The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> ON HIS NEAS br> "He's out there on his own," says a far-left Democratic Senate staffer of People for the American Way's Ralph Neas . "He's not going to get much help, I'm afraid." /p>

The discussion is about the Bush Administration's first Supreme Court nominee, Judge John Roberts, and the lightning fast PR offensive orchestrated by former RNC head Ed Gillespie out of the West Wing of the White House.

"They just buried us, and took us out of the game, at least for now," says the staffer, who had been preparing her boss to push back hard on any nominee, but particularly Judge Edith Jones. "We were expecting a woman, and we were ready for her. Not what we got on Tuesday night. And neither were our groups, like People and NARAL."

Ill-preparedness has never stopped Neas, however, from opening his mouth, and the media needed a lefty mouthpiece to debate whomever the Republicans put forward, whether it be Barbara Comstock or Sen. Fred Thompson or former White House counsel Boyden Gray.

"Neas is probably going to get a lot of airtime, because there isn't anyone willing to get out too far on [Roberts]," says a Democratic leadership staffer. "Our folks are eventually going to have lots to say about the nominee, but they can't do the slash and burn stuff the way Ralph is [doing it]. Frankly, we cringe every time he goes on the air, because he just looks so bitter. Compare that to the man he's talking about, with the smile and the kids, and who do you think wins?"

The ugliness of the Democratic attack so far -- attacking the Roberts family's faith, hinting that Roberts might be a closeted homosexual, attempting to link him to the Iran-Contra scandal knowing that it was a different John Roberts -- indicates how desperate some on the far-left fringe are willing to go to beat the Bush Administration.

But it isn't just the fringe groups. According to a former Kerry campaign staffer who has returned to doing work for MoveOn.org, Democratic Senate leadership staff with ties to the caucus's opposition research unit have been sharing information about Roberts and taking part in strategy calls with the Democratic third-party community that is raising money against Roberts.

"There is plenty of time for us to get to know the real Roberts," says another Democratic Senate staffer. "The White House can paint whatever picture it wants, but we're going to get a chance to strip it down during the hearings."

p> HUGHES AND KISSES

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Books, Iraq, Iran, NATO