(Oct. 12) -- If Republicans end up scoring gains in next year's mid-term elections, they might have the top Democrat in the House to thank.
A key part of the GOP's 2010 strategy is to link Democratic candidates in conservative or moderate districts to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report cites a recent poll that found 44 percent of all respondents -- and 53 percent of independents -- have negative feelings about Pelosi, who's long been portrayed by critics as the quintessential "San Francisco liberal."
The National Republican Congressional Committee started turning up the heat last week, after Pelosi questioned Gen. Stanley McChrystal's call for more troops in Afghanistan. An NRCC statement mocked the speaker as "General Pelosi" and urged McChrystal to "put her in her place." Pelosi's response: "I'm in my place. I'm ... the first woman speaker of the House, and I'm in my place because the House of Representatives voted me here." She suggested the jab about "her place" was sexist.
Her hometown newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, acknowledges Pelosi is "disliked by most Americans" and has become the GOP's "favorite foil." But her party is in control as Congress grapples with such major issues as health-care reform and Afghanistan. "This is Pelosi's moment," says the Chronicle's Carolyn Lochhead, adding that the speaker's path is littered with those who underestimated her "intelligence and toughness."
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While Pelosi's poll numbers are nothing to brag about, the ratings for Congress as a whole are even worse. Only 21 percent of Americans surveyed approved of the job their lawmakers in Washington are doing. Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence thinks that's a shame because, she says, Congress has been working on important matters -- although that's often overshadowed by legislators' personal and professional scandals. So Lawrence is offering some praise for Congress. She also has a bit of advice: Just pass the health-care reform bill and hope President Obama doesn't get all the credit.
The White House, Fox and Limbaugh
As Republicans step up their attacks on Pelosi, the White House is escalating its war of words with Fox News.
A White House official called Fox an "ideological outlet" last month. On Sunday, communications director Anita Dunn went further.
"We’re going to treat them the way we would treat an opponent,” Dunn told The New York Times. And in a CNN interview, she said Fox operates as "the communications arm of the Republican Party."
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TIME's Michael Scherer sees irony in the argument over what qualifies as a news network. He says TV ratings prove the news audience is splintered and cable news viewers choose to watch the network with the ideological slant that matches their own.
And if it worked here, why not overseas? Fox's Glenn Beck has debuted in Britain, and The Daily Beast's Alex Massie has a look at how his show is playing there.
Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh -- who continues to deny he's the de facto leader of the Republican Party -- is looking to expand his horizons. The Missouri native is part of a group that wants to buy the St. Louis Rams. The head of the NFL player's union is opposed, saying pro football should reject "discrimination and hatred."
