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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

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Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Tim Griffin returns to the RNC

Posted: Thursday, May 22, 2008 3:26 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: , , ,

From NBC's Mark Murray
Republican political operative and Karl Rove protégé Tim Griffin -- who served as an interim US attorney in Arkansas before the US attorneys firing scandal forced him not to seek confirmation to that post -- is returning to the Republican National Committee to handle the party's opposition research against Obama.

Griffin served as the RNC's research director during the 2004 presidential election.

"He's one of the best political operatives in the country," said a Republican source who confirmed to First Read Griffin's hire at the RNC.

*** UPDATE *** Another Republican operative pushes back slightly that Griffin's role will focused solely on oppo-research, adding that his role is still being worked out.

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Sometimes I really hate our government.

Obama '08
Why didn't he go to work for the Clinton campaign ?

He could have learned some dirty tricks from Hillary

Obama/Sherrod Brown '08
Sounds like the RNC has a new Sith Lord to do their dirty work.
I will have plenty of dirt on Obama.
It's kind of funny/sad how hard the RNC is working to find some dirt on Senator Obama . . . it's almost like they don't have a message or record to run on or something . . . oh yeah, they don't! :)

Obama '08/'12
sweet

Democracy in Action

the ideals of these folks are breathtaking

and I should add, election stealing...

nice guys

WTH is a political operative!!???? Good lord, what has this country come to?
Wow he can go to the chamber under the congress floor where Rove might be spending a little free time to get some advice from him. Ok another crook is going to the RNC gee surprise. Why not report on that great speech of Hillarys yesterday. How deep down it is her great love of the limelight opps people that make her continue.
Lisa, New Britain, CT Lisas for Obama :) (Sent Thursday, May 22, 2008 2:07 PM)

Thank you, Lisa. :-)  Hope all is well in the nutmeg state!
I thought Sean Hannity had that job.
So, let me get this straight: Mr. Slimey Swiftboater because Mr. Lawless prosecutor firer, and now goes back (as a reward, one would assume, for services rendered) to being Mr. Slimey Swiftboater, this time against this cycles Democratic candidate, Obama.  That's like going from running a concentration camp to the Reich, then back to your first love, the concentration camp again.  How
d this guy get so lucky?
Queen Hillary won't like this!  Why would the Republicans do opposition research against Obama?  Don't they know that Hillary is planning to steal the nomination from the rightful winner?

Oh well, no need to do research against Hillary.  All anyone has to do is google Peter Paul!

Obama/Sebelius in 2008.  Integrity matters and the Clintons have none.
*House Judiciary Committee subpoenas Karl Rove

Just when you think the Rove era is over
his disciple steps forward......

Memo to the RNC...

RE: Hiring Anyone With The Title, "Karl Rove Protege"

Yeah, that ought to score you some BIG TIME points!
Let all the repub slime balls crawl out from under their repective rocks, escape from the sewers, climb out of the dumpsters, leave off their road kill lunch of carrion, and look to sink their vampiric fangs into this election cycle.

Their time is past. Their plan is played out. They are losers, and nothing but an act of G-D will change that. However, it is abundantly clear that He has abandoned them for their deeds, rife with crime, and evil intent.

     
When your platform offers nothing but vapid platitudes you go with the "operatives".

She (CT Lisas for Obama :) ) is great, isn't she? Always read her posts.
Superdelegates, shut down the Clintons' attempted evil--there is more than enough on the RNC side for Obama to combat.
Let me know when the Republican Party is FOR something besides

~ tax cuts for the rich
~ huge profits for their corporate sponsors
~ endless war in the Middle East which drives up the price of oil
~ fear mongering
~ swift boating.

Republicans, the fear and smear party.  

Not this time.  

This time do something smart and vote for your wallet, vote for the economy, vote for the environment, vote for jobs.  

