Keep the Focus on the Obama Administration
Posted on May 31, 2013
Imagine for a moment that the scandals that are currently afflicting the Obama Administration hit the Bush Administration instead.
What question do you think would never be asked?
Hint: It wouldn’t be about the President.
I am fascinated about how the media has handled Benghazi and the IRS scandals (The AP/Fox deal is a whole different kettle of fish, primarily because when the press becomes the target, the press takes care of itself first)
The question that would never be asked is: Are the Democrats in danger of over-reaching?
When it is Republicans embroiled in scandal, the media never ponders the actions of the Democrats. But with President Obama, the question that comes to mind with most media outlets will the GOP go too far in focusing on scandal.
Now, the media is not completely blameless in this. After all, the Heritage Foundation immediately put out a memo, demanding that Republicans focus only on scandal, and not on their day jobs (which is to help run the country), the single worst piece of strategic advice in well, for ever.
But that only helped the left-leaning media to further their own story-line. This scandal is more about Republican over-reach than Democratic incompetence/corruption.
The Republican leadership understands this, and that is why they have been pretty careful in their public announcements. The last thing they want to do is make these scandals a referendum on their governance.
After all, the Benghazi and the IRS scandals are really a pretty convincing indictment of the failures of Obama Administration. And those failures are many: an over-emphasis on political spin, an aversion to facing the truth, intimidation, cover-up, incompetence, etc. etc.
The Republicans probably should let the media fight out the AP/Fox scandal, for two reasons.
- First, the Fourth estate is pretty good at fighting for its own prerogatives, and they don’t need the GOP’s help.
- Second, Republicans, especially those who focus on national security, probably didn’t mind that much that the Department of Justice was investigating the leaks of sensitive national security information. They don’t need to appear hypocritical in crying for press freedom, when months ago they were decrying the leaking on those state secrets.
Republicans should continue what they have been doing. Pursuing their proper oversight roles as envisioned under the Constitution.
These scandals are not about the GOP. They are all about the incompetence of Team Obama. And that is where the media’s focus should stay.