Research Briefing

Hey Tim Kaine – Are The DCCC And House Dems “Crazy” For Running Away From Obama?

DNC CHAIR TIM KAINE SAID DEMS WHO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM LEADERS ARE “CRAZY”

FLASHBACK: KAINE: "Democrats Who Are Kind Of Afraid Of To Be Who They Are, Or Who Are Pushing Back On The Leaders -- I Think They're Crazy." (Fox News' "Fox & Friends," 8/13/10)

• KAINE: "I Don't Think There's A Place Where The President Isn't Helpful..." (Mike Allen, "Tim Kaine: Democrats Still Have 'Mojo,'" Politico, 8/11/10)

ARE DCCC CHAIR CHRIS VAN HOLLEN AND THE HOUSE DEMS “CRAZY?”

DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen Gave “Permission” For Vulnerable Democrats To Distance Themselves Or Even Attack Democrat Leadership. “[Van Hollen] also indicated that Democratic leaders had given vulnerable members permission to distance — and in some cases outright criticize — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in campaign ads, as Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly, Pennsylvania Rep. Jason Altmire and North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre all have done.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Democrats May Start Cutting Off Weakest Candidates,” Politico, 8/27/10)

Dems Already Running Ads Distancing Themselves Or Bashing Obama And Pelosi. “Little by little, we're starting to see more House Dems running ads distancing them from President Obama and Nancy Pelosi -- and even directly taking them on. Some of the spots bash the Obama/Dem agenda in ways that echo GOP talking points.” (Greg Sargent, "More House Dems Fleeing (And Bashing) Obama And Pelosi," The Washington Post's "The Plum Line" Blog, 8/25/10)

• "[A] New Spot From Blue Dog Dem Jason Altmire Of Pennsylvania, Which Not Only Trumpets His Vote Against Health Reform, But Also Proclaims His Willingness To 'Stand Up' To Obama And Pelosi." (Greg Sargent, "More House Dems Fleeing (And Bashing) Obama And Pelosi," The Washington Post's "The Plum Line" Blog, 8/25/10)
• "And Here Is A New Spot From Blue Dog Dem Bobby Bright Of Alabama, Which Trumpets His Vote Against The 'Massive Government Healthcare' Bill, And Proclaims That He's An 'Independent Conservative.'" (Greg Sargent, "More House Dems Fleeing (And Bashing) Obama And Pelosi," The Washington Post's "The Plum Line" Blog, 8/25/10)
• "[A] New Ad That Blue Dog Dem Glenn Nye Of Virginia Is Running, Proclaiming His Vote Against The Health Care Bill And His Willingness To Go 'Against His Own Party.'" (Greg Sargent, "More House Dems Fleeing (And Bashing) Obama And Pelosi," The Washington Post's "The Plum Line" Blog, 8/25/10)

AFTER DISMAL “SUMMER OF RECOVERY,” DEMS RUNNING AS FAST & FAR AWAY AS THEY CAN

“The String Of Bad News About Housing, Employment And Economic Growth Has Led Democrats To An Inescapable Conclusion: The Economy Is Not Likely To Improve In Time To Help Them In The Fall Elections.” (Laura Meckler, “Democrats Face Economic Facts: Updraft Unlikely,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/28/10)

Dems Realize There Is Little Time To Improve The Economy Before The Election. “Congressional Democrats and the White House will continue their attempts to enact policies they believe will boost the economy—and which are also aimed at persuading voters they are working to make things better. But some officials acknowledge it is too late for these initiatives to change the economic situation ahead of the Nov. 2 elections.” (Laura Meckler, “Democrats Face Economic Facts: Updraft Unlikely,” The Wall Street Journal, 8/28/10)

“The Advice From Democratic Consultants And Strategists Is Almost Unanimous: Run Away From The President, And Fast.” (Reid Wilson, “How To Lose A Guy In 75 Days,” Hotline’s On Call, 8/19/10)

Senior Democrat Operative Called Obama A “Walking Radioactive Disaster.” “‘He is a walking radioactive disaster,’ one senior Democratic operative said of the president.” (Reid Wilson, “How To Lose A Guy In 75 Days,” Hotline’s On Call, 8/19/10)

Dems In Tight Races Are “Cherry-Picking Bits And Pieces Of Congressional History” Because Dems’ Policies Are Unpopular. “Kagen and Hill are just two examples of dozens of endangered House Democrats who are holding their party's agenda at arm’s length, declining to highlight their votes on some of the biggest accomplishments of the Democratic Congress as they campaign for reelection. Instead of proudly promoting their votes on health care reform, the economic stimulus and financial reform, some rank-and-file Democrats in a growing number of tight races are cherry-picking bits and pieces of congressional history, hoping to accentuate the positives that play well back home, while leaving out — or flat out rejecting — the most unpopular parts of policies.”  (Jake Sherman, “Endangered Dems Quiet On Key Votes,” Politico, 8/21/10)

• The White House Is Urging Dems To Not Talk About What They Did This Session, Including ObamaCare. "In an effort coordinated with the White House, congressional leaders are urging Democrats to focus less on bragging about what they have done -- a landmark healthcare law, a sweeping overhaul of Wall Street regulation and other far-reaching policy changes -- and more on efforts to fix the economy and on the perils of Republican control of Congress." (Janet Hook, "Democratic Candidates Ignore Legislative Successes," The Los Angeles Times, 8/9/10)
• And "The Plan" Is To Avoid Mentioning The Stimulus. “The plan, as laid out by Democratic strategists, includes two big elements: renewed attention by candidates on hometown construction projects--often without mentioning the unpopular economic stimulus bill that provided the funding--and a ramped-up effort at national Democratic headquarters to find negative information about GOP candidates.” (Peter Wallsten and Jim Carlton, "For Democrats, Politics Is Local Again," The Wall Street Journal, 7/8/10)

FIGHT FOR POLITICAL SURVIVAL MEANS CUTTING OFF WEAKEST DEMS

Van Hollen Admitted Dems May Have To Cut Off Their Weakest Performing Candidates. “Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen sent a cold-blooded message Friday to under-performing party candidates: Get your act together, or you’re on your own. Facing a perilous political environment that has left the House Democratic majority in jeopardy, Van Hollen told reporters in a briefing at the National Press Club that the party faces a series of difficult decisions about which candidates to invest in this fall — and whom to leave behind.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Democrats May Start Cutting Off Weakest Candidates,” Politico, 8/27/10)

• Van Hollen Said The DCCC “Will Look At Races We Can Win.” “‘At the end of the day, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will look at races we can win,’ Van Hollen said. The Maryland congressman explained that the committee would take a close read of polling and candidate fundraising ‘so we can make a determination about whether or not those campaigns can be successful.’” (Alex Isenstadt, “Democrats May Start Cutting Off Weakest Candidates,” Politico, 8/27/10)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi On Cutting Members Loose: “It’s  A Very Cold-Blooded Operation.” “She knows money is finite, though, and that she may have to cut some members loose as the elections approach. She told Van Hollen not to worry about breaking the bad news. ‘I told him he can blame the tough ones on me,’ she said with a laugh. ‘It’s a very cold-blooded operation.’” (James Rowley and Patrick O’Connor, “Pelosi Thinks Lioness As Speaker Does What Rayburn Never Did,” Bloomberg, 7/22/10)