A CONSPIRACY SO VAST – AT 9:48 A.M. ET:  With polls showing him suddenly vulnerable, Massachusetts ultra-liberal Congressman Barney Frank is looking around for the usual suspects, and is finding them.  From The Wall Street Journal:

Despite reports from local Massachusetts media, Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, remains confident he will win his re-election in November against his Republican opponent Sean Bielat. Former President Bill Clinton appeared with Mr. Frank recently at a political rally in Taunton last week, and Mr. Bielat claimed, according to reports, that Mr. Clinton was brought in to help buoy Mr. Frank.

"The notion that it’s a sign of panic is just silly. That’s just politics when they don’t have anything else better to say. It’s a tougher race, because once I became chairman of the [banking] committee in 2007, the right-wing media talk show hosts decided to target me," said Rep. Frank, when I asked him about his race during Wednesday votes on Capitol Hill. "They were frankly worried about what we would do, and I also have people who were angry about the financial reform bill."

While House Democrats at large are experiencing a tough re-election cycle, the Massachusetts Democrat who heads up the House Banking Committee believes the factors affecting his race come down to how he is being portrayed in the media.

"I’ve had Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck basically say things about me that weren’t true and if people say things that aren’t true over time and you don’t respond, then it has an impact, so I’m responding."

Mr. Frank's GOP opponent recently released an internal poll showing support for the Congressman is below 50 percent and Mr. Frank ahead by only ten points.

COMMENT:  It's Fox News.  It's always Fox News.  Fox News, you know, also causes global warming and a variety of allergies.  There may be a link with poor personal spending habits. 

Frank will still probably be reelected.  But the way formerly "safe" Democrats handle tension is instructive in itself.  Just the kind of guy you want in the foxhole next to you.

October 1, 2010