Vote for the smartest candidate in the race, a real leader (and no that's not McCain -- not by a long shot)

Vote Democratic 2008 -- don't let the corporations and their Republican stooges win again.  
And what elese is new.  The Republican brand is a disaster and they still have not yet learned that lauching negative attacks ads against the opposition which has nothing to do with the issues facing hard working Americans, rather than holding substantive debates and addressing issues, in addition having to answer for sending our country into a recession with Oil at $133 a barrel and it was at $28 a barrell before the invasion of Iraq just won't save the brand.

This year Republicans will find out just how much Americans have come alive in wake of the internet and other forms of communication to stay connected to our communities, the issues, and staying away from distractions.

Attacking Sen. Obama does not solve one problem that Americans are facing.  If they have nothing substantive to offer and/or discuss they are waisting theier money.

The Republican Brand has taught us that sticking with the attack ads while the lives of Americans go to hell in a hand basket loosing homes, high gas prices, loosing pensions, high education costs, high food costs, thousands of suffering Katrina victims who had no water or food for days and to this day have not been able to rebuild the city let alone their lives.  How could this happen in America?

For almost 8 years the Republicans voted against increasing the minimum wage for hard working Americans, while they enjoyed outstanding salaries and got raises from the same tax payers they stopped from getting an increase on their jobs.

The American people have finally decided to vote their interest for their families and generations to come.

The atmosphere in Washington has long been to come to our towns and cities and tell us what we want to hear and to back to Washington and conduct business as usual with the lobbyist on belhalf of big business.

There are consequences for all our actions.
Just another example of Republican hypocracy.  Didn't they just say they were interested in "fixing" the Republican Party?  "Fixing" to them means nothing more than recycling their old ideas and political operatives from one deck chair to another.  The do a lot of rearranging and slight of hand, but nothing changes.  They're only interested in their narrow, myopic view of politics - not the good of the nation.  
Big surprise.

To bad even the Karl Rove types won't be able to deflect from the fact that John McSame is 4 MORE YEARS OF GWB.

Thats right.

4 MORE YEARS OF GWB.
4 MORE YEARS OF GWB.
4 MORE YEARS OF GWB.

Bring it on GOP.
Our Democratic Process is a disaster...we can't rely on the Republicans to treat all it's people equally.  The Democrats fight against each other as if they were in court; at any and all cost Hillary and her campaign staff intends to steal this nomination from Barack Obama with this courtroom style drama...The very people that should see and use judgment to stop this non-sense..Set idly by and watch it all go down the drain. The RNC, needs to hire someone to try and find dirt on a government offical so they can try to slander his name for the sake of winning. Even if their nominee continues the failed policy of the current administration; that the overall majority of Americans do not want any more.  I am ashamed to be an American right now....I thought we were the beacon of Democracy..But we are turning out to be a disgrace to Democracy...The main reason why our men and women have fought and died; is beginning to have no meaning. Are we are becoming a joke for Democracy?.....HAS our mighty empire meet its fate?

Will we become the laughing Democracy stock of the world?  

GOD Bless America
Obama had better watch out. I hope he has had enough training against Hilary. The only thing thrown at him so far are kids gloves. His supporters would wish they weren't so vile at Hilary. She's actually dealt with this Republican machinery all her life. They are so good that most of the dirt they threw, Obama's camp had been using against her.

Whinning won't work this time, that would be used against you in November GE.

I hope MSNBC post this.
Next up on the "No Way! Is this more-of-the-same Express".....wait for it........Scoooooooooooter Libby!

We want Ollie North! We want Ollie North!
Well, I guess the GOP is scared now!!! LOL
Just another republican criminal returning to that terrorist organization called the RNC.  Only the RNC would terrorize our democracy the way they've done since Raygunz.  Why do the repugnant ones hate our rights and freedoms?

Go Obama 08/12
If I weren't happily married, and CT Lisa wasn't happily married, and Rachel Maddow didn't exist, I'd go a courtin' with Lisa.

As it is, I'm happy to read her well informed comments.  You rock, Lisa.

Go Obama!!!
All the opposition research they can dig up won't
matter.  Obama withstood Rev. Wright, and that's
about the worst thing I've ever seen.  He's withstood
every single thing The Clintons could throw at him,
and they are the Masters of Nasty Campaigning.

I believe John McCain will be trying to stand in the
way of History.  And, we all know, when you do that,
you are rolled up like a cheap rug.  Nothing against
John McCain, I respect him a lot.

But, just like Hillary Clinton, this is just not his
year.  This is the year of The New.

P.S.  This must be terribly hard for Hillary to take,
just now realizing the same thing.
For Republicans, "best" means "sleaziest", which unfortunately means "effective", the way so many Americans decide how to vote these days.
Rove has been subpoenaed again, he and all his lackey need to be rounded up and...  well tried first, (this is after all The United States of America even if this current administration believes that they are above the law), and then after being found guilty - they should be hung for treason.

Future President Obama,
Please do not let these crooks off the hook when you take office. I want Investigations!!! I want Justice!!!! I want their crimes to be proved in a court of law, and for them to receive their due punishment for all to know.
This goes out to Sara, Mesa AZ - a week or so ago you posted the medical diagnosis for a Sociopath - it was sooo spot on that I had my husband read it and asked him if it reminded him of anybody??

Without a blink he replied Shrillary.... could you possibly repost for those who might have missed it?? It was TRULY enlightening!

Thanks and thanks to you, Diane, IL Lisa, CT etc for your wonderful & consistant posts... I'm right there with you!

40 something educated white woman who makes over 50K and Supports our next POTUS Barack Obama!!

Yes We Can!!
What are they researching?  They don't use facts.
This means it is going to get muddy and bloody in the fall campaign (possibly earlier), doesn't it?  I would hope that McCain could have some influence to reduce the mud, muck and other words you can't mention during the campaign.  It appears to me that won't happen, and he'll do some of the slinging.  
Nashville_fan - The really scary thing Nashville fan is if they can't find anything against Obama, they'll just make it up!!  And so many uninformed Americans will actually believe it as usual!!

It never ceases to amaze me that people actually voted for George Bush because they would like to have a beer with him.  Now we have people telling us they are voting for Hillary because she is just like them and Obama is too "elitist".  Well, how sad is it, that when it comes to picking someone for the most important job in this country, people want someone to be just like them?  I wonder if they use the same analogy when they are choosing a surgeon to operate on them?
It is not partisan politics to recognize that we have been lied to...over and over and over and over again!  And no, Republicans are not bad nor are they liars. It is this group of (in name only) Republicans who are liars and they are "good at it". I was pro-McCain in 2000 and was sorry when the dirty tricks / lies of Carl Rove drove him out of the race in favor of that (forgive my language) dumb ass, George W.  And the public bought the lies of Rove & co. then, and now they will really ratchet it up again. And, somehow, McCain is acting like a "pod-person" from the movies!!!  He is now parroting the neo-cons/Bush lines of policy!  This country cannot long stand the division AND disasterous policies now in practice. I will remain an independent, but will happily throw my support to Sen. Obama. He has as much "experience" as did JFK when he sought the WH, and he shows the integrity, ability, intelligence, and fortitude to  do a good job.      Let's give America a change for the better.    
"Turd Blossom" begat..."Turd Seed?"
Never heard of the guy, there going to need more than Tim Griffin to beat Obama\Clinton ticket.... I know we dont want her but they are a shoe-in for the Whites House.... Just think about it.....Naaa.... My stomach is bubbling....Cant do it......
My gawd, these crooks are literally terrified of a politican actually funded by the people instead of the special interest elite.

Not even womanizing Bill Clinton had this type of backroom pile-on plotting to kill his character.

Our political system deperately needs change.
Wisdave - I'm with you!  I'm a member of the Lisa fan club...and I believe that Rachel Maddow is the only one who should be allowed to speak for Democrats...ever.


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