With the Democrats taking over both the House and Senate this week, Republicans, for the first time in more than a decade, are forced to play the role of Sour-Patch Kids in the Democrats’ Garden Party.
Perhaps the best evidence of that could be seen at Wednesday’s Republican news conference for the “Minority Bill of Rights,” a House Resolution modeled on a 2004 proposal by then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to provide the minority party with a greater and more equitable role in the legislative process. At this Capitol Hill briefing, pols and press alike packed into the tight quarters of the House Radio TV Gallery while, two floors below, Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., simultaneously held a pen-and-pad briefing in his posh offices, already adorned with — one day early — the “Office of the Majority Leader” plaque.
Yes, you’re not in the majority anymore, Toto.
And although the group of 11 Republicans did their best to put their best face forward — Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, even managed to call this “an exciting week” with a straight face — it was hard not to think that the whole room felt blue.
After all, the carpet was blue. The backdrop was blue. The background on their “Minority Bill of Rights” exhibit was blue. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., playing the role of Papa Smurf at this blue and bummed out event, had a predominantly blue tie. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. — the bluest of all — went for the combo blue shirt/blue tie. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La. — perhaps the sunniest of the bunch — opted for a bright blue tie. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., one of two women at the event (perhaps a Republican attempt to demonstrate that they support minority rights even among their own), went blue shirt/blue jacket. Indeed, the whole room had, quite simply, a generally bruised look to it.
Of course, the 11 Republicans did their best to quickly brush over the fact that, well, when they were in power, they failed to allow Democrats the same minority rights they now seek.
“Uh, you know, look,” Cantor said. “Um, a lot of things that went on in prior Congresses, um, um, may not have been, uh, what we all would have liked to see, but we are here now.”
“If you look at many of us here, here on the stage today,” McHenry said, “we were not in Congress in 2004 so I didn’t have an opportunity to do that.”
But the press was having none of it, accosting the members after the cameras went black.
“Isn’t this a case of the pot calling the kettle back?” one reporter asked McHenry.
“You do seethe irony here, right?” barked another.
“Is this an acknowledgment that the GOP leadership was wrong?”
A light mist of nervous sweat appeared on McHenry’s forehead.
“Don’t you worry that this is going to sound like a lot of whining?” snapped one last journalist.
There is a feeling that this could be a very tough winter for Republicans and, if today’s news conference is any indication, perhaps only Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., and Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, will survive in tact.
“I was delighted that Steve King from Iowa is here,” Kline said at the conference, “so there are two of us from north of the Mason-Dixon Line who actually know what snow looks like.”
Lucky them: The cold-weather experience will help them endure the political freeze-out.
Patrick W. Gavin is The Examiner’s associate editorial page editor and co-authors the “Yeas & Nays” column.
