Press releases are press releases. Whether they come from candidates or committees, they have a purpose and a place.

Sometimes though, I see a press release that is just so over the top I have to laugh out loud and wonder how those who wrote it kept a straight face.

Take this example the Republican Party of Wisconsin released today:

MADISON – With Howard Dean in Madison to do major damage control for the ailing Democratic Party, Mark Jefferson, Executive Director of the Republican Party had the following statement:

“With the Democratic Party in turmoil while Senators Obama and Clinton fight for votes from the radical left, Howard Dean now looks to liberal Madison as he tries to put his Party back on track.

But with threats to our nation’s security and economy, it is clear John McCain is the only presidential candidate capable of leading our country forward. As the Democrats continue to cater to the left and turn their backs on each other, Wisconsin voters will turn to John McCain as the candidate who can bring America together.”

First off, it’s a terrible release because it doesn’t actually any new insight or information into how the Republican Party of Wisconsin feels about the opposition or it’s own candidate. They dislike Democrats and their candidate is the only one who can walk and chew bubble gum. Big surprise.

What gets me really laughing is just the sheer amount of reaching the RPW is doing in this release.

Ailing Democratic party? Really? That must explain why primary and caucus turnout for Democrats is setting records from Texas to Pennsylvania and everywhere in between.

That must explain why the gap between those who identify themselves as Democrats (36%) and Republicans (27%) is at an all time high and Independent voters are leaning towards Democratic candidates in record numbers.

As for turmoil in the Democratic Party, I honestly don’t think anything is farther from the truth. I’m constantly around Democrats from all kinds of backgrounds, and while there is a good debate within the Party about which candidate will make a better nominee for President – you know, people holding primaries and caucuses to decide – the one thing I haven’t heard yet is anyone saying they won’t support the “other” candidate if their first choice isn’t the nominee.

Compare that to the civil war that’s been going on in the Republican Party between the GOP establishment, the religious right, and their cronies on talk radio. Social conservatives in particular are less than thrilled about John McCain as their nominee to put it mildly, and does anyone know if Ron Paul has even dropped out yet?

The fact is the Democratic Party is stronger now than it has been at any time I can recall. Yes, there is a campaign between two good candidates going on and people have their favorites, and yes they disagree. But that’s what an election is all about.

Record Democratic registration, interest and turnout that has taken place so far this primary season is only going to continue through November. It looks like the Republican embellishments stating otherwise will as well.

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