An Unforced Error?

House Republicans will release Thursday morning without a great deal of fanfare their policy specific "Pledge to America." And that's what has me worried, it's too specific and it's to be released without much fanfare.

The document, though longer and more detailed, is modeled after the 1994 "Contract with America", which many maintain helped the GOP wrest control of the House from the Democrats for the first time in 40 years. But without a big group photo in front of the Capitol, replete with bunting, banners, and bands, means not every Republican, not even most Republicans, are enthusiastically on board. If that's the case, when the media, not to mention their election opponents, begin picking it apart and demanding to know whether or not they support this or that aspect of the "Pledge", many, I fear too many, will demur. That will hurt.

What's the old saw? If your opponent is self-destructing, the wisest course is to stay out of the way. I'm afraid the net effect of the "Pledge" will be to force every Republican candidate to get very much in the way. As a result, the focus will shift from the Democrats' over-reaching and irresponsible legislation to the specific GOP plan for the future.

It makes me nervous, but we'll see.