Budget, Britney dim Cantor's star

By: Glenn Thrush and Patrick O'Connor
Politico
March 30, 2009

Over the past few months, the GOP has riffled through the deck of potential leaders like an impatient player at a Texas Hold’em tournament — checking out Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Michael Steele, Bobby Jindal, even Rush Limbaugh.

In reality, the Republican who has accomplished the most in the early stages of President Barack Obama’s administration is Rep. Eric Cantor, the buttoned-down minority whip who marshaled the House GOP’s unanimous opposition to the $787 billion Democratic stimulus package in February.

That victory enhanced Cantor’s already growing reputation, with admirers like Republican pollster Frank Luntz labeling the 45-year-old Virginian the party’s “go-to guy on everything.”

Yet six weeks after the stimulus vote, Cantor finds himself at least momentarily on the defensive, the result of unforced errors, squabbles with other party leaders, a Democratic push to label him “Dr. No” — and the indignity of having his name appear in print next to the words “Britney Spears.”

(More here.)