Dem Leadership Goes After Departing Dem

They love Parker Griffith, they love him not:

Time magazine's Jay Newton-Small just told MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Hardball that "aides in the Democratic Party House leadership's office" are sending out to the press personal dirt on US House Rep. Parker Griffith, who yesterday announced that he was switching form the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

Time's Small postulated that this was an effort to scare other House Dems who likewise considering a jump to the Republicans.

Of course, Pelosi also stripped him of his committee assignments. That was completely expected.

John McCain is now involved in making calls to potential party-switchers. There could be a few more coming.

Griffith's switch is particularly embarrassing for the Dems because he's leaving a very strong majority and joining a weak minority. That doesn't happen often and tells you how out-of-step he felt the Dem leadership was with the voters in his district.