Obama Super PAC chief Bill Burton wants Rick Santorum to win Michigan.
For those of you who think Democrats wouldn't love to drag out the GOP nomination contest longer and perhaps even hit the mother lode—a Santorum nomination—take a gander at
this:
Allies of President Obama are wading into the Michigan GOP primary, attacking former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney on one of his weakest points in the state.
A new Priorities USA ad hits Romney for opposing the auto industry bailout, a position the candidate has struggled to explain as he campaigns in the home of the U.S. auto industry.
Obama's Super PAC is now engaging in Michigan, attempting to weaken Romney for the benefit of the GOP's own SNL Church Lady. And as much as the Super PACs might pretend that they operate independently of their candidates, they don't. Priorities wouldn't be hitting Romney in Michigan without the tacit approval of Team Obama.
The polls are close. It won't take much to tip the scales one way or another. And yes, Democrats benefit most from a Santorum victory. That's why we continue to urge Democrats in upcoming open primary and caucus states (Michigan, Tennessee, North Dakota, and Vermont) to cast their very legal and quite ethical votes for Rick Santorum. If Republicans didn't want Democrats voting in these primaries and caucuses, they would close them to outsiders (like they do in most states).
Of course, I realize that this makes some of you squeamish, and if you live in one of those states and don't want to participate, you don't have to! (We also stopped fundraising for it, focusing instead in message mobilizing.) But there's too much at stake to worry about idealistic notions of what democracy should be. Luckily for all of us, Team Obama isn't restraining itself based on such idealism. They're playing to win, and this latest action is essentially strategic vindication for Operation Hilarity.