McConnell previews GOP campaign message

Have Republicans finally settled on a consistent campaign message ahead of the 2010 midterms?

Speaking to a conference for young Republicans today in Washington, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell argued that President Obama, while being an agent of change, didn’t bring the change that voters actually wanted back in 2008. They elected him to boost the economy and cut the federal deficit, McConnell said — and received the reverse results.

Pushing back on Democrats' efforts to label the GOP as the “party of no,” McConnell argued that Republicans see their role as being a counterweight to Obama — an obvious play for voters who, according to polls, prefer the idea of divided government by significant numbers.

“This isn’t about a political horse race. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that Americans don’t particularly care about who’s up and who’s down, as long as the people they elect put the interests of their constituents and the interests of the country first,” McConnell said. “This isn’t about who’s on top. It’s about following through on the kinds of changes Americans want to see. It’s about reversing the damage Democrats have done. It’s about solving the crises in front of us.”

Democrats will no doubt be quick to seize on McConnell’s “reversing the damage” promise — especially since Obama has repeatedly talked up the idea that the GOP might undo some of his legislative accomplishments, like health-care reform. But McConnell’s message is sure to appeal to wavering independent voters, who have leaned toward supporting Republicans this fall, largely over dissatisfaction with Obama’s job performance, particularly on the economy and the federal deficit.

All told, 54 percent of registered voters in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy, while 56 percent say he hasn’t done a good job reducing the federal deficit. The problem for Republicans — which McConnell, in some ways, tried to correct today — is that voters don’t think the GOP can do a better job on these issues. The Post/ABC poll finds that voters actually trust the GOP less than Obama and the Democrats on those issues.

“What Republicans are offering the American people is a pledge — a pledge to do everything in our power to restore government to a size and scope that leads to some semblance of competency,” McConnell said. “We’re not going to tell you that if you vote Republican you’re going to wake up in your dream home with a brand-new Corvette outside ready to take you to the best job in the world. You know why? Because government can’t deliver that promise.”

Referencing the gathering GOP momentum ahead of November, McConnell tried to argue the GOP "got our groove back.” (Insert mandatory Taye Diggs joke here.) He's half right, but it’s not because of anything he or other Republican leaders have done. Republicans aren’t gaining in the polls ahead of the midterms because of their policies but rather the general displeasure with Obama. That’s what keeps this election from being a sure win for Republicans.