How the White House Scandals Could Hurt Republicans, Too
By enraging the base and strengthening the faction least willing to compromise with Obama, the IRS and Benghazi affairs could hurt a GOP shot at the presidency.
by Ronald Brownstein, National Journal
Updated: May 16, 2013 | 4:05 p.m.
May 16, 2013 | 1:25 p.m.
Scandals large and small are a remarkably common, if unwelcome, house guest for second-term presidents. But President Obama may not prove to be the only one hurt by the eruption of controversies around the Benghazi attack, the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups, and the Justice Department’s seizure of Associated Press phone records.
The government is a very big institution, and the longer you control it, the greater the odds that someone somewhere does something stupid.
In modern times, scandals have routinely afflicted presidential second terms, either because of arrogance, inattention, or the sheer weight of probability: The government is a very big institution, and the longer you control it, the greater the odds that someone somewhere does something stupid. The list of recent presidents facing post-reelection travails extends from Dwight Eisenhower (a gift scandal that claimed his chief of staff), Ronald Reagan (Iran-Contra), George W. Bush (“Plame-gate”), Bill Clinton (impeachment over Monica Lewinsky) and, of course, Richard Nixon, who resigned amid Watergate.
Pending future revelations, the impact of Obama’s difficulties with Benghazi, the IRS, and AP seems pointed toward the less momentous end of that range. That trajectory looks most assured on Benghazi, where the sharpest questions have centered on whether the administration airbrushed its talking points. That may be disappointing behavior, but it probably won’t enrage many Americans beyond those who already dislike Obama.
The IRS investigation is the most volatile. Any targeting of political groups for special tax scrutiny justifiably inflames Americans’ suspicions. Obama’s defenses are strengthened by the indication in this week’s inspector-general report that mid-level IRS managers attempted to broaden the scrutiny beyond conservative organizations to the legitimate issue of whether left and right political groups were misusing their tax-exempt status. But Obama will be hurt—badly—if further investigation finds that administration officials beyond the IRS encouraged politically targeted enforcement.
(More here.)
by Ronald Brownstein, National Journal
Updated: May 16, 2013 | 4:05 p.m.
May 16, 2013 | 1:25 p.m.
Scandals large and small are a remarkably common, if unwelcome, house guest for second-term presidents. But President Obama may not prove to be the only one hurt by the eruption of controversies around the Benghazi attack, the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups, and the Justice Department’s seizure of Associated Press phone records.
The government is a very big institution, and the longer you control it, the greater the odds that someone somewhere does something stupid.
In modern times, scandals have routinely afflicted presidential second terms, either because of arrogance, inattention, or the sheer weight of probability: The government is a very big institution, and the longer you control it, the greater the odds that someone somewhere does something stupid. The list of recent presidents facing post-reelection travails extends from Dwight Eisenhower (a gift scandal that claimed his chief of staff), Ronald Reagan (Iran-Contra), George W. Bush (“Plame-gate”), Bill Clinton (impeachment over Monica Lewinsky) and, of course, Richard Nixon, who resigned amid Watergate.
Pending future revelations, the impact of Obama’s difficulties with Benghazi, the IRS, and AP seems pointed toward the less momentous end of that range. That trajectory looks most assured on Benghazi, where the sharpest questions have centered on whether the administration airbrushed its talking points. That may be disappointing behavior, but it probably won’t enrage many Americans beyond those who already dislike Obama.
The IRS investigation is the most volatile. Any targeting of political groups for special tax scrutiny justifiably inflames Americans’ suspicions. Obama’s defenses are strengthened by the indication in this week’s inspector-general report that mid-level IRS managers attempted to broaden the scrutiny beyond conservative organizations to the legitimate issue of whether left and right political groups were misusing their tax-exempt status. But Obama will be hurt—badly—if further investigation finds that administration officials beyond the IRS encouraged politically targeted enforcement.
(More here.)
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