Why Is the DSCC Targeting One of Its Own?

The Hill reported this morning that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is planning an attack on Republicans for the GOP's upcoming effort to fight the extension of the temporary payroll tax break:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will put out a release later Tuesday attacking Republicans for opposing the tax break extension, which lowered how much employees have to pay in payroll taxes from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent of their earnings. 

"The rhetoric from Republicans about creating jobs and keeping taxes low is baloney. Senate Republicans are willing to raise taxes on the middle class in order to protect loopholes for oil companies and giveaways to the very wealthy and to score political points," said DSCC spokesman Matt Canter in the release. "The payroll tax cut provides relief to middle class families that need it right now, not special interests that get all the tax breaks."

It may surprise the DSCC to learn that one of their own senators up for reelection next year, Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson, came out just today supporting the same position as the Republicans, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee points out. The Lincoln Journal Star has the story:

With laser-like focus on spending cuts, Sen. Ben Nelson on Tuesday appeared to rule out the possibility he will support proposed extension of payroll tax cuts.

"I wish I could," he said following a noon speech to the Downtown Rotary Club in Lincoln.

"But all you're doing is taking money that otherwise would help Medicare and Social Security."

So would the DSCC say Nelson is "scoring political points" and "protect[ing] loopholes for oil companies and giveaways to the wealthy"?