Snatching Defeat…

“You know what I think? I don’t think we have a message.” With the administration faltering weekly, multiple investigations into GOP corruption coming to a head, and several congressional Republicans calling it quits (including longtime House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas), the Post surveys the varying Democratic strategies to win back Congress in 2006. Frankly, folks, it doesn’t look good, even given the great hand we’ve been dealt of late. As you might expect from Will Rogers’ famous dictum, no two people mentioned in this article — Reid, Pelosi, Dean, Emanuel, Schumer, Vilsack — seem to be on the same page.

Rebel Pretensions.

After the GOP co-opt the Star Wars universe for their own nefarious purposes, George Lucas makes an appearance with House Democrats (including his own congresswoman, Nancy Pelosi.) The Republican video (shown at CPAC) “depicted GOPers as the virtuous rebels, being pursued by ‘Darth Nancy’ and her imperial henchmen, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Democratic campaign chief Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.).” Um, yeah, you guys own every branch of government, your boy in office is ignoring the law and desperately trying to wrest power from the Senate, and you’re the Alliance. C’mon now, at least the Yankees own up to it.

Forming the Lines.

Well, for what it’s worth, at least the Washington Post thinks we Dems are ready for a fight come Dubya’s second term. Along those lines, former senior Clinton advisor Rahm Emanuel is named to head the DCCC (a.k.a. the Dem 2006 campaign.) From personal experience, I can say Emanuel is the type of fellow who takes no guff…and he’s likely an excellent choice for this post.

Mr. Emanuel goes to Washington.

Former Clinton aide (and Stephanopoulos replacement) Rahm Emanuel wins his Illinois primary and, barring an historic upset, will enter Congress in November. Good luck to him, I suppose…he’s extremely effective when on the offensive, but back in the Carville days he was always one of those guys on the phone who treated you like the help. (We were the help, of course…nevertheless, his phone manner was definitely lacking. We weren’t even his subordinates.) At any rate, gracious or no, I’m sure he’ll do well in Congress.