MUCH TIME MAY PASS before we fully understand the political ramifications of the Terri Schiavo case. For now, though, it seems that Republicans are taking a fearful beating. Opinion polls consistently show that a large majority of Americans disapproved of the effort–bipartisan, to be sure, but led by Republicans–to keep Mrs. Schiavo alive. To add insult to injury, most poll respondents hold the seemingly-inconsistent belief that the Republicans are not sincere, but are trying to capitalize on the Schiavo tragedy for political advantage.

One reason for this perception may be the “GOP talking points memo” that was distributed on March 17, when the Senate took up the bill that conferred federal jurisdiction over a last effort to save Mrs. Schiavo. The memo was first reported by ABC’s Linda Douglass on Friday, March 18. The next day, on ABC’s Good Morning America, Kate Snow confronted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay with “some talking points that Senate Republicans were circulating”; DeLay denied any knowledge of the memo.