The situation is bleak at the National Republican Congressional Committee. The GOP’s House committee has $1.6 million in the bank, but is $4 million in debt. The NRCC has struggled to convince incumbents to avoid retirements, and its recruiting efforts have largely been busts. Two weeks ago, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) was so discouraged by the campaign committee’s plight that he threatened to fire its chief strategists, and NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) considered resigning.
So, when Cole sat down this week with David Broder, putting on a brave face and insisting the Republicans will do just fine, one suspects Cole struggled to keep a straight face. And yet, according to his column today, Broder seems to have bought the spin without question. As Broder explained it, Cole’s optimism is reasonable because, “The Democrats are also looking like dogs.”
Cole, who admits Republicans hurt themselves in 2006 with scandals and out-of-control spending, said the [latest Washington Post] poll confirmed for him a comment he heard this week from a Republican colleague. Speaking of the Democrats, he said, “My God, they’re dragging themselves down to our level.”
It all adds up, Cole said, to a political environment reminiscent of 1992 — a tough year for entrenched incumbents of both parties who suddenly saw their margins shrink or disappear. “The American people are rising up in disgust,” Cole said, “and incumbents will pay. It’s not anti-Republican anymore. It’s anti-Washington.”
Cole argues that the House Democratic leadership has made a strategic error by wielding its narrow majority to craft partisan bills that invite a Bush veto. That was the case with several resolutions to shorten the Iraq war, and it will be the case later this fall with a series of appropriations bills. Polarization is exactly what the voters hate, Cole said; they are looking for cooperation and agreement.
It’s not surprising that Cole would offer this take on the landscape; a more accurate one would be too dejecting for his party. What is surprising is that Broder would pass along such nonsense without criticism.
First, the poll numbers Cole cites show ample public discontent, but it’s primarily directed at Republicans, not “Washington.” Democrats enjoy a significantly higher approval rating than the GOP, and while Americans are frustrated by the lack of progress in DC, by a 2 to 1 margin, they blame Bush and Republicans for the inaction, not the congressional majority.
Second, Cole argues, and Broder passes along uncritically, the notion that voters are looking for “cooperation and agreement.” According to the same poll Cole cites, that’s wrong, too — Congress’ approval rating is suffering because Americans want to see lawmakers challenge the president more, not less.
Third, Cole’s argument that Dems are inviting vetoes with “partisan bills” is transparently ridiculous. Dems worked with Republicans, and drew bipartisan majorities, on everything from children’s healthcare to rest for the troops to stem-cell research to the minimum wage. In some instances, GOP obstructionism blocked passage; in other instances, Bush vetoed the bills. But where are all of these “partisan bills”? Broder’s column didn’t point to any examples, in large part because they don’t exist.
Indeed, one almost assumes Broder should be praising the congressional majority — they’re doing exactly what he usually says he wants. They’re reaching out to Republicans, striking bipartisan compromises, sticking to major agenda items, following through on campaign promises, and offering policy proposals that enjoy broad public support. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, Broder characterizes this as Democrats “looking like dogs.”
It’s easy to understand why Cole is desperately spinning a bad situation. It’s much harder to understand why Broder is buying it.