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From The Hotline for Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010

Actions vs. Words

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010


Pres. Obama may not have been thinking about Scott Brown as he addressed the Nat'l Prayer Breakfast this a.m. But just a few hours before Brown officially dismantles Senate Dems' filibuster-proof majority, Obama charted out a path for his party that looks a lot different than the one they followed last year. Message: civility.

-- It's not entirely surprising to preach civility at a prayer breakfast, but it is the second time in a week that Obama has pushed the theme before a potentially hostile crowd (the third if you count the Senate Dem caucus). Still, you can forgive GOPers if they remain skeptical. Also, at some point, the more he talks about bipartisanship, the more he sets up his own party; Health care is being delayed as much by GOPers as by divisions btwn Dem plans in the House and Senate. As Roll Call points out, Reid and Pelosi find little to agree on these days.

-- Speaking of Brown, we do have to hand it to the MA GOPer, who managed to turn a PR debacle (trying to push what conservative critics called his "victory lap" into Week Three) into a success, now "demanding" he be seated today. Which, of course, was something Dems had already offered to do. Boston media has framed this "coup" as Brown "staring down" Dem powerbrokers -- and winning. Hmmm, maybe this guy has more staying power than we'd thought.

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