WP: Message Chaos Afflicts Both Parties as Katrina Washes Discipline Away

[DeepModem Mom]

Message Chaos Afflicts Both Parties as Katrina Aftermath Washes Discipline Away
By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, September 21, 2005; Page A04


....Katrina has washed away party discipline in Washington. With President Bush submerged -- a Gallup poll released yesterday showed that his support has actually fallen to 40 percent since his prime-time speech from Louisiana last week -- Republicans decided to stake out their own positions. And Democrats, with no obvious party leader, are quarreling over message and messenger....

***

The message chaos in the governing party would seem to present an opportunity for the Democrats. But the opposition party is itself divided. Oppose Roberts? Pull out of Iraq? Repeal tax cuts? Democrats are split -- and leaderless.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean took a turn as party leader last week, comparing Roberts to DeLay and Bush aide Karl Rove. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) has also vied to speak for the party, calling Bush "oblivious, in denial, dangerous."

On Sunday, former president Bill Clinton took his turn as party leader, attacking the Bush tax cuts. Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and John Edwards, his former running mate, gave dueling auditions for party leader on Monday.

Yesterday, Reid took the party's reins. Apparently unable to settle on a theme for a morning news conference with Pelosi, the two leaders' news bulletin promised a smorgasbord: Katrina, the federal budget, judicial nominations and the Voting Rights Act....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/20/AR2005092001608.html?sub=AR


ON EDIT: Howie Kurtz has a different slant --

Democrats On Offense
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 21, 2005; 8:57 AM

John Kerry and John Edwards rip Bush over Katrina. Bill Clinton blasts the tax cuts. Harry Reid says he'll vote against Roberts.

A more aggressive Democratic opposition, washed in by the hurricane, appears to be finding its voice.

Whether it's a winning message or not remains to be seen. But liberals who feel the Beltway Dems have been way too timid for the last four years must be pouring the champagne.

In the case of Kerry and Edwards, the '08 positioning by the '04 boys couldn't be more obvious.

With Bush's poll ratings at record lows, the thought crossed my mind: What if Katrina had struck a year ago? Could it have changed the outcome of the election?...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html

[KittyWampus]

1. Dana, you whore. The Dems are united as never before. Reid, Pelosi,

and Dean are kicking ass.

That scares you doesn't it?

[WhiteTara]

2. actually the whore who wrote this was

Howard Kurtz. I know that you can interchange the names at will and get the same message, easy to be confused.
If Reid is kicking butt, I wish he would stop sound like he is going to piss his pants because he spoke out.
I think the reason the message sounds like it is cohesive is that there are so many issues to choose from. Pelosi has come out with a good strong voice and has made me actually look at her with some new respect.

[second edition]

3. Same old repub talking points from the media-

we need a plan and everyone is doing this only because they are running for President or they have a political agenda. The media is one reason why politicians are seen as ego driven opportunists. Dems need to start countering this bulls*t.