The only way for the GOP to have made it a political issue, in fact, the only effective way for any political party or politician to make anything a political issue, to to appeal to a block of voters by demonstrating that the other side is wrong on an issue and you are right.
So, if we believe Paul W, the GOP was going to exploit the issue by demonstrating that they were on the right side of the issue and the Democrats weren't.
Now, Dean says that his party plans to do that from their perspective.
