While the rest of DC is tracking down information on numerous scandals engulfing the Obama Administration, The Washington Post would like to turn your attention to a mini-revolt within the GOP Caucus that happened six months ago. “House Republicans Broken Into Fighting Factions,” the headline states boldly, while the actual article mostly retells the story about the vote for Speaker back in January. According to DC’s paper of record, this is the major news of the day.
Across four pages of its website, the Post details conservative dissatisfaction with House GOP Leadership over the fiscal cliff negotiations and budget talks. It reports that in January there was a growing movement within the caucus to vote against John Boehner for Speaker. As the Post chronicles these events from half-a-year ago, we learn that the presumptive revolt ultimately failed. As a result, however, Boehner and his leadership team have changed their management style to give rank-and-file members a greater voice in the Caucus.
All of this would have been interesting in, say, January. Coming the week that Congress is convening three hearings on the growing IRS scandal (to pick just one current scandal) is such an obvious bit of misdirection that it feels superfluous to even point it out.
Since the GOP took the majority in 2010, the media have dined on a steady stream of negative stories about the House GOP. They have trumped up its control of one chamber of Congress into a position of power that can be blamed for any bad news in the country.
The House’s return to regular order, however, has lessened the drama in the chamber and allowed it to run smoothly this year. There was even broad agreement within the caucus on its strategy on the budget and debt ceiling, something that was elusive in its first two years in the majority.
Meanwhile, significant scandals are surrounding the Obama Administration on multiple fronts. From the little information we already have, they are among the worst in our nation’s history. In response, the Post climbs into its way-back machine and tries to turn the conversation back on the House GOP. It is the media’s own regression to the mean.
Next up for the Post, no doubt, are lengthy retellings of Bush era drama. Can you retell us that one about Valerie Plame again? That was a doozy.
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