Let’s see, the House Speaker gets applauded by the GOP congressional caucus for criticizing the president. A leading GOP senator says the Dems are better at congressional oversight than Republicans. Several GOP House members criticize their own leadership for not having a policy agenda. The House Armed Services Committee chairman is accusing his Senate counterpart of undermining the war effort with TV hearings. And the Speaker turns his attention on another GOP senator whom he suggests is not a real Republican because he supports fiscal discipline. All of this is just from the last seven days.
I think it’s safe to say the natives are getting restless. And everyone’s starting to notice.
The Hill noted today that Republicans in Congress are starting to show signs of panic. Considering that a poll came out last week showing Dems with a whopping 13-point lead over the GOP on a generic congressional ballot (53-40), I can’t say I blame them.
Republican members of Congress are growing increasingly concerned over President Bush’s sinking approval rating and the souring public mood over the war in Iraq.
At the same time, many members say Bush’s poll numbers are also affecting them by coloring public opinion about the economy and other issues more directly linked to their own re-election prospects.
The New York Times had a similar item today, noting that Republicans know that if the election were this month instead of November, they’d be in big trouble.
They’re even starting to point a few fingers.
“If it was October, I’d probably be having a heart attack,” said Representative Ray LaHood, a moderate Republican from Illinois, adding that he was glad that the public was not focused on the election at the moment.
At least one Republican senator is suggesting that (gasp!) Karl Rove’s efforts may be inadequate.
“I don’t think [Bush and his aides are] necessarily out of ideas, but they’re not advancing ideas,” said Senator Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi, who has had a difficult relationship with the White House ever since Karl Rove, the president’s chief political adviser, helped engineer Mr. Lott’s ouster as majority leader. “They are running short on fuel in terms of ideas that turn people on. Leadership is fine, but leadership to do what?”
Mr. Lott said that the White House needed the return of Karen P. Hughes, Mr. Bush’s close adviser who counsels the president informally, and dismissed the suggestion that Mr. Rove’s involvement was sufficient.
When a Republican lawmaker feels empowered to speak out against Karl Rove — on the record — you know Bush has a problem.
To try and stem the tide, Bush will swing by the Hill today to slap a few GOP backs.
In an effort to shore up wobbly Republicans, Mr. Bush is to make a hastily scheduled visit to Capitol Hill on Thursday to push for passage of next year’s budget and to hold what the White House hopes to be a bicameral pep rally on his policies in Iraq.
We’ll see if that works. It seems to me the GOP needs an agenda more than a pep rally, but maybe seeing Bush’s smirk will help the gang feel better.