A Drive-By Swift-Boating

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So consider the Democracy Still Works mailings. Given that neither candidate was in office and that the election was only days away, what, other than influencing the election, possibly could be the point of saying: "No one should be signing blank checks to President Bush" and "That's exactly what the Ogonowski Economic plan calls for"?

Spokesman Dan Cence, a veteran of Massachusetts Democratic politics, described Democracy Still Works as "a group of concerned citizens in Massachusetts." He said its creation "had nothing to do relative to the race" -- though he acknowledged that the mailings, which cost about $100,000, were "the only outreach we've done to this point."

Rather than intending to affect the campaign, Cence said, "it was really more of an educational-type venture. We're intending to offset what other individuals are putting out there through misinformation." Asked what misinformation the group was offsetting, he said it was "about Jim Ogonowski" and "responding to his campaign."

Cence, whose consulting firm worked for one of Tsongas's primary opponents, wouldn't say where the money came from or whether it was from individuals, unions or corporations. "You can find out when we file," he said.

Democracy still works. Just not necessarily on a schedule that lets voters in democratic elections know who's trying to affect the outcome. Or under rules that were supposed to limit the size and source of checks plowed into political campaigns.

marcusr@washpost.com