When Republican elected officials say something nutty and inclined to cause panic -- say, Sen. Richard Burr's encouragement of bank runs -- you have his staff insisting that it's fine, and you have other important Republican organs defending his statements.
When a Democratic elected official says something nutty and inclined to cause panic -- say, Vice President Joe Biden telling people to avoid public transportation -- you have his staff walking it back and prominent Democratic leaders gently, or not so gently, correcting him as well.
A small thing, but this is the kind of stuff that gives a party the image of being responsible and pragmatic versus being perceived as reckless and ideological.
-- Tim Fernholz
