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Death By 1,000 Cuts: The GOP Takes On Obama's Nominees

Eric Holder. Tim Geithner. Now, Tom Daschle. All three men remain highly likely to be confirmed to the Cabinet -- but that hasn't stopped the GOP and the media, assisted by the hothouse Washington news cycle, from weaving a pattern of perceived political "stumbles" or "mistakes" by Barack Obama's transition team.

Take Sen. Arlen Specter's (R-PA) opening statement during the Judiciary Committee's Holder hearing today. After noting that his tirades against Holder have been criticized as politically motivated, Specter proceeded to take cover behind the media.

Almost every major newspaper in the country has comment about the importance of questioning Mr. Holder. And as I said on the floor, I have an open mind but I think there are important questions to be asked and upon the questions to be answered.

The editorials have commented about the need for the questioning of Mr. Holder based upon some of the factors in his background. There's no doubt he comes with an excellent resume, but there are questions nonetheless. So says the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Rocky Mountain News, and many other newspapers across the country.

If it's in the newspaper, then it must be true. Never mind that Specter and his fellow Republicans provided many of the damaging quotes for those media reports that he cites as proof of Holder's shady background.

So, is it true? As the AP breathlessly reported yesterday, do the past records of Holder, Geithner, and now Daschle amount to "a string of embarrassing jolts" that are "buffet[ing]" Obama?

The Politico managed to perpetuate the Geithner controversy even while deflating it, reporting one day that the Obama team was mounting a "PR push" that "portrayed the problems as simple mistakes or oversights" and admitting the next day that, uh, the mistakes actually are simple and common.

The D.C. media can never resist a repeatable, recyclable storyline, but this "nominees in trouble" narrative -- despite its dubious accuracy -- has real consequences for Obama's agenda even after Holder, Geithner, and Daschle receive their expected confirmation approvals.

Although some Republicans are vowing to stick with Geithner (putting aside his real blemish), others are already using the overdramatized coverage of the "embattled" nominees to keep the cycle moving: Obama didn't vet his nominees enough; will this hurt his relationships on Capitol Hill?

The question almost doesn't need to be answered -- that the media is raising it before Inauguration Day is bound to be enough for many Republicans. It's the Death By 1,000 Cuts strategy. Taken individually, the Geithner, Holder, and Daschle issues are minor. Taken as a whole, particularly by the press, they allow a popular incoming president to look somehow diminished.



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If it's in the newspaper, then it must be true

Very reminiscent of the current Administration's use of the NY Times.

I'm concerned over what's developing here, but I also tend to think that Tuesday is going to provide an outpouring of support for Obama, and the media and Republicans will look like they're simply out to get him, instead of Obama looking diminished. How long that lasts is, I guess, the question.

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OT: Happy Birthday, CT!

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Thank you!

Bush's "Farewell Address" is going to be the icing on the cake for me...If I can remember to not throw my shoes at the TeeVee...

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Get an old tv! With rabbit ears. Put it in something so you can throw shoes and trash the tv and have a great birthday!

I am boycotting bush tonight!

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It's your birthday?...39th?...and you're at work?...

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Ummm, sure, my 39th! That's the ticket!

I'm at "work", yes, but things are extremely quiet right now. Besides, one of my colleagues always brings in cakes whenever it's someone's birthday, and I couldn't miss that...

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There isn't much in life better than free cake...Happy Birthday!

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Seconded, CT Voter. Hope you're having a good one!

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Free beer?

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Hey, happy birthday!

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I suspect this is going to hurt the media more than it hurts Obama. The current economic crisis has focused the attention of the American people on the big picture in a way not seen in decades, and the more outlets like the AP and Politico focus on relatively small matters and attempt to blow them out of proportion, the more ridiculous and out of touch they're going to appear.

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The problem is that we actually need competent and credible news media. People still get a large proportion of their news from tv, radio, and newspapers. This whole stupid situation is a lose-lose for liberals: If this kind of dancing-for-the-Republicans doesn't diminish the reputation of the media, then it's very good for the Republicans. If it does diminish the reputation of the media, then it's much harder for the democratic system to work and for people to be informed. I don't think Obama's activist network and email list can replace the entire MSM.

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All this is about is Republicans desperately trying to remain relevant. This is going to go on and on, but don't mistake a lot of bloviating from actual effectiveness, which will be minimal.

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The opposite analogy is that by promoting a series of minor contagions that don't amount to any serious illness, the general public is inoculated to the bullshit (much as they were during the election). In general, I don't think they'll be receptive to this crap unless they have a legitimate reason to be angry at Obama.

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And yet...the tactic obviously isn't working. Obama's popularity remains sky-high, his transition gets high marks, and the public just doesn't seem to care. I think part of it is Obama's long-term view of everything--he doesn't overreact to these small things, which takes away a lot of the oxygen the Republicans are trying to pump in.

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Your point was highlighted during the Holder hearing this morning. While Arlen was gearing up to grill Holder over the Marc Rich affair, the scroll at the bottom of the screen listed recent polls giving Obama 71% approval for the transition and Bush 27% approval.

It reminded me of a beaten team lashing out during the last 30 secionds of a blow out and I almost wanted Holder to just point at the scoreboard. (Except I doubt that scroll was visible in the Senate hearing room.)

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Taken as a whole, particularly by the press, they allow a popular incoming president to look somehow diminished.
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And yet the public still supports Obama and the transistion by a better than 2-1 margin. I think all that the Republicans are doing is making themselves even more unre-electable

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I look forward to Eric Holder being confirmed and taking over DOJ, but I really have no problem with Senate Republicans aggressively questioning Obama's appointees. That's their job and they should do it thoroughly.

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The only problem I have with it is the rank hypocrisy. It was a Republican love fest for Gonzo and so far it looks like they are trying to project his failures onto Holder.

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Precisely!!

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I would like to see the Senate Republicans admit that they fell down on the job by confirming a sycophant in Alberto Gonzales. I'm not holding my breath though. I don't think the fact they did a poor job before means they shouldn't do a better job now.

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The problem is that this is standard procedure for Congress, and it's always crap. "We allowed/invited/begged Appointee X to do a bunch of horrifying crap, but instead of actually calling them on it when it was within our power, we'll do the easy thing and bang on about you, Appointee Y, even though you and we know you're going to get confirmed."

So the question is, what's the point of the sideshow? In this case, the point is exactly as has been stated in the original post--to create a media narrative in which Obama is screwing up. Congress doesn't do oversight (anymore?)...perhaps because preventing problems before they occur and possibly punishing the guilty makes everyone (inside D.C.) uncomfortable. All that messy questioning about "truth," feh.

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Again, it's the hypocrisy about it. Yeah, do a better job than they did before but don't project their own and Gonzales' failures on Obama and Holder, which is what they are doing

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Intellectual honesty has never been a strong suit of the GOP.

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Well, of course they're projecting their side's failures onto Democrats. That's part of their standard operating procedure: accuse the opposition of what you yourself are egregiously guilty of. It helps them to shore up their "both sides are equally guilty" defense.

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shorter specter: "virtually every newspaper has quoted me saying that holder is a shady character and that tons of questions must be asked; after much open minded consideration, i've come to the conclusion that i agree with myself; those questions must indeed be asked."

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Well said.

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Should have read superchimp'
s comment first. Then I wouldn't have had to post mine :)

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I just have one thing to say about this. Doesn't anyone find it curious that all of these leaks to the media are coming to the WSJ? Look, not one single bad thing about a nominee was leaked to the NYT or Wash Post. This means the republicans are the ones playing politics. It's not only that they grill the nominees, but that the Republicans are playing the media and unfortunately are doing a VERY good job of that.

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This Holder hearing is a hoot. It's live on cnn.com by the way...cheers.

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I'm at "work".

Hoot in a good way?

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Have you ever noticed that Arlen spelled backwards is Asshat?

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Hey, I didn't notice! Thanks for pointing that out...

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I realized that the day he said "I vote in accordance with the Scottish legal tradition. Not proven!" back during the Clinton fiasco...

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The DC media can blither all it wants. Obama's approval is at 70% and the media??

4%

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The microanalysis of every minute creates an atmosphere of constant high drama. We should all step back and watch the Republican attempts to embarrass the administration and the Democrats attempts to like like they are doing their jobs without being too easy on the administration. None of this means squat. The only disturbing thing is that the politics will keep 2 cabinet positions vacant on Tuesday. Congress cares about the Country? It is amazing that after the 3 worthless stiffs that have been AG under Bush that a qualified person is having any kind of a hard time. Politics is not always fun to watch.

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Yes, it is sad...but let's hope these tactics annoy the American public and show the Repubs up for what they are. These folks simply have noticed that the entire political paradigm has shifted from 'ruling by partisianpolitics' to governing for the good of the country...Smart government is in and political grandstanding is out.

Folks have said point blank, they need Obama to do well because they need jobs and they need their homes. If Obama succeeds it means their personal lives will improve.

The GOP better get with the program...it is a new day in DC.

The American people are pulling together to fight for the good of all...it ain't about what party you belong to..it's about American is drowning and no one wants the ship to go down!!

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I read this thing once - on the Internets - that said that Eric Holder was a closet counselor.

Isn't that prohibited in Leviticus?

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diminishing to the chattering classes

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Happy Birthday, CT, from the other birthday boy here,,,,, and we get a second crack at it on Monday, a Federal holiday too, no less. We Ides of January folk must be important.

On a lighter note, has anyone noticed at Arlan Specter looks ashen grey and about to shuffle off the mortal coil right before our very eyes? Is it really as terminal for him as it looks? For the last month or so he looks like he's ready to sign up for his Hospice benefit.

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He's been battling cancer for years...he's looked real bad lately...

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Happy Birthday to you!

Sharing the same birthday as Martin Luther King certainly has its benefits...long weekend, anyone?

Specter looks like he's still going through chemotherapy. Which he may be.

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It's my wife's birthday Monday...

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The best people are obviously born in January....

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NYT Screaming Headline:

OBAMA NOT JESUS CHRIST INCARNATE AFTER ALL, DEMS CONCEDE

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Chris Matthews will be heart broken if he finds out!

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You mean he'll no longer get a thrill up his leg? Poor Tweety!

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PLEASE!! SOMEONE STICK A FORK IN SPECTER!! He is irrevelant and just about done. I am aware of his courageous fight with cancer but that doesn't excuse his quoting newspapers he supplies with comments. For sure; ANYBODY WHO VOTED FOR AND CONFIRMED GONZALES SHOULD JUST SIT DOWN AND S T F U !!!!

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Specter is begining to remind me of Mitch McConnell: everytime I see their faces I develop a headache and become ill.I find it ironic that the GOP, wich had one scandal after another, is trying to find something wrong with Obama's selections, no mater how slight

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This is the same stuff that goes on with every new administration...the opposition picks at all the new appointees until they take one down and declare victory...Dems did it to Bush...Reps did it to Clinton...it's the Potomic two-step... (a version of it anyway).

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The DC establishment media is already dead, it just doesn't know it yet. I mean I don't know anyone that pays the slightest bit of attention to their opinions.

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Are you Pauline Kael, and do you know anyone who voted for Nixon?

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Specter is desperately trying to keep himself relevent but all he's doing is making as excuse to retire rather than run for re-election. Things are pretty bad when Specter looks like the sane one but during the Bush years that's exactly what he looked like. Scary what an election will do to people....

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Thanks for covering this vital story. I haven't checked in for weeks, but I'm incredibly relieved to see that pissing and moaning are still alive and well.

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