Next time you’re debating Bob Shrum and want to lure him into making ugly and over-the-top attacks, just remind the audience of his unblemished 0-8 record of having lost every presidential race on which he’s worked . . .

This morning’s Today offered a prime example of the phenomenon.  Nicolle Wallace, former Communications Director to Pres. George W. Bush, made passing reference to Shrum’s failed work on behalf of John Kerry in 2004.  A clearly stung Shrum responded by referring to her as “pathetic” and accusing her of possible “foolhardiness.”

For good measure, Shrum called Wallace’s claim that Dems are playing politics with national security a “smear.”  There was just one little problem: Shrum had spent virtually the entire segment boasting about how the politics of terrorism are breaking the Dems’ way.  Here was Shrum on the dueling speeches on national security that PBO and Dick Cheney are giving today.

BOB SHRUM: Democrats are happy about this.  It’s not an accident that the White House scheduled the president’s speech after Cheney scheduled his. Democrats will put a sign up around the country, a wanted poster, saying wanted: Dick Cheney out there as much as possible, Mr. 18%.  In the latest surveys people are giving 67, 68% in terms of trust on national security to President Obama. So it’s not a fair fight [with Cheney].

So Shrum admits the White House scheduled PBO’s speech specifically with Cheney in mind. Yup: no politics there!

And here was Shrum reacting to Nicolle’s zinger.

NICOLLE WALLACE: We didn’t really have a robust national-security back-and-forth in the last presidential campaign ]in which she worked for McCain]. The economy–I’m sure even Mr. Shrum would agree–dominated the last presidential campaign.

But the last campaign that Mr. Shrum ran–John Kerry vs. Mr. Bush–we did hash out these issues, and the Democratic party is in real danger of making the same mistakes they have made before of being seen by the voters as blinking or flinching when it comes to taking the hard line that may not be politically popular, but has certainly proven effective in protecting this country from terrorism in the days and years now since 9-11.

Sensing that Shrum wanted to retaliate, Matt Lauer said “Bob, I know she called you there, but let me move on.”  But Shrum soon found a way to work his shots in.

SHRUM: Nicolle wants to talk about 2004: it’s kind of pathetic. Let’s look ahead to 2010. Because in 2010 if Dick Cheney is the face of the Republican party, he will do to Republicans what Herbert Hoover did in 1934 and they’ll suffer a huge defeat.

MATT LAUER: But that’s a very unlikely scenario, that he’s going to be the face of the party in 2010, isn’t it?

SHRUM: Well he is, he’s out there right now, people are seeing him all the time.  Republican strategists I’ve talked to–and I give Nicolle credit for either courage or foolhardiness–most Republican strategists don’t want to defend him being out there, don’t want him out there at all. When I see him, I think of that old phrase, and I paraphrase it: bring him  on!  Let’s hear more from him.

WALLACE: Being called foolish and brave by Bob Shrum, is probably a compliment in there.

Nicolle did stop short of saying it was like being called ugly by a frog