The republicans need to dig into how the IRS uses Exchange-based email. Specifically, if they use Outlook as a client with cached mode. With cached mode (which is very common), the working copy of the inbox is on the local computer and a “shadow” copy is on the Exchange server. If you lost a hard drive, you would install a new one, re-install your software (Windows, Outlook, Office), then sign into Outlook with your email address. All of the email from the server would sync to the new client in the background. You could be up and running with a local copy of your inbox restored in a matter of a few hours, maybe even minutes. See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj683103(v=office.15).aspx
Obama is claiming credit for preventing something that no one can prove would have happened. The Republicans should do the same thing - claim Obama has prevented the greatest economic upturn this country has ever seen by not implementing across-the-board tax cuts. One avoided/missed future is at least as valid as another.