Finally, D.C. change to believe in: DNC's mop stunt really shows Republicans

Those millions of Americans who sincerely voted last year for real change in Washington, to elect Barack Obama and Democratic legislators to end the kind of silly partisan pet tricks that both sides have been doing to get attention there for many years, will be delighted to learn that the Democratic National Committee has come up with a really clever strategy. And all apparently without adult supervision.

The committee's PR folks sent out chortling news releases for nearly 24 hours Monday detailing what some activists -- they called them "concerned Americans" -- would do and then did do in front of the RNC headquarters on Capitol Hill.

The goal, of course, was to ensure that some TV cameras got there. Because if a political activity like this happens and no camera is there to record it, did it really make a sound?

Here's what the new administration's supporters did to help change the perennial partisan tone in the nation's capitol and bring all sides together for a clean break with the past silliness, while delivering on the eloquent Illinoisan's campaign vows of real change. Si se puede. They delivered a trio of mops to the Republicans so the now minority party responsible for the last eight years of mess can help clean it up.

Get it? Clean up the Capitol's mess with mops. Wow, what a nifty visual! And on RNC Chairman Michael Steele's 51st birthday too. What an original and refreshing break from the comedic playground acts of political operatives there in recent years.

Nevermind that Democrats have controlled Congress for the last three years. We're still bashing  President Bush, who's so very gone that he's off making a fortune talking to eager audiences around the world about his experiences.

See, the cleverness of this Democratic strategy is that it keeps the focus on the past. That way no one is talking about why the unemployment numbers are so stunningly high despite $787 billion in spending that Vice President Joe Biden has talked about so often to so many people.

Or what do we seriously need to do about the deteriorating mess in Afghanistan where one American soldier is now dying every 14 hours to no apparent political or strategic gain, while, in between multimillion-dollar fundraisers across the country, the well-paid suits safely in D.C. spend weeks talking in very secure rooms? 

Or how come with the same Democratic Party today controlling every corner of the entire powerful White House apparatus, holding a whopping majority in the House of Representatives and a filibuster-proof 60-votes in the United States Senate, those same majority folks still can't seem to get a viable, affordable healthcare reform bill passed?

So, obviously today's inaction and legislative logjam must be the fault of the country-club crowd that got tossed out on its collective, but well-clad keister 50 weeks ago. So, to some DNC staffers, the mop idea, apparently inspired by a recent....

...Obama speech reference (see video above), seems like a perfect symbol of change.

How ridiculous that anyone ever worried that the wondrous ways of Washington would remain impervious to the 2007-08 campaign rhetoric about changing the tone of that one-time swamp, that a political city's culture of symbolic stupidity couldn't be changed by a simple election. Talk about silly, eh?

Next week perhaps the Democrats' secret plan could involve egging the GOP parking lot and kidnapping the Republican mascot before the big Homecoming game.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Comments

[JR Serna]

The Democrats are mopping in the wrong places. Their mops (policies) will make things worse! Their mops should be named Coercion, Control and Destroy.

[Tara]

I moved back to d.c. after living in CA for 27 years...and not much has changed. it's still a 'company town'; a morass of agencies run and staffed by career bureaucrats; with a 20th century mindset. Don't get me started on the dc.gov website. the dead links. the impassable 'contact us' button. the embezzlement, fraud, nepotism and corruption. i think the city has always mimicked the feds in how it handles its affairs. much movement coming out of congress lately? And the WP when it isn't ragging on Obama gives lots of space to those who would have him fail. Washington doesn't realize how much cachet it's lost in the country among 'ordinary' americans. It still operates as if having the highest number of people with genius IQs in a given jurisdiction entitles them to belief in their superiority. Allegedly, this is a liberal/progressive town. Could have fooled me. Even with the new condos and some revitalization here and there, it feels stodgy and intractable. The left is still railing at Bush, or going through both comic and pathetic withdrawal symptoms and lashing out at -- Obama, the new Bad Guy. The people in their 20's and 30's who brought him to power are the ones who will have to return his promise of change with a renewed effort on their part to watch his back and support him in the face of the smug and the surly.

[Uncle Bernie]

This column would never be written by Johanna Neuman. She believes the talking point memos.

[Subhan Zia]

interesting

[gabriel]

well maybe if you (the media in general) had not slept through the campaign you would have seen that the empty rhetoric deployed was simply that, empty rhetoric. Obama's past actions were never analyzed, it was always his words that we heard about in the pages of the Times (and virtually every other media outlet). So now when the empty suit is exposed we get to say I told you so, a hollow "victory" if there ever was one given all that is at stake.

[Carl]

"We're still bashing President Bush, who's so very gone that he's off making a fortune talking to eager audiences around the world about his experiences."

I don't really understand this logic. President Reagan went off making speeches in Japan not that long after he left the White House, yet I still remember people saying that his economic policies caused President Bush (the first) to raise taxes.

This President Bush has not even been gone a year. And yet apparently this means that the 8 years he spent in office, 6 of them with his party having complete or almost complete control of Congress, is now meaningless?

[nic]

The snark would be great in this article, save one minor detail: For the last 6 months I've had to watch aging, fat, intellectually-stunted Americans from the heartland parade around with tea bags glued to their heads. I've had to hear their whiny temper-tamptrums and deal with their inane hyperbole about how we're all "socialist, communist elitists."

And you wonder why the Dems are acting like jerks now?

Grow up...you get what you give.

[Chuck]

I bet they were socialist mops 8^)

[nic]

And yep...the mess you idiots left was so huge that it's going to take time to fix. You're being held responsible for it right now -- so shut up and take your flogging like a real man.

[Jason]

Ok.. you are right. But you are also paying attention to it. Giving it media coverage. Probably because your boss told you to or because you thought it would give you a good story. You know what you do when a kid is pouting, screaming and acting obsurd? You ignore them until they stop...realizing that, that strategy will get them no where. Then you have a very sober talk with them about why things are the way they are and why they need to change.

[James]

Talk about silly is right. I can't believe this silly rant got into what was once a great newspaper. Why don't you drop this kind of drivel, and go back to actual news?

[runester]

Does the Times, which I read on VERY RARE occasion, actually think that these left wing pieces, not so cleverly disguised as somewhat right, will perhaps re-attract the middle of the road-conservative base its lost with its far left harping? You liberal writers are so very arrogant. Even if you have been told by your editors to center the rhetoric, and you are really trying to strike a tone of non bias, its not working. Your ink bleeds left wing stupidity.

[peter hansen]

LOL! everybody slash the tires of your local GOP congressman!

[bob]

Gee, let's figure out what's worse, the Dems doing something silly and pointless, or the Republicans spewing lies to try and derail health reform just because they didn't figure out how to do it themselves.

I'll take silly over lying scum any day.

Republicans = FAIL

[m. myers]

Obama is the only President that I have ever heard , blameing his predecessor. . I never heard Bush blame Clinton for , 911 , the bank failures , or the other things that he did to help bring all of this about . This hasn't just occured in the last 8 years , like they want you to believe , this has been coming for the last 16 years and the Dems have more in it then the Republicans , but the media spins it to make them look good . Why don't we hear about Barney Frank's part in the Fannie Mae failure or the department that the Dems started to watch over the loan companies , Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae ? The media is keeping it quiet because they're the ones that got these Bozos elected .
You know what , they've messed with the wrong group now ,The Silent Majority , some ask where we were during the last 8 years , well , we've been watching and letting them take as much rope as they need , now it's time to jerk it back . All incumbents need to go , regardless of party , and we need term limits for congress , there should be no such term as " career politician" .

[bella]

It would be more funny if it wasn't true...

[Robert Therrien]

Ok, Lets add to the wonders of Washington Dodo's.
People are losing their homes due to lost jobs due to stupidity of Washington officials.
Washingtons answer: Give more money to FIRST time homebuyers, Nothing to the people losing thier homes!
No Cameras needed on this one, Common sense was needed but there was none to be found in Washington!

[Scottt]

Odd, that a President is supposed to not only address but fix all of America's issues within one year of his first term as President. If you honestly believe that you really need to check yourself into a psyche ward. If you believe that then the previous President who had not one but eight years in service should have handed off a perfect America to his successor.

It isn't a single parties responsibility to better America. It is BOTH the Democrat's and the Republican's responsibility. Those of you who are hard line party members really need to step back and take a look at America. There are more of us that sit in the middle who would love for a third party to develop that isn't way out in the crazy left or the crazy right.

Both parties need to quit making this about left or right and do their job. This is sad and pathetic. It is sad when you think that your elected representatives need a time out, a nap and possibly a cookie in hopes that they can get back to work.

[Jeremy]

Finally! someone telling it like it is! Great piece Andrew!

[DL13]

Yes, the Motto of the Administration and the Democratically controlled Congress is, "The Buck Stops There!!!"

[JSCAM87]

The sad thing is, the Democratic base is ALSO focused on the past. They don't care WHAT Obama does or does not do. Makes it easy for him. No promises to keep (who thought those campaign promises meant anything THIS time?), and no actions to apologize for since the PAST is all important. I think voter action in 2010 will change a LOT in politics and representation. Then who will they blame?

[whocares]

Both parties suck and are the same evil under the covers. Until Americans get off there backsides, unite under common ground, realize that voting for parties is the problem and decide to take back this country from these spoiled children we will see nothing changed. For the people..by the people should ring supreme once again.

[Bob Vargas]

Congress cannot even pass a bill who earns over 250k pay their fair share of taxes. Congress cannot pass & enforce smart gun laws that would cut down on crime & save lives. Congress cannot pass all the other high return investments policies that Obama is working hard fore including the public option. Just in case Obama’s policies fails, it will be Congress that failed, not Obama’s policies. Congress cannot be trusted globally. The system that congress has created has become so corrupted and dishonest that if they try to come clean they will likely lose their jobs. So the voters must vote against all members that try to block our country progress. We believe that many members of congress are ideological fanatics. They will believe their ideology till the day they die no matter if it is right or wrong, or if it works or not. This fanaticism will put our country in great danger. We, the American voter must not allow this to happen. Please look at the facts, what Congress members say cannot be trusted. Then make a very important decision on whom to vote for. All voters joining together can help congress become functional & trusted again.

[John L.]

Your party has dedicated what little power and influence it has left to obstruct Obama in every way possible. Now all you can do is accuse Obama of just making accusations (the way you do). You sound like a jealous hypocrite. You go to any length to critique Obama, but overlooked ANYTHING your wacked out Bush administration could dream up. Let's see.. what would McCain have done differently? Obama is facing huge challenges and doing a fantastic job dealing with people like you. Your party, on the other hand, is a dismal and collapsed failure. No one is listening to you anymore. You are not offering anything useful to anyone.