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Democrats sing in the 'abuse of power' chorus
The Hill ^ | August 4, 2005 | Byron York

Posted on 08/04/2005 12:30:04 PM PDT by Kaslin

Quick: What do you call President Bush’s decision to recess-appoint John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations?

“Abuse of power,” says Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

“Abuse of power,” says Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).

“Abuse of power,” says Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. The Democrats’ one-note response to the Bolton appointment brings to mind an article that appeared recently in The New York Times Magazine. Reporter Matt Bai looked into the party’s efforts to “frame” the political debate in Washington — that is, to come up with a new vocabulary to make Democratic positions seem more attractive to voters.

As Bai tells it, party leaders were looking for ways to make the case for their unprecedented use of the filibuster to stop Bush judicial nominees. They asked pollster Geoff Garin to look into it.

Garin conducted polls to test the argument that Democrats were simply trying to keep extremist judges off the bench. But that idea — a staple of Democratic campaigns for years — didn’t test too well. Voters far preferred the argument that, in using the filibuster, Democrats were trying to preserve the basic checks-and-balances fairness of the system. (It wasn’t actually true, but it sounded good.)

But what words would best make that argument? Garin assembled focus groups to look for just the right phrase.

“He heard voters call the majority party ‘arrogant,’” Bai writes of Garin’s research. “They said they feared ‘abuse of power.’

“This phrase struck Garin. ... [He] shared his polling with a group of Democratic senators that included Harry Reid.”

On the basis of Garin’s research, Bai continues, Reid set up a Democratic “war room” on judges. He assigned John Kerry’s old campaign spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, to put together talking points based on Garin’s research.

“Cutter’s war room began churning out mountains of news releases hammering daily at the GOP’s ‘abuse of power,’” Bai writes. “In an unusual show of discipline, Democrats in the Senate and House carried laminated, pocket-size message cards — “DEMOCRATS FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY, AGAINST ABUSE OF POWER. ...”

Soon, Reid was talking about Republican “abuse of power.” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) was talking about “abuse of power.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was talking about “abuse of power.” Everybody was talking about “abuse of power.”

Democrats even held a “STOP ABUSE OF POWER” rally.

So what did they do when George W. Bush, facing a Democratic filibuster of his nominee for U.N. ambassador, circumvented the Senate and appointed Bolton?

Why, they cried, “abuse of power.”

“The abuse of power and the cloak of secrecy from the White House continues,” Kennedy said Monday. “It’s a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent. ...”

The funny thing is, for all the talk today, defying the opposition wasn’t an abuse of power — much less a devious maneuver — back in 1997, when Bill Clinton used his presidential authority to evade the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and install Bill Lann Lee in a top Justice Department job. Back then, Kennedy didn’t protest. He didn’t make angry speeches. He didn’t even peep. In fact, he praised Clinton for going around the Senate.

And when Lee was sworn in, Kennedy posed for pictures with Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Attorney General Janet Reno. Yes, the remarkably unangry senator from Massachusetts showed up at the White House to celebrate a devious maneuver that evaded the constitutional requirement of Senate consent.

(There was, by the way, one small difference in the Lee and Bolton cases: Clinton ignored the wishes of the majority party in the Senate, while Bush ignored the wishes of the minority.)

Whatever. To hear Kennedy tell it, Clinton had saved the country from the forces of evil. “I think it’s unfortunate that we have an outstanding Asian-American recommended for this position and that the majority Republican Party — which is basically anti-civil rights, anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-worker — is utilizing the procedures of the United States Senate to block an outstanding individual from serving all Americans,” Kennedy said on “Meet the Press” on Dec. 14, 1997.

“We ought to be able to take this [nomination] to the floor of the United States Senate and let the Senate decide.”

But that was then. Now, eight years later, Kennedy is not so receptive to the “let the Senate decide” argument. As a matter of fact, he’s downright hostile to it.

Of course, it’s all moot as far as Bolton is concerned. Which means it’s time for Democrats to move on to the next opportunity to shout “abuse of power.”

The fight over Supreme Court nominee John Roberts is rapidly approaching, and at the first moment the White House does not give opposition senators every shred of paper they want, a cry will arise from Reid, Kennedy, Schumer, and all their allies.

And what will they say?

You guessed it.

York is a White House correspondent for National Review. His column appears in The Hill each week. E-mail: byork@thehill.com


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: talkingpoints

1 posted on 08/04/2005 12:30:05 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Abuse of power is using elected office to coerce interns and other job-seekers to have sex with you.


2 posted on 08/04/2005 12:31:48 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Free Michael Graham!)
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To: Kaslin

"Gentlemen, we've gotta protect our phony-baloney jobs!"

-Mel Brooks in "Blazing Saddles"

Do you think Senator Reid has seen this film?


3 posted on 08/04/2005 12:36:09 PM PDT by RexBeach (Pardon me, but is that a malaise sandwich in your pocket or are you just glad to be in a funk?)
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To: Kaslin

Here's hoping the Donks never again have power to abuse...


4 posted on 08/04/2005 12:36:24 PM PDT by gridlock (ELIMINATE PERVERSE INCENTIVES)
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To: Kaslin

One would hope the Democrats would some day hunt up a thesaurus, and broaden their vocabulary, if not their field of thought. As it is, the spectacle is rather like watching a bunch of Oompa-Loompas reciting in unison.


5 posted on 08/04/2005 12:36:55 PM PDT by alloysteel ("Master of the painfully obvious.....")
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To: Kaslin
Voters far preferred the argument that, in using the filibuster, Democrats were trying to preserve the basic checks-and-balances fairness of the system. (It wasn’t actually true, but it sounded good.)

It isn't true because checks-and-balances is about separation of powers between the branches of government, not about balance of power between the parties.

-PJ

6 posted on 08/04/2005 12:38:48 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
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To: Kaslin

I prefer the term "Recognition of the majority".


7 posted on 08/04/2005 12:38:50 PM PDT by ChadGore (VISUALIZE 62,041,268 Bush fans.)
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To: Kaslin

Did any of these dimbots cry "Abuse of Power" over Clinton's massive pardon party? ...then they can just shut up, mmm kaaaay?


8 posted on 08/04/2005 12:38:58 PM PDT by TChris ("You tweachewous miscweant!" - Elmer Fudd)
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To: Kaslin

I'll show the RATS "abuse of power".

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1456918/posts


9 posted on 08/04/2005 12:39:01 PM PDT by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do it, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: Kaslin

Didn't Clintoon sign in more Executive Orders than any other president except maybe Lincoln? The land-grab in Utah being a biggy.


10 posted on 08/04/2005 12:39:08 PM PDT by Mrs. Shawnlaw (Rock beats scissors. Don't run with rocks. NRA)
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To: Kaslin

Often, Republicans fight political battles with logic and rationale, while the Democrats are blasting away with spin, PR, and emotionalism. Too frequently, the Republicans think that because they've obsessively made a "logical rebuttal" to a Democrat attack, that they've carried the day - case closed. There is nothing wrong with a logical rebuttal. It's a terrific advantage over the Dems since they're largely incapable of such. But for the Republicans to be as effective as they can be, they need to stop complaining about the silly, emotional, illogical PR tantrums from the Dems and get into the same game. Follow up their logical rebuttals with the same level of intensity as the Dems on talking points, catch phrases, buzz words, emotional appeals, accusations, etc. Go toe to toe with PR. That part's easy. It's just a matter of having the will to engage. The harder part is the logical and effective governing plan - which the Dems lack. Exploit it. And the only way to fully exploit this Republican advantage is to stop complaining about the Dem tactics and play the same game just as strongly and proactively.


11 posted on 08/04/2005 12:47:05 PM PDT by Prince Caspian (Don't ask if it's risky... Ask if the reward is worth the risk)
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To: Kaslin

I believe filibustering judges is "an abuse of power." It is certainly not in the Constitution.


12 posted on 08/04/2005 12:49:34 PM PDT by NeilGus
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To: Kaslin
Hypocrisy....thy name is Democrat.

Good thing these folks have NO POWER!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!

(Let's keep it that way, OK?)

13 posted on 08/04/2005 12:56:54 PM PDT by ohioWfan (If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray......)
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To: Kaslin
They're just teed off because they aren't holding the whip.
14 posted on 08/04/2005 12:59:19 PM PDT by .cnI redruM (Chawlie Schuwler; America's Most Useless Senator!)
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To: RexBeach

lol!!!!


15 posted on 08/04/2005 1:03:26 PM PDT by rwfromkansas (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=rwfromkansas)
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To: Kaslin

everytime I read something about the Dems screaming about Abuse of power, I think pro wrestling and Ric Flair in WCW.




Eric Bischoff started walking down the aisle, saying "You're finished Flair!" Flair responded, "Bischoff, whatever you think...no, you're an overbearing ass****! That's right! You're obnoxious, you're an obnoxious, overbearing ass! Abuse of power! You! Abuse of power! Cut me off! Come on! It's called abuse of power! (Flair threw down his jacket) You suck! You, I hate your guts. I hate your guts. You are a liar, you're a cheat, you're a scam, you are a no good son of a b****. Fire me? I'm already fired! Fire me! I'm already fired!"


16 posted on 08/04/2005 1:09:51 PM PDT by Pikamax
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To: Kaslin

These are the same dumb-dumbs that lauded Bill Clinton when he exercised his option of recess appointmentS.


17 posted on 08/04/2005 1:10:22 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: Kaslin

Didn't the Democrats do that tactic many times too when Clinton was in power???


18 posted on 08/04/2005 1:31:52 PM PDT by Heartofsong83
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To: Prince Caspian

Pubs bring knives to gun fights


19 posted on 08/04/2005 1:32:47 PM PDT by canadiancapitalist
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