible (cough, cough) deniability: "Hey, it was just some staffers."
Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul went lower than that: he did the deed himself, and he did it in Congressman Tim Walz' offices.
Let's look at the YouTube Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul shot, and then analyze exactly how UNtransparent Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul was.
Now, before we talk about how Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul's attack was completely UNtransparent, it's important to note that GOPers tried to SwiftBoat Tim Walz' military record in his 2006 race against Gil Gutknecht AND in 2008 against Brian Davis. "tried" - as in failed, because the smear didn't work.
The attacks on Congressman Walz have started again. This time, a tool named Thul is attacking the Congressman on his military record, saying that Walz did not serve "in support of" Operation Enduring Freedom.
And Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul's allegation regarding the picture is just as bogus, as I (tried) to explain to Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul last week; the sign does NOT read "Enduring Freedom Veterans" followed by "for Kerry" - the sign reas "Enduring Freedom" followed by "Veterans for Kerry."
This discussion came up due to my investigation into Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul's use of a @us.army.mil email account for political purposes; a subject to be addressed in the coming days...stay tuned! For a quick background on the origins of this issue, link here.
At any rate, Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul is as wrong about the picture as he is about Tim Walz' record. That said, let's look at Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul's ambush attack at the Mankato offices of Congressman Tim Walz:
OK, let's reveiw how and when Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul identifies himself during his ambush attack:
Start: I'm Dave Thul, ...
0:32, I'm Dave Thul ...
0:47, I'm Dave Thul, ...
5:23. "I'm also a blogger..."
OK, remember at the beginning of that investigation of John Kline? You know, "transparency"? Was Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul transparent?
No (cheney)in' way was Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul anywhere close to "transparent."
Not once does Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul identify himself to Walz's staff as an elected GOP official (Co-Chair of the Steele County Republican Party) even though there are four chances for him to do so in that 5 1/2 minute film.
Four chances, and not once - NOT ONCE - does Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul disclose his partisan party position.
That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is dirty politics - laying a political ambush and lying by omission - and even John Kline hasn't stooped that low.
There's more to this story, and it has to do with what Steele County Republican Party Co-Chair Dave Thul said at the 3:15 mark: "...we're both National Guardsman ourselves..."
