Which Darrell Issa would run House oversight panel?

By Ruth Marcus
WashPost
Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The election is less than a week away. Democratic control of the House is in jeopardy. So it's not too soon to start worrying about Darrell Issa.

Never heard of him? That's apt to change soon should Republicans win the House and the hyperkinetic five-term congressman from San Diego assume the chairmanship of the House oversight committee -- and with it the power to scrutinize, and subpoena, the Obama administration.

Issa, a 56-year-old with glossy Jon Hamm looks, was a self-described "rotten young kid" before making a fortune in car alarms and using some of it to run for Congress. (That's his deep voice warning, "Protected by Viper. Stand back.") Since President Obama took office, Issa has reveled in his role as "annoyer in chief," peppering the administration with hundreds of letters raising the specter of wrongdoing and demanding information.

There are two faces of Issa -- Good Darrell and Bad Darrell. Good Darrell sounds responsible, measured, almost statesmanlike. Bad Darrell tosses red meat to a ravenous base.

(More here.)