Yes, even political parties are known for the company they keep. It's not that Condit is a "special" Democrat, rather that he is so TYPICAL:
<<Poll: Condit Woes Overshadowing Party
By A.B. Stoddard ABCNEWS.com
A GOP-sponsored poll finds that Democrats are having a hard time getting any attention for their policy messages, as media attention continues to focus on Rep. Gary Condit and missing intern Chandra Levy.
Just as the first Democratic congressman has publicly criticized Rep. Gary Condit's behavior, a new poll shows Condit's political troubles - connected to the disappearance of missing intern Chandra Levy - are beginning to cause a problem for the Democratic Party.
The poll, paid for by Republicans, found coverage of the Levy case and Condit's controversial role in the story, has distracted from the Democrats' message on public policy.
News of the poll's findings came a day after Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, criticized Condit. While Stenholm did not call on Condit to resign, he said through his "actions and behaviors, congressman Condit has brought controversy and discredit to his family, his district and the Congress." Stenholm has worked closely with Condit and co-founded the Blue Dogs ? a group of conservative House Democrats ? with him in 1995.
At a meeting of the House GOP conference meeting this morning, a pollster who conducts frequent polls for the Republican leadership presented his recent findings, and the Republican House members in the audience were "really surprised" to hear the results. According to a source who listened to the presentation, Condit's name surfaced despite the fact that no questions were asked about him in focus groups.
In addition to specific questions in the poll ? conducted by The Winston Group in Northern Virginia ? people were asked an open-ended question about the two messages coming from the different parties. When asked what they were hearing in the Republican message, people responded: taxes and the economy. When asked what they were hearing from the Democratic message they responded: health care and Gary Condit.
The 'Jeffords' Effect'
"People were really surprised that it had had such an impact," said the source inside the meeting. "Basically when people think of the Democrats they are thinking of Gary Condit. The same thing happened to us a few months ago when [Sen. Jim] Jeffords defected. We took a real dive and had a hard time getting our message out until it went away. The problem for Democrats is whether or not it will go away ? as long as he refuses to resign. It's hampering their ability to get their message out."
While Condit has reportedly told colleagues he has no intention of resigning, his colleagues are queried by the media about his political problems on a daily basis. Most of them, like House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., stress that the focus should remain on finding Levy, rather than on handicapping Condit's political prospects.
In his statement released Tuesday Stenholm also said the "highest priority" should be the resolution of the missing persons case and said he thinks "Congressman Condit and any other person who has information which potentially could aid police in their investigation of the missing woman should be 100 percent forthcoming and cooperative."
House Republican leaders are not interested in talking about Condit, and they too have tried to focus on finding Levy, when asked about whether Condit should resign. In the memo summarizing the new tracking poll ? circulated to House Republicans ? Condit's name is not mentioned because GOP leaders decided it was inappropriate. It merely states, "The lack of a coherent message, along with internal distractions, is clearly having an impact on the ability of congressional Democrats to get their message out." The memo concluded by noting that the GOP's own controversy, involving Jeffords, was behind them. "After the distraction of the Jeffords' defection this spring, Republicans in Congress and President Bush are back in the driver's seat. With a vigorous focus on education and the economy during the August district work period, we can enhance our ability to govern for some time.">> |
