The National Party Committees Engage in a Bit of Back and Forth ... >
March 18, 2014 - Democratic National Committee chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz held a press conference on the one-year anniversary of the Republican National Committee's Growth & Opportunity report ("autopsy report") to argue that despite Republicans' "superficial and tactical" changes, their core policies remain the same and their party is "continuing to alienate wide swathes of voters."  Wasserman Shultz pointed to Republican policies and statements negatively affecting middle class, women, Latino, African-American, LGBT and young voters.  She framed the choice voters will make in November as a question of "increasing opportunity for some versus increasing opportunity for all." 

The RNC has clearly done a lot of work in the year since it released its 98-page report, filled with 219 recommendations.  It has built a field organization, reached out to communities where it has not fared well, and upgraded its data and digital capablities.  There are other flourishes such as the "Create Your American Dream" ad campaign the RNC launched yesterday.  On top of these improvements, in 2014 Republicans stand to benefit from the "six year itch," wherein the president's party typically loses seats in the midterm elections held during the sixth year of his administration.  Further, the rocky launch of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and difficulties and delays in implementing some aspects of law could weigh against the Democrats.  Finally, although it is always dangerous to read too much from a special election, that has not stopped observers from drawing conclusions from the recent special election in FL-13, won by Republican David Jolly. 

Thus, earlier today at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, Priebus was "bullish" and predicted a "tsunami election" in November.  Wasserman Schultz, speaking at this press conference, rebutted Priebus citing Mitt Romney's expectation on Election Day 2012 that he would win to point out that "their [Republicans'] prediction accuracy isn't exactly on the mark lately." 



www.sameoldparty.com
DNC website and report

Reporters and several DNC staffers listen as DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz makes the case that the RNC is "the same old party."  Also in the photo is RNC deputy communications director Sarah Isgur Flores (standing at the door wearing glasses); she handed out a three-pager containing "6 things the DNC is not doing," an infographic on RNC's "data driven & grassroots powered" approach in 2014, and a summary of Growth and Opportunity Project accomplishments. None of the reporters asked the question, but the DNC's $15.9 million debt and how that might affect its effectiveness in this election year would seem to be a potential problem for the party.
RNC press secretary Kirsten Kukowski and deputy communications director Sarah Isgur Flores observed the press conference and what kind of coverage it was getting.
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