This is a fairly obvious point, but during a day when a White House official sounded like he was underplaying the abhorrent nature of the Foley scandal, it’s worth making: In the coming days — in time for weeks left yet — House Republicans are to have to make crystal clear what went wrong and make clear there is a real reason they should be in the majority and not the Dems. Reasons exist –clearly at this time of war reasons exist. But they’re going to have to convince a creeped out, disappointed, frustrated base, nevermind general electorate.
Of course, they may luck out and the Dems could help them out if the Dems, for instance, politicize this Foley stuff too much. But leaders wouldn’t want to win by default. And shouldn’t want to.