Who's Sorry Now?
The DEMS aren't going to give the 06 election away, are they? Because we're looking forward to a good, solid, all-American political fight.
But if the DEMS want to win in 06, they'd be best off not just reading press that's favorable to them. Today, the WaPo says GOP Strategy in 06 Stumbles (here) "Republican efforts to craft a policy and political agenda to carry the party into the midterm elections have stumbled repeatedly as GOP leaders face widespread disaffection and disagreement within the ranks." Yippee.
But wait. Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard, to the rescue. (here) "POLITICS IS PRETTY SIMPLE. If the debate in an upcoming election puts your party at a disadvantage, it makes sense to try to change the debate. At the moment, the 2006 midterm election is framed as a referendum on the Bush administration and congressional Republicans, putting Republican candidates on the defensive. Party strategists, led by chairman Ken Mehlman, want to rejigger the debate so it's about a choice between candidates, putting Democratic candidates on the defensive as well. In short, they want it to be a choice election, not a referendum election."
So, here's a key part of the GOP '06 playbook. Hope somebody's paying attention.
