12-year-old Stalked by Conservatives

I personally thought it was rather cloying and saccharine for the Democrats to put a 12-year-old boy up as their rebuttal to the President's statements on the SCHIP program. There I've said it. But the fact remains that this is a kid who was helped by the program when he suffered a terrible accident that left him in a coma. And the fact remains, he's twelve years old.

That hasn't stopped conservatives (of the Freeper variety) from attacking him, his family, and in some cases (hello, Michelle Malkin) stalking them. It's freaky and weird, and yet somehow, completely predictable. And don't tell me that Republicans never use kids for their own political ends. I remember the "snowflake babies."

It's another classic example of misdirection and confusing the issue by conservatives. Rather than try to spin the President's veto of SCHIP, they're attacking a recipient of the program.

[Excerpt]

Insurance bill debate focuses on Frost family

A week before the House attempts to override President Bush's veto of children's health insurance legislation, the latest bone of contention is whether 12-year-old Graeme Frost should qualify for the program.

Yes, say Democrats, who had young Graeme deliver the response to Bush's weekly radio address 11 days ago. "I don't know why President Bush wants to stop kids who really need help from getting CHIP," he said, referring to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

No, say conservative bloggers, who began circulating information Saturday about the Frost family's remodeled home, private schools and commercial rental property. "The not-so-poor 12-year-old who rebutted Bush on S-CHIP veto," headlined Free Republic, the first of many blogs to question Graeme's story. . .

Read the rest at: USAToday.com