why the Reps will win
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=156238
Riddle us this, Note readers and Batman fans:
Which party’s fall message is already clear and which party’s is not?
For the Democrats, there is: the Biden view on Iraq; the Murtha view
on Iraq; the Kerry views on Iraq; the Senate caucus’s ever-dynamic
debate about what the party should stand for; the mass conspiracy of
silence over taxes and health care, taxes and the rich, and taxes and
taxes; Together, We Can Do Better; Together, America Can Do Better;
Better, America Can Be, Together; opportunity, responsibility, and
community; community; the modern communication skills of Leaders Reid
and Pelosi, and their control over their own public images; Six in
‘06; New Direction for America; Rahm’s view on Iraq; the Pelosi-Hoyer
friendship; Murtha’s abortive leadership bid; Howard Dean’s
discipline; and the bloggers. (For a super smart take on all this,
see Noonan, Peggy — on Jim Webb as “Nancy Pelosi with medals.”) LINK
For the Republicans, there is what the Strategist-in-Chief laid out
in the Rose Garden yesterday (for those Democrats and reporters too
lazy to track down a transcript of Monday’s Granite State Karl Rove
fan dance):
“I believe we’re going to hold the House and the Senate, because our
philosophy is one that is forward-looking and optimistic and has
worked. We’ve got a record to run on.
“There’s an interesting debate in the Democrat Party about how quick
to pull out of Iraq. Pulling out of Iraq before we accomplish the
mission will make the world a more dangerous place. It’s bad policy.
I know it may sound good politically; it will endanger our country to
pull out of Iraq before we accomplish the mission.
“See, Iraq is a part of the global war on terror. It’s not ‘the’
global war on terror, it’s a theater in the global war on terror. And
if we fail in Iraq, it’s going to embolden al Qaeda types. It will
weaken the resolve of moderate nations to stand up to the Islamic
fascists. It will cause people to lose their nerve and not stay strong.
“And so I look forward to taking the debate — that’s not quite right
— kind of getting warmed up as a result of your question — the timing
is not right for me to get out there yet. But I think the Democrat
economic policy of raising people’s taxes isn’t going to work either.
I know they’ll couch it in all kinds of language, but really what
they’re saying is we’re going to raise your taxes.”
For those of you too thick to figure out the answer to our question,
may we suggest tuning into Sean Hannity’s radio show today, when you
can expect the Vice President of the United States to spell things
out in his own unique style.
Also: It isn’t too early to tip you off to the Notion that November
might see one party with a huge advantage on the strength of their
ground game of turnout in key races and on the last-minute spending
of tens of millions of dollars by “independent” groups (TV, radio,
robo calls, direct mail, church parking lots) on targeted message
delivery.