LAT: Democratic pups are top dogs in the House

[DeepModem Mom]

Democratic pups are top dogs in the House
By Janet Hook, Times Staff Writer
April 1, 2007

WASHINGTON — In the traditional pecking order on Capitol Hill, newly elected lawmakers are supposed to be seen and not heard, left to labor in powerless obscurity until they bank several years of seniority.

But the Democrats who control the House are upending that tradition, treating their party's 42 freshmen like royalty.

Democratic leaders are already working overtime to ensure that the newcomers are reelected in 2008 — no easy task, because many of them come from conservative political territory.

They are being mentored by a hard-driving senior power broker, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who coaches them on media and constituent relations. A special political action committee has been set up to raise campaign money for them. They have been showered with coveted committee assignments that new members rarely get — including four spots on the Rules Committee, a powerful arm of the leadership. And they have been peppered with advice on strategy, including a warning to avoid appearing on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," which has run a series of often-scathing segments with members of Congress.

The unusual hyper-focus on lowly backbenchers underscores an important political reality: The Democrats' hold on the House majority is tenuous, because many of their new members are political flukes, Democrats who were elected in heavily Republican districts with the help of the 2006 anti-GOP tide....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-freshmen1apr01,0,501644.story?coll=la-home-nation

[Flabbergasted]

1. Interesting. Thanks for posting.

[Olney Blue]

2. Very informative article. K and R.

Sounds like smart strategy.

[depakid]

3. "political flukes"

I think this journalist needs a history lesson.

The Dems controlled Congress by larger majorities than this- and from districts such as these for over 40 years.

[Vincardog]

4. I wonder what "political flukes" will be blamed when the anti-GOP tsunami hits in 2208?

It the rePIGs do not get on their horses and ride away from aWoL and the NeoConvicts in a big way now they are history.