Inside the Beltway

“Its worth remembering that liberal columnists tried the same tactic against Sen. Scott Brown early in 2010, and he won as Republican in true-blue Massachusetts. Of course, just how ‘crazy’ a conservative Brown turned out to be is up for debate,” Mr. Burchfiel adds.

DAWN’S ON THE WAY

Those who recall Ronald Reagan’s pivotal “Morning in America” campaign during the 1984 presidential election take note: the phrase has re-emerged with a twist. It’s now “Mourning in America,” courtesy of Citizens for the Republic, a conservative grass-roots lobbying group founded by self-described “Reagan stalwarts.”

They’ve launched a new national TV spot that compares the “better, prouder, stronger” mantra of Mr. Reagan to the bitter realities of the Obama administration, suggesting viewers seek “a smaller, more caring government, one that remembers us.” The group means business; a source says the initial advertising buy on cable networks is around $400,000.

“It reminds citizens they can change all that on Nov. 2,” says Bill Pascoe, the vice president of the organization, which includes Ed Meese, Peter Hannaford, Dan Oliver, Mari Massing Will, Craig Shirley and Diana Banister on its board of directors.

POLL DU JOUR

- 49 percent of Americans overall admire political leaders who “stick to their positions.”

- 62 percent of Republicans and 39 percent of Democrats agree with that idea.

- 71 percent of “tea party” supporters also agree.

- 42 percent of Americans admire politicians who “make compromises.”

- 33 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of Democrats agree.

- 22 percent of tea party supporters also agree.

Source: A Pew Research Center/National Journal survey of 1,005 adults conducted Sept. 16-19.

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