Democratic Duo Brings Bravado to Party
2006-09-29
Source: Wall Street Journal
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rss feedAt midsummer, when House Republicans announced nationwide hearings to showcase their hard line against illegal immigration, the chairmen of the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees quickly took up the gauntlet. They assembled reporters and news cameras to promote a report documenting a decline in border enforcement actions under the Bush administration.
"If congressional Republicans want to make immigration the centerpiece of their 2006 campaign," said New York Sen. Charles Schumer, alongside Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, "we've got three words for them: Make our day!"
Such bring-it-on bravado from the Democratic duo has been making for bad days for the beleaguered Republican majority in this midterm-election year.
Yet both men's drive to win has at times left fellow Democrats feeling run over. In their determination to elect more Democrats from moderate and conservative districts, they have antagonized some of the party's loyal, liberal blocs: antiwar liberals, women's groups, civil libertarians and -- by their tough talk on immigration -- Hispanic groups.
Yet even some of the foils agree: These two high-energy partisans with their sharp elbows and tongues, and no apparent need to be loved, are just what Democrats need to end their exile from power. "We haven't had that kind of Rove-ian ruthlessness in the party -- to do or say anything to win -- in a long time," says party consultant Jenny Backus.
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