A few things that I’m taking away from this (forwarded) Mother Jones “expose” of Mitch McConnell’s Ashley Judd oppo research:

• The whole thing reminds me of the Washington Post‘s ongoing (and rather pathetic) attempts to recreate that one, perfect fix that the WaPo had in 2006 when they destroyed George Allen’s Senate career. Yes, David Corn, last year you folks got your hands on a video that harmed a Republican campaign. Congratulations. Have a cookie. But it’s never as good the second time, huh?
• And in this particular case… yeah. Um. Shorn of its finger waggling, the article indicates that Mitch McConnell was looking forward to running against somebody who: has really strange opinions on coal, parenting, and American society; a history of mental depression and frankly mildly erratic behavior; and had made somewhat demeaning cracks about the state that she wanted to run in. Here’s a news flash: so were the rest of us in the VRWC. In other words? There’s nothing new here.
• While we’re on the subject… was it the intent of Mother Jones to suggest that Mitch McConnell was an unstoppable juggernaut of doom that knows precisely how and where to pummel a likely opponent into the ground? …Because that’s how it came across. I mean: Ashley Judd ran back to Tennessee Hollywood with her tail tucked between her legs, after pretty much what McConnell’s staff talked about somehow came up for discussion. If you don’t think that this casual demonstration of McConnell’s power over the narrative worries new Democratic front-runner Alison Lundergan Grimes – well, I guess that you’re a writer for Mother Jones. Because, believe me: this is going to make Republican challengers thoughtful; and that’s the last thing that you’d think that the Left would want.
• It’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s re-election campaign is “working with the FBI” on how Mother Jones, a liberal magazine, obtained a recording of political aides meeting with McConnell and discussing opposition research on Ashley Judd, McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton told CNN Tuesday.”

That last part I am, alas, a bit skeptical about whether it will ever really be resolved: this town leaks like a sieve and nobody in [charge is really all that concerned with] ever plugging up the holes. But it’s still an interesting question to ask: leak, or violation of federal wiretap law? It’ll be even more interesting if it ever gets answered.

Moe Lane (crosspost)