The Ny Times reports that the election of John Boehner reflects a general unease regarding the 2006 elections:
The surprise election of Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio as House majority leader was a cry of concern by an entrenched Republican majority, acutely worried that voter unease about corruption and partisan excesses could threaten its control of Congress this November.
Mr. Boehner packaged himself as the reform candidate, methodically distancing himself from Representative Tom DeLay, the hard-driving former majority leader identified with both ethics investigations and a searingly partisan manner. His victory, following the restrained and politically unadventurous State of the Union speech on Tuesday night by President Bush, left the impression of a party on the defensive as it surveys the inhospitable electoral terrain.
White House officials have grown increasingly anxious about the prospect that Democrats could regain control of the House this November, even as they have become less worried about holding on to the Senate. Their concern is particularly pointed because if Republicans lose control of either house of Congress, it is difficult to see what Mr. Bush could accomplish in his last two years in office.
After 12 years of Republican control of the House, the White House views House Republicans as vulnerable to precisely the wave of voter discontent that gave them control of the House in the first place in 1994.
I am sure the usual suspects will, rather than heed the advice in the article, flail away at Adam Nagourney. That would be stupid, which is why I completely expect it to happen.
yet another jeff
That’s not pessimism in your words, that’s just a solid view of reality.
The Other Steve
Good. The fucking trools can die for all I care.
Richard Bottoms
Never underestimate the stupidity of Republican voters.
There must be a significant number of hillbillys in the Republican party who feel safer knowing their president is protecting them against Al Quaeda geniuses who plan to bring down the Brooklyn Brodge wit a blowtorch.
Otherwise why are admnistration officials STILL touting this great blow for freedom?
.txt
So the Brooklyn Bridge’s stability is as fragile as a pressurized airplane cabin? Dumbasses.
Darrell
Just curious who you consider “the usual suspects”, as I can’t remember reading about any conservatives defending DeLay or involvement with Abramoff. In particular, Nagourney’s summary
although there may be quibbling over exactly how vulnerable Republicans are, who is questioning the fact that Repubs are vulnerable to losing seats or losing control of the house?
Pooh
Yeah I missed all those stories about what an incompetent partisan hack the prosecutor in the DeLay case is.
That being said, this
is sensible. Of course the ability of Dems to fuck it up is not to be underestimated.
Darrell
Ronnie Earle is a political hack and it’s fair to characterize him as such. I also think many of the charges against DeLay were trumped up. However, that doesn’t mean that DeLay wasn’t a sleazeball, even if he isn’t guilty of breaking any laws.
National Review, Captain’s quarters, Instapundit etc all have stated that DeLay is “ethically challenged” or similar such language
Pooh
That’s fair. That being said, the former was strongly emphasised while the latter was maybe admitted as an aside. Which is fine, we all do it, but let’s be honest that it happened.
Richard Bottoms
You know I’ve had about enough of this meme as well.
We are minority in the House and Senate with no power to hold hearings or investigate shit.
Our oppenets are completely comfortable with lying when it suits them, will trash even a legless vet as a traitor and have a cowed trembling pulic afriad of every shadow as Al Quaeda to back up any crazy thing they propose.
Abetted by folks like John who are belatedly coming to realize that just maybe some of those lefty moonbats may be on to something our side has been trashed for 6 years, longer if you count the Gore invented the internet story that was bought hook, line and sinker.
Fuck this noise. My party is standing up to a fag bashing, traitor yelling, intolerant, mean spritied supremely well funded gang and I am proud of them for doing it.
Pooh
Richard, I’m not disagreeing with you, but I’m not seeing the fight. There’s occasionally the appearance of a fight.
Perhaps the NSA hearings will allow them to turn the corner. Feingold had a good riposte to the “9/10 mentality” crap – that’s what I’m talking about. More of that, dare I say more Al Gore? Less bloviating in hearings, less politcking from Swiss ski slopes.
The Disenfranchised Voter
We definitely need more Al Gore-Bob Barr collaborations.
Steve
The Other Steve
I love equivocating!
I wonder if you’ll be saying the same thing if DeLay is convicted?
Otto Man
Well said, Sen. Cornyn.
Richard Bottoms
That’s hitting the nail on the head:
I know I’m going to get bombarded for going after another DLC Democrat. Here’s the thing… I don’t care where Evan Bayh lands on the political spectrum. I would be saying this same exact thing if it was Rush Holt making this type of statement. Moderation and centrism are fine with me. My problem is representation of the Democratic brand as broken and weak. That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If even Democratic lawmakers are telling the media that Democrats don’t appear strong, they’re helping to perpetuate that narrative. In other words, my frustration is not with the ideology — it’s with the stupid marketing.
Representatives from Procter & Gamble don’t go on CNBC and talk about the fact that the perception exists that Tide could do a better job of removing stains. They just show evidence to the contrary. This kind of message craft, starting from a negative assumption, is unheard of in the corporate world. It’s a lesson Democrats need to learn if they’re serious about winning the hearts and minds here at home.
http://www.mydd.com/
It’s time to dumb the Republican framing of our party. Fuck them. May I point out the the “hapless Al Gore got more votes than anyone in history up to that point. He BEAT his opponent in the popular vote.
What is this crap about we can’t draw voters.