GOP Attacks Pelosi
Patrick O’Connor reports for The Politico:
House Republicans have a fairly simple plan to reclaim the majority: Blame Nancy.
The National Republican Congressional Committee launches its first national advertising blitz Thursday with a drive to tie freshmen Democrats to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The GOP’s cash-strapped campaign arm will launch a mix of radio ads and automated phone calls targeting 18 freshman Democrats for allegedly marching in lockstep with the speaker, a California Democrat who is regularly depicted by Republicans as an out-of-touch liberal.
This modest campaign comes 17 months before the next election and signals the seats that Republicans are targeting in 2008. But it also marks an ambitious decision by the campaign committee to go after the speaker in an effort to unseat her most vulnerable members.
Lorie Byrd writes at Wizbang: “Democrats are fond of claiming a mandate as a result of the 2006 elections, but in reality they would not have won if not for recruiting moderate and semi-conservative Democrats to run in key districts. Those freshmen moderates did not run on the liberal agenda Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are now trying to push through Congress and this is one way to let voters know what their representatives are doing in Washington.”
Those Democrats would be wise to be, act and vote a bit independent-minded. If they want to keep their jobs, they’d better reach across the aisle, and, yes, even vote against legislation supported by Pelosi et al. They are Democrats, yes, but they are representing their constituents, not Pelosi.
On the other hand, Democrats shouldn’t be too afraid of the GOP either. The Republicans have their own weaknesses that can be exploited.
H/t Memeorandum.
