Race for House At Center Stage
Roll Call Staff
In highly staged, politically charged election-year events, House Republicans and Democrats attempted to one-up the other Wednesday as they worked to differentiate themselves and tell Americans why they should control the majority in the 109th Congress.
With just six weeks until Election Day, each party used the Capitol to host their overlapping events. Democrats took to the West Front to lay out their “Contract with America”-style message blueprint, while Republicans organized an event in the basement of the Capitol to boast of their accomplishments during 10 years in power.
GOP Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (Ohio) said: “Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are trying to steal our celebration thunder.”
Democrats were quick to note that their event had been scheduled first. And when asked whether the Republicans were trying to trump the Democratic event, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said: “Absolutely. That is always to be expected.”
At their well-orchestrated unveiling, Democrats put forth a long-awaited message document dubbed “New Partnership for America’s Future.” The multipage pamphlet, somewhat modeled after the Republicans’ 1994 “Contract with America,” lays out Democrats’ “six core values” of prosperity, national security, fairness, opportunity, community and accountability.
Democrats, 12 seats shy of control of the chamber, designed the document to stress to voters what they would deliver if given a majority and their vision for the country.
Unlike the GOP’s 1994 Contract with America — widely credited with helping propel the Republicans to the majority — the 2004 Democratic message paper hews to broad themes rather than specific legislative proposals. But just as the contract served as a political launching pad for the Republicans, Democrats are seeking comparable political impact from their message.
“It was a good concept to try,” said Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.). “You see what worked in the past on the other side. You don’t have to like it, but you can admire the way they took back the House.”
Even with that concession, however, Pryce and other Republican speakers repeatedly made the point of showing why Democrats are following the GOP’s lead.
“The greatest form of flattery is imitation,” Pryce said. “Democrats are making bumper stickers and Republicans are making history.”
More than 150 Democratic Members and about 200 of the party faithful and aides showed up for the rollout. Party groups, key donors and constituents participated in the event (at the urging of Democratic leaders), which featured banners, buttons, miniature American flags and a live band.
The Democratic Members even led the crowd in a rendition of “God Bless America,” evoking memories of three years ago, when a bipartisan group of lawmakers gathered outside the Capitol to sing in remembrance of those lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In contrast to the pomp and circumstance of the Democratic event, the Republican gathering was relatively subdued. Held in Room HC-5, the GOP event featured a backdrop of several civilians interspersed with a handful of lawmakers, some of whom were elected several years after 1994.
Republican aides distributed flags and glossy booklets highlighting their accomplishments in 10 years of power. Only the top four GOP leaders spoke. The subsequent question period was cut short by Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) after two reporters asked about the recent grand jury indictments of three operatives tied to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R) in Texas.
Unlike the GOP event, the Democratic ceremony had been in the works for several weeks, and party leaders have been crafting their “partnership” document since January, enlisting the help of marketing executives and focus groups. Democrats said that while not perfect, the move to package their message was a smart one and credited leaders for crafting it broadly to avoid a split within an oft-ideologically rent Caucus.
Pelosi, following the event, said she is asking Members to take the themes of the document home to their districts, incorporating it into their speeches, editorials, television appearances and town hall meetings in the coming weeks.
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