The GOP’s Big Comeback: And Obama Doesn’t Even See It Coming
The GOP’s Big Comeback
by Reihan Salam
The battle over the public option is just the beginning of the Republicans’ resurgence—and Obama doesn’t even see it coming.
The right is coming back. Inevitably, it’s a messy and even ugly process, one that involves fear-mongering and utter falsehoods as well as legitimate concerns and old-fashioned righteous indignation. The Obama White House and left-leaning media outlets are focusing on the “nonsense feedback loop,” the fears of “death panels,” the outrage of Birthers—all of the outr untruths you’ll hear raised at congressional town brawls. Rather more convincing arguments made by the likes of Bush economic policy advisor Keith Hennessey—arguments that influence real-world Republican policymakers—are getting short shrift. It’s easy to understand why Democrats have embraced this approach. A few short years ago, the conservative media worked overtime to marginalize the anti-war movement by skewering Cindy Sheehan.