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US Midterm Elections to Congress
The U.S. had the midterm elections to the bicameral Congress yesterday, renewing the House of Representatives completely, the Senate – by its third, and electing 36 state governors. The results are to be announced today. The main question is whether Democrats will be able to regain control over Congress after a 12-year-long interval, and obtain the possibility to impose their political course on George Bush administration. Kommersant’s correspondent in Washington Dmitry Sidorov brings the details.
First voting stations opened in US eastern states at 2 p.m. Moscow time yesterday, and last ones will close this morning in remote regions of Alaska. No longer having the chance to influence the outcome of the elections, Republicans and Democrats hoped for the political activity of their voters, and dreamed of seizing the victory from their opponents in the very last moment. Despite that exit-polling showed voters’ preference for Democrats, who need to take 15 posts in the House of Reps and only 6 in the Senate away from Republicans to obtain the majority in the Congress, observers did not dare stating the victory is guaranteed to Democrats.
On the one hand, even the Republican party members had to admit that the GOP did not have such difficult times ever since the Watergate scandal, that is for over 30 years. The last sign of ill-being in the Republican camp is the editorial article in New York Times, which announced on the eve of the elections that for the first time in its history it will not support any Republican candidates, no matter for what post a candidate is running. The editorial, headlined “This election is about Bush, and his party must go”, said that Republican majority headed the House of Reps and the Senate during George Bush presidency making a terrible showing in all major issues.
On the other hand, despite being in a difficult situation, Republicans expressed readiness to fight till the end and to deprive their opponents of the chance for an easy victory. The White House was sure till the last moment that even if Republicans lose some posts in the House of Reps and the Senate, they will not surrender the majority in either house of the Congress to Democrats, which will make Democrats’ victory a Pyrrhic one. Both President Bush and Karl Rove, architect of Republicans’ pre-election campaign, hoped for such scenario. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow announced on Monday that Bush administration does not even consider a plan for the case if the Republican president might have to deal with Democratic Congress after these midterms. “How many times am I to explain that no one during the election campaign will ever think of what will happen if we lose?”, said Snow with some irritation. The Republican camp reminded that during 2004 presidential election exit polls promised victory to Democrat John Kerry, who eventually lost to George Bush.
On the eve of the midterms, Republicans managed to do the almost-impossible: changes in public opinion proved that the seemingly great advantage of Democrats is melting away. Stiffest struggle for places in the Senate was expected in such states as Missouri, Virginia, Montana, Rhode Island, Maryland, Michigan, and New Jersey. In the last moment, the pendulum of public opinion swung in favor of Republicans. It happened after the news came from Iraq on Monday that the country’s ex-president Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death penalty. Hussein was for a long time America’s main enemy in the public opinion.
Trying to save his party from the predicted defeat, President Bush took most active part in Republican campaign. In the last 48 hours before the midterms, Bush spoke to voters at mass public meetings in Arkansas, Florida, and Texas. Accompanied in Florida by his wife Laura and his brother Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, President George Bush received the audience’s applause when he said that Republicans are far more attached to the interests of US national security than Democrats. When the excited crowd began chanting “USA!”, Bush reminded that Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced to death. Bush finished the pre-election campaign in Dallas. A multi-thousand crowd gathered in the Reunion Arena, where the president made the final statement on how he sees the possible division of powers after the midterms. “Someone in Washington thinks that he already knows the midterms’ outcome. It was like this in 2004. But the nation voted, and things took their right places,” said Bush, meaning it is early for Democrats to celebrate victory yet.
Meanwhile, John Kerry, Bush’s opponent in 2004 presidential election, suddenly made a gift to Republicans. In response to the criticism from his companions in the Democratic party, who accused Kerry of excessive softness, senator from Massachusetts promised to fight without rules, when speaking in the TV show of famous humorist and Democrat supporter Bill Maher. Just like Republicans do. And he more than kept his promise. Before the midterms, observes said that Kerry’s activity might cost Democrats the long-awaited majority in the Congress. A week before the midterms, Kerry decided to joke publicly about Bush administration, which gave the chance to Republicans to say that Democrats offend US troops in Iraq.
Speaking to university students, Kerry said: “If you study well --you’ll be fine, but if you don’t – you’ll get stuck in Iraq”. However, Kerry apologized later, listening to reason of President Bush and Kerry’s fellow Democrats. Yet, Democrats had to ask Kerry to refrain from meeting voters and speaking publicly until the midterms are over.
The cost that Democrats will have to pay for Kerry’s flub will become known today. Meanwhile, unlike White House representatives who refuse to discuss what waits US politics if Democrats win, observers give the limelight to this topic. A leading Washington expert on Congress elections Chuck Todd believes if Democrats win, the system of checks and balances of US executive power will create a stalemate situation. Democrats are actively against the White House’s foreign policy for continuing Iraq military campaign and refusing direct talks with North Korean and Iranian regimes, which will put the kibosh on the political ambitions of George Bush and his team.
Bush administration’s only weapon will be the right of veto against the decisions of the unfriendly Congress, so the administration will become a lame duck 2 years before it leaves the White House.
Moreover, if Democrats win the control over the Congress, at least 2 high-placed White House officials will be in trouble. If Democrats head the Congress’ chief committees, they will not mind probing US Vice President Richard Cheney and US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
However, Democrats will leave alone Bush administration for now. Bush received the promise that he will not be impeached directly from Nancy Pelosi, who is to head the Democratic majority in the House of Reps.
Dmitry Sidorov
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 08, 2006
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