Two weeks ago, I wrote about the selective outrage of the left’s privacy hypocrites–led by the likes of NY Dem Sen. Charles Schumer, the privacy champion who has yet to apologize to Maryland GOP Lt. Gov. Michael Steele over his stolen credit report (pilfered by two of Schumer’s former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee staffers currently under investigation by the US Attorney’s Office in DC).

Now comes word from the Washington Times that the Dems “are drafting a strategy to attack the Bush administration and Republicans as having little regard for the privacy of Americans.”

Can you say chutzpah?

Looks like conservatives aren’t the only ones skeptical of the new Dem strategy. From the WashTimes:

Democratic aides say privately that while it remains a high goal to win control over the House or Senate in the November elections, they think the issue will resonate with voters.

Centrist Democrats, however, warn that such a strategy could backfire.

“I think when you suggest that civil liberties are just as much at risk today as the country is from terrorism, you’ve gone too far if you leave that impression,” Michael O’Hanlon, a national security analyst at the Brookings Institution who advises Democrats on defense issues, told The Washington Times last week.

“I get nervous when I see the Democrats playing this [civil liberties] issue out too far,” he said.

John Hinderaker at Power Line notes:

Democrats are aiming for a trifecta in the new year, beginning with the Alito confirmation hearing, continuing with their last-ditch fight against the Patriot Act, and reaching the “real payoff” with hearings, obligingly chaired by Arlen Specter, on the administration’s foreign intelligence gathering.

Like many observers, I’m skeptical that this will work. I doubt that many more votes are to be had on either side by talking about abortion, and linking the subject to the Patriot Act will seem downright weird to most voters. The Patriot Act remains popular and, if the NSA foreign surveillance program is anything like what has been described by President Bush, an overwhelming majority of Democrats, let alone Americans, will support it when they learn the facts. As for Alito, while leaks over the weekend tried to dampen expectations for his performance, he would have to do poorly indeed not to be more impressive than the Democratic Senators who will interrogate him.

Still, you can’t blame the Democrats for trying. No doubt they’ll remind us all of the Clinton administration, when privacy rights were respected and the NSA intercepted baby monitors.

Touché.

Tom Bevan at Real Clear Politics adds:

Democrats have made some poor political judgements in the past few years, but this could potentially turn out to be one of the worst.

And speaking of self-immolation, Ed Morrissey takes a look at another boneheaded Democratic strategy.

Karl Rove couldn’t ask for nicer New Year’s favors.

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