Actually, it's not. But the latest D.C. fracas has reached even the airy TAP Towers, and while the Politicos of the world have been losing it -- "FRIENDLY FIRE" reads morning tip sheet -- this doesn't even reach the level of tempest in a teapot. That Robert Gibbs is acknowledging that Republicans could take back the House of Representatives isn't worth getting worked up about -- Democrats in government will readily concede that fact in private, mainly because they're not stupid. This Gibbs controversy is actually about two Washington facts:
- The "I Can't Hear You" Rule. This one's pretty simple, wherein acknowledging the possibility of failure on any initiative immediately invites a media storm of criticism. Sure, it forces people to sound like idiots as they blithely promise victory in all their endeavors -- while also saying they "take nothing for granted" -- but performed consistently, it doesn't result in stories like "Gibbs Admits GOP Could Win House" playing as though they mattered.
- Congressional Dems Aren't Happy With the White House's Political Strategy. For months, Democratic leadership has been fuming about the president's reluctance to engage Republicans head-on and lobbying the president's advisers to take a more aggressive role in drawing a contrast between the two parties. Pelosi and other House Democrats aren't unhappy because of what Gibbs said but because of the feeling that they're being hung out to dry after demonstrating loyalty to the president's agenda. It's worth noting that, outside of this kerfuffle, there has been something of a reconciliation between the two wings of the party, especially with President Obama going after House Republicans and their leadership by name.
Slate's John Dickerson identifies Gibbs' move as a classic attempt to excite voters through fear -- a broader play on the 24-hours-before-the-fundraising-deadline e-mail asking for $25 or else the opposing party will institute a dictatorship of fear. While it's possible that was the calculus, I think this was a mistake of simple honesty because that sort of strategy would be coordinated with House Democrats in order to avoid the intraparty-rift story this has become. Which suggests that, regardless, communication between the White House and congressional Democrats isn't at its strongest now -- something that will need to be rectified soon if the Democrats expect to retain their majorities.
This episode did produce, however, a really mind-blowing bit of spin from Ken Spain, the NRCC's communications director. Spain is a smart operative whom I speak with for stories, but this is some tenuous logic:
The fact that the Obama White House is acknowledging that there is even a possibility that Democrats could lose their majority in the House should be read as a tacit admission that their economic policies have failed in the eyes of the voters.
That's a construction I need to use more. Frankly, the fact that House Republican Leader John Boehner is acknowledging that there is even a possibility that he doesn't know how the will of the people will be expressed this fall should be read as a tacit admission that his entire political philosophy is bankrupt in the eyes of voters.
-- Tim Fernholz
