White House Lays Foundation for Post-Election Damage Control

[kpete]

White House Lays Foundation for Post-Election Damage Control

By Nathan L. Gonzales

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs created a firestorm by admitting that the House majority is in play, but House Democrats should be more worried about his subsequent analysis rather than his political prognostications.

“But I think there's no doubt there are enough seats in play that could cause Republicans to gain control. There's no doubt about that,” Gibbs said on Meet the Press on July 11. “This will depend on strong campaigns by Democrats.”

Did you catch that?

This fall’s elections will depend how individual Democrats campaign, not the performance of the President. And it sounds an awful lot like the spin coming out of the Democratic losses in Virginia and Massachusetts not long ago.

more:
http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2010/07/white-house-lays-foundation-for-post.html

[DJ13]

1. Im starting to wonder if the WH would prefer the GOP to control the House

With the Democrats in charge they have a hard time explaining why conservative bills keep getting passed into law, but with the GOP in charge they can just blame them for it.

[ProSense]

2. Yeah

"With the Democrats in charge they have a hard time explaining why conservative bills keep getting passed into law, but with the GOP in charge they can just blame them for it."

One can expect the same exact bills to pass under a Republican controlled Congress. They'll be lining up to support the President's agenda.

Let's make it happen, it'll be smooth sailing once we get past the impeachment attempt.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. If all of these bills are so "conservative"

Why aren't the Republicans lining up to support Obama on....well.....any of them? You would think that with President Obama supposedly hating progressives and endlessly trying to cut deals with conservatives to weaken progressive legislation that the Republicans would be gleeful but, of course, they're not. One can only imagine just how bad REAL "conservative" legislation would look. Actually, most of us have already seen what it looks like but the legislation that has emerged so far- though far less than what most progressives were hoping for- still contain some good progressive pieces that no Republican would ever touch with a ten foot pole.

Of cource, they are not going to support President Obama ONE BIT more if they get power after November. Not a lot will get through Congress except for the most mundane stuff but you can bet that the Republicans will be busy relentlessly pushing one Fox-hyped "scandal" after another.

Not only are Republicans NOT supporting Obama on any of his major "conservative" initiatives but his policy proposals are relentlessly caricatured as "socialist" or "government takeovers of (fill in the blank)". I just don't get it. Maybe the things that have gotten through the Congressional "meat grinder" aren't that progressive but conservatives are talking like our country is in its dying throes because of the *conservative* Stimulus, *conservative* HCR, and *conservative* Financial Regulation overhaul legislation and that we are all now in thrall to a socialist/fascist/foreign-born dictator and his evil Congressional allies- the new and dangerous triumvirate of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi (a motley crew if there ever was one).

[geek tragedy]

3. Yeah, they want to be harassed with subpoenas and impeachment

proceedings. And a government shutdown.

That's the ticket.

[impik]

6. These guys just gets more and more creative...

Shocking.

Not.

[DJ13]

9. The GOP cant do anything if thery just control the House

Introducing articles of impeachment is pointless if the Senate refuses to vote on them.

[Nite Owl]

7. They might be

All I can say is dems where I am are not happy with the legislation that has passed out of a dem congress at the behest of the WH. Turnout might be low.

[ProSense]

4. "Did you catch that?"

Yeah, the writer of this piece is desperate for an angle.

If s/he thinks candidates don't have to campaign hard, then s/he has no idea about how to win elections.

[dkf]

5. It is hard to campaign on a failed agenda.

Jobs jobs jobs. That is the only thing that mattered. We still don't get it.

[ProSense]

8. Are you suggesting that not a single Democratic campaign is successful?

Seems to me a lot of them are doing well, even Harry Reid.

"It is hard to campaign on a failed agenda."

Maybe most Americans don't see the President's agenda as a failed one. Yes, the recovery is slow, but that's not a reason to look to Republicans.

"Jobs jobs jobs. That is the only thing that mattered. We still don't get it."

Not sure why anyone would advocate against Democrats in the face of an election-year choice: Democrats or Republicans.

[dkf]

11. Because after screaming about jobs jobs jobs I still see neglect on this issue.

[KingFlorez]

10. Desperate is the correct word

Gnawing at the bone like this is pathetic.

[Arkana]

13. Um, DUH.

The President isn't a magician--he couldn't save Martha Coakley and Creigh Deeds from themselves.