Republican playbook for 'homestretch' campaigning

A massive, 91-page memo to Senate Republicans outlining strategies for "homestretch" campaigning during the August recess, has been acquired by RAW STORY.

The document, signed by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), reveals plans to focus Republican Senatorial campaigns on three themes.

Next week, Republicans will tout efforts to "secure America's prosperity" through a variety of programs. Plans for small business health insurance pooling, spending reductions, increased domestic oil drilling, and "permanent death tax reform" are all to be pushed at the state level.

Mid-month, Republicans are expected to shift gears, focusing voter's attention instead on a variety of values-based initiatives. "Democrats oppose preserving a clear definition of marriage, are blocking child custody protections, and have obstructed the confirmation of fair judges," the document reads. "Republicans are committed to protecting these traditional values by fostering a culture of life, protecting children, banning internet gambling and upholding the rule of law."

Stem cell bills, though vetoed by President Bush are also to be championed by Republicans, even as they promote a law preventing "fetus farming," a practice lawmakers believe could one day result from stem cell research. Strangely, a section touting various types of stem cell funding set to be promoted by Republicans is followed by another section, headlined, "Setting The Record Straight: President Bush's Stem Cell Policy Is Working."

Also included in the Republican values push will be the Child Custody Protection Act, which would make "it a federal crime to circumvent state parental involvement laws by taking a minor across state lines for an abortion."

Republicans then plan to spend the month's remaining two weeks promoting the party's efforts in regard to homeland security. Approval of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' plan for new, court-martial-like trials for terror detainees seems to be a priority, as are funding for the US-Mexico border fence, employee background checks for port security workers and improvement of the national emergency alert system.

The section seems more concerned, however, with defending the Republican record on security, promoting positive statements by the Iraqi Prime Minister, and combating Democratic criticism. For instance, terror suspect surveillance is listed as a priority, and "liberal newspaper" reports about NSA wiretap programs are criticized, but future programs are not listed among other proposed laws.