Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest: Why Richard Mourdock should have hired Admiral Ackbar

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' IN-Sen: I'm going to assume that Richard Mourdock fell for my trap. After he screwed up yet again in a debate last week, I wrote:

More amazingly, Mourdock was asked again to name a Democrat in the Senate he could work with'a question he previously flubbed badly'and he still couldn't come up with a single name. I mean, seriously? His campaign staff couldn't prep him on this one? And how hard would it be to give a shout-out to, say, Joe Manchin?

Well, in a recent interview, Mourdock took my "advice" and did just that, citing Manchin as an example of someone "he could find common ground with on energy issues." Mourdock really should have hired Admiral Ackbar as a campaign advisor:

"I appreciate Mr. Mourdock mentioning me as a Democrat who he can work with, but as a Senator, you've got to be able to reach out to all 99 of your colleagues ' because we must put America first. One person isn't enough," Manchin said in a statement.

"That's why I strongly support Joe Donnelly, who has continually shown that he has the temperament and good judgment to reach across party lines to truly put our country before politics. As someone with a bipartisan approach, I can tell you we need more people like Joe Donnelly if we're going to fix our country for the next generation," he added.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney took some time out of his schedule to try to save Mourdock's ass by recording a TV ad on his behalf. The Republican presidential nominee speaks directly to the camera, praising Mourdock in that warm, authentic style only Romney can convey. Just kidding: This is straight-off-the-factory-floor Romneybot, who probably is actually not the guy you want to help you broaden your appeal to the Rust Belt Dick Lugar supporters you've cheesed off so mightily.