[mburbank]

The stuff I've read on the wife spitting provocation so far has all stated that they can't find any connection to the Webb campaign. Have you read something else? If so, I'd be interested. Allen publicly stated it was a Webb campaign operation, but as of last night he hadn't offered any evidence. On the other hand, the beating his folks metted out in return can't really be called independent, since it was people on his staff who did the beating. It was a deliberate attempt to spark bad behavior. Absolutely undignified and reprehensible, but not followed by "I approve this messae" or "Paid for by the DNC".

Also, my point in posting the article isn't who does what. It's that when someone with Schaeffers profile is do upset with the tone of advertising that he abandons his party, I think it's a bellwether. Unless it turns out that there's no such person as schaefer, or that he hasn't always been a Republican, or that he isn't an evangelical, etc. etc, which is of course possible.

In Massachusetts, Kerry Healey's negative campaign for governor has steadily driven her poll numbers down. I know we're a liberal sate and all, but we do seem to like Republican governors, and negative campaigning has in the past worked really well here.

All I'm suggesting is that it may have found it's bottom, the edge of the envelope.