V17, N1 Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 Debt ceiling crisis splits delegation Vote parts GOP and Dems, Senate race could hinge on how it’s perceived By BRIAN A. HOWEY, in Indianapolis and MARK SCHOEFF JR. in Washington WASHINGTON - The Tea Party set the agenda. The Republican old-guard reasserted itself in the final hours and forged a deal no one is really happy with. President Obama, faced with a 9.2 percent jobless rate, couldn’t afford to let the United States slip into default, which was the universally unaccept- able result to everyone but elements of the Tea Party and Club for Growth. Republican U.S. Reps. Marlin Stutzman, Mike Pence, Todd Young, Todd Republicans, controlling a little over half of Rokita and Larry Buchson played defining roles in the debt ceiling debate. one chamber in Congress, called the President’s bluff (Pence Photo) on this “manufactured crisis” while manufacturing Rep. Mike Pence, facing the races of their political lives in plants across the country were quiet. Obama, without a 2012, voted for the measure. deal of his own, had to swallow this deal while his base Two Republicans in the safest districts, U.S. Reps. grimaced over a “Satan sandwich.” Todd Rokita and Marlin Stutzman, voted against the mea- There were $1.5 trillion in cuts, no tax increases, sure, joining liberal Reps. Andre Carson and Pete Visclosky, and a new super committee that will try to find more per- as well as Sen. Dan Coats. And the most vulnerable, U.S. manent solutions this fall. Rep. Dan Burton, also voted no. Indiana’s congressional delegation was split 5 to 6 “I don’t see this so much as a good deal. I see it over this matter, almost in half, as was the House Tea Party Caucus. Two Republicans, U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar and U.S. Continued on page 3 The winners & losers By MARK SOUDER FORT WAYNE - Trying to sort winners and losers in this vote is not easy, though it helps clarify some of the key issues. “When I said ‘change we can Winners 1. Speaker John Boehner: Quite believe in’ I didn’t say ‘change frankly, last week he looked like the we can believe in tomorrow.’ biggest loser and possibly would soon be “former Speaker John Boehner.” We knew this was going to take But in another Boehner “back from the dead” recovery similar to having been time because we’ve got this big, ousted as Conference Chairman only to emerge as Minority Leader, the Speaker messy, tough democracy.” again proved that he is a survivor, this - President Obama, in Chicago HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 time with the whole world watching. most our economic struggles, but it is 2. Conference Chairman hard to see how the President didn’t Mike Pence: He was in a nearly gain something in the middle. impossible situation of being head of 8. America: We didn’t de- www.HoweyPolitics.com the House Republican Conference and fault, democracy sort of worked, and it a Tea Party hero. His opposition could could have been worse. have defeated the bill and resulted in Howey Politics blame for a default. Instead, he held Losers Indiana his nose and voted for a bill, and de- 1. The left flank of the fended the difficult vote, showing that is a non-partisan newsletter Democrat Party. Most of their he is prepared to govern and not just own party abandoned them. It was based in Indianapolis. It was advocate. shocking how many Democrats voted founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. 3. Congressman Joe Don- for the