Team Red’s New Game Plan

How will the new GOP House rules and investigations play out? They’ll need way more than just a “communications strategy.” Warning: Sports metaphors abound

You might be surprised how many political journalists got their start as sportswriters.

As a brand-new part-time journalist for the Chickasha (OK) Daily Express while in college, I was quickly assigned to the sports editor, coupled with daily runs down to read the “police blotter” and other routine local news reporting. That didn’t stop when I became editor of the Henryetta (OK) Daily Free-Lance and the weekly Friday night Fall commitments to wander the high school stadium football sidelines in search for photos and observations.

I also covered fatal auto crashes (some involving stupid young soldiers from nearby Ft. Sill drag racing nearby. Alcohol was often involved) since I was the only reporter who didn’t get sick at the sights. That prepared me to cover politics, too. But we’ll drop that metaphor.

As a result, we have a generation (or two or three) of journalists who cover politics like sporting events. Just look at the word usage or clues. Winning and losing plays, penalties, etc. Even famous, overused memes (“that’s a bold strategy, Cotton. . .”).

A Halloween custom, or the House GOP after their four-day intraparty scrimmage?

So now that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is past his first grueling contest, bloodied and bandaged with a playbook handed to him by people who battled him, what’s the House Republicans game plan now, and what will they face with a rested and ready Team Blue? Not the best way to start the clock on a new season for the team in charge.

While the House GOP has been scrimmaging in full contact - sans helmets, pads, and referees - the past several days, the Team Blue has been resting on the sidelines, watching, practicing, and consulting their past playbook, all with an eye on a time clock that expires in November 2024.

Former Education Secretary William Bennett once described politics as a football game without any timeouts. Either you have the ball and are marching downfield against your opponent, or vice versa. There are no mercy rules and the umpires, well, they often wear jerseys, too. The Other Team’s.

Speaking of umpires, the left-leaning media (sorry for the redundancy) is already referring to McCarthy’s speakership as being in “name only.” From the far-left Politico.com “Playbook:”

The concessions the California Republican awarded his critics to secure his position all but ensure that he will operate as speaker in name only. For the first time in decades, rank-and-file members will have as much power as their leader (more on that below). That reality could blow back on moderates and could ultimately undercut Republicans politically: Despite their desire to use their newfound majority to focus attention on President JOE BIDEN, GOP infighting is going to dominate the Congress.

The Washington Post, the closest thing America has to official state media reminiscent of Russia’s Pravda or Cuba’s Granma, weighed in.

What emerged was a deal that would secure McCarthy his prize only by diminishing it — and putting the House on a collision course for more crises like the one just barely resolved, next time over funding the government or raising the debt limit.

Typical of the regime media, they are focused on perceived political dynamics with none on the actual substance. That’s like complaining about a quarterback’s throwing style as he’s tossing a 60 yard touchdown pass.

Just as noteworthy was Coach Quarterback Speaker McCarthy’s post-win lockeroom and much-derided retort that they now “know how to govern.” Perhaps, over the next several days, we will see individual provisions of the House Rules Package - which will be voted on today - poll tested with the ultimate umpires (voters) after the on-field partisans and peanut galleries get through with it.

Not all “concessions” are signs of weakness, especially when the so-called “concessions” actually move the ball down field with voters and result in a few first downs, maybe even an occasional field goal or touchdowns. These “concessions” look very good to me, many of them restoring the House the way it used to work, including the long-abused 1974 Budget Act. It depowers a one or a few Members from intercepting the legislative process and marching downfield with $1.7 trillion ominibus spending bills while the refs look the other way.

But as President Dwight Eisenhower said, “plans are useless. Planning is essential.” So are expectations on what will actually be accomplished. But the House GOP needed to start somewhere. They now have the ball, and the first play will occur today when their proposed “rules package” complete with “concessions” comes to a vote.

Team Blue will vote no and try to keep the GOP from any yardage on their first play. Some “mainstream” McCarthy loyalists are unhappy, and might fumble, or worse, on this first play. They might even be thrown for a loss. But the new leadership’s blocking and execution will be paramount. Look for a successful first run from scrimmage. Second down.

The next series will be multi-faceted, a series of option plays featuring committee organization that will be called on to deliver on the new game plan. Plays to fix the border, establish term limits and others will make their way onto the playing field and carefully executed at key times over several weeks. They’ll pass on party-line votes before headed to the Democratic controlled Senate graveyard, where bills, go to die. These are classic “messaging bills” designed to set the stage for the 2024 election. None will pass, but don’t be surprised to see one or two ideas make their way into legislation that will be greeted by a presidential veto pen. Biden, who is obviously planning to run for reelection, will want in on the action.

There is one exception - spending bills. The House will send over 12 or 13 annual appropriations bills, like they used to. What the Senate does with them will be interesting. The Senate GOP will be able to use the filibuster to help their House brothers and sisters, if they are so inclined (Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME, takes over as Appropriations ranking member). Watch this space.

Each GOP bill will get them 3 yards and a cloud of dust. That’s where the high-risk, high-reward investigations come into play, especially from the Judiciary Committee.

These plays involving the weaponization of the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and intelligence agencies. This includes the infamous Hunter Biden laptop and well-documented efforts by “science” agencies to censor expert but divergent opinion on covid and more in conflict with the First Amendment.

Lots of red flags, but will any be thrown? My expectations are low, other than the benefit of sunshine as a disinfectant, not unlike Elon Musk’s release of the “Twitter Files.” After all, Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton, and not even Eric Clinesmith (John Durham’s lone conviction, and he’s already returned to the practice of law) all evaded being tackled with hearings, blocked and aided by friendly DC-based jurors, judges, and prosecutors.

That’s where plays can result in lots of yardage, or being tossed for big losses, forcing punts. High risk, potentially high reward. Republicans will have subpoena power and can call hearings. They can “punish” violators with “contempt of Congress” resolutions (how has that worked out before?). But ultimately, without a Department of Justice or a Washington, DC-empaneled Grand Jury willing to prosecute, these scandals are may fade short of an aggressive and thoughtful legal strategy, complex with smart communications to keep the focus on the playing field.

I’m no legal expert, but the newly-empowered “special teams” on the investigatory committees need smart, experienced and media-savvy former federal prosecutors. When the hearings come, Members need to sideline themselves and let committee counsels direct the questioning and lead the play making. Members like their camera time, but they rarely use it well.

As for a communication strategy, Elon Musk has shown the way by giving a corps of independent journalists access to files to break the stories first. It has worked well, and much of that is providing fodder for Team Red. Press conferences and other traditional media tactics should follow after the stories are out so the press can ask their post-game locker-room questions. They should not expect much interest, time, or attention from regime media, which will be taking their cues from the very law enforcement and intelligence agencies that are being investigated.

The House GOP has its work cut out for them. They can’t afford to many penalties and dropped passes. They can’t afford many penalty flags, including having too many players on the field. No point in getting angry with the refs. And climbing into the stands to fight the fans isn’t smart. Even if made for a great scene in the great movie, “Slapshot,” when the Paul Newman-led Johnstown Chiefs invade the stands.

Courtesy of YouTube.com

So, don’t buy the spin that Team Red starts a new season with a diminished coach or quarterback. The game plan is solid, and execution will be the key.

They’ve finally won the toss, and they’ve elected to receive. Let’s see how they play the game.