The Anti-Sam Brownback Blog

The GOP is trying to enlist grassroots support (or at least make it look like grassroots support) to pressure Senator Sam Brownback into supporting the nomination of Harriet Miers. The Hew Hampshire Union Leader reports:

The White House effort to try to pressure Brownback and others through prominent Republicans in New Hampshire was first reported yesterday by the New Hampshire Union Leader. White House aides confirmed the account and said a similar effort was being made in Iowa.

Some GOP activists attending a Brownback appearance at St. Anselm College in Manchester Tuesday brought with them a letter to the senator signed by Republican National Committeeman Tom Rath and three others expressing confidence in Miers and asking that she receive fair treatment.

What does this say to me? The White House is desperate and feeling the heat from Brownback’s criticism. This is not about a yes or no vote. This is about Senator Brownback’s ability to fan the fire of indignation that is emanating from the religious conservative base. This also means that their straw polling of conservative Senators is showing support for Senator Brownback’s point of view. If he was all on his own they would paint him as an extremist and forget about it. As it is, Brownback is poised to lead a movement. As far as the White House is concerned, that makes him dangerous.

The laughable part about this whole scheme is that it is being executed in New Hampshire. Realistically, even if in 2008 Senator Brownback was riding high in the polls, he would still count a 3rd place in New Hampshire a victory. Many New Hampshire republicans are ideologically much closer to the libertarians. Brownback’s social conservatism does not poll well there and he has often met with less than enthusiastic crowds while in New Hampshire speaking.