The Democratic attack machine is gearing up to go after a likely GOP VP choice - Senator Marco Rubio.

The Hill:

The former Massachusetts governor has a long way to go before he secures the GOP nod, but that hasn't stopped Democrats from launching early salvos at the freshman senator. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), who has not been shy in lambasting GOP White House hopefuls in prior election years, has questioned whether Rubio really stands with the Hispanic voters with whom he is so popular on the issues most important to them. 

Meanwhile, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) tried to drive a wedge between Rubio, who is Cuban-American, and Hispanic voters.

Democratic operatives have turned their attention in recent months to Rubio's personal finances and his family background, going on digging missions that are usually reserved for presidential candidates. 

And campaign fundraising reports show that Rubio spent more than $40,000 in the last six months of 2011 to get himself researched by a public affairs firm -- presumably to prepare for the wave of Democratic attacks against him.

Democrats say Rubio's record did not get adequate scrutiny in 2010 when he won a three-way Senate race against former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who ran as an independent, and former Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.). 

"I think Marco Rubio benefited in 2010 from a three-way race. There are some things about his record that probably did not get the scrutiny they deserve. I think the higher that he rises, the more people will start to look at some of those issues. He will have to be held accountable," said Rodell Mollineau, president of American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super-PAC that specializes in opposition research.

This is the favorite tactic of Democrats -- attacking minorities who stray from the approved politicial line for their race. It is such an extraordinarily insulting and degrading attack and it is unconscionable that  liberal advocacy groups like the NAACP and LUAC who witness these assaults don't call the Dems out for their racist tactics.

By inference, saying that Rubio doesn't "represent" Hispanics because he disagrees with the Democratic party agenda for them sends the message that independent thinkers are not welcome in the Democratic party and in order to receive their blessing, you must stick with their pre-ordained script.

Rubio will likely withstand this assault. The Dems laughably tried to peg the Florida senator as a Mormon last week so you can see how they are frantically searching for something to use against him. In the end, Romney or Santorum may choose the telegenic Rubio for Veep, or they may not. But the decision won't be affected by any supposed dirt the Dems can dig up on him.