Busby Blows It

The Dems can kiss Duke Cunningham's seat goodbye:

California Democratic congressional candidate Francine Busby was caught on tape Thursday night exhorting illegal aliens in Escondido to vote for her in the race to fill the seat vacated by Randy "Duke” Cunningham, who was convicted last year of taking bribes.

Busby was speaking to a group of about fifty people gathered at the city's Jocelyn Senior Center.

According to the San Diego Union Tribune, many in the audience were Latinos who couldn't speak English. Toward the end of the meeting, a man asked in Spanish: "I want to help, but I don't have papers.”...

"It was translated and Busby replied: 'Everybody can help, yeah, absolutely, you can all help. You don't need papers for voting, you don't need to be a registered voter to help.'”...

Busby's GOP opponent, Brian Bilbray, immediately seized on her remarks:

"She's soliciting illegal aliens to campaign for her and it's on tape – this isn't exactly what you call the pinnacle of ethical campaign strategy," he told the Tribune. "I don't know how she shows her face."

Busby tried the standard lame "I misspoke" dodge, which is what pols always say when they get caught in a moment of unintentional candor. Not that it matters how she tries to dig her way out of this gaffe; with the special election to fill out the remainder of Cunningham's term this week, and independents now breaking heavily for Republican Brian Bilbray, the hapless Busby simply will not have the time to recover.

I wonder if we'll hear any more pre-emptive gloating from the Donks about this race being another "harbinger" of Democrat victory in November. Because that pig is getting ever harder to cosmeticize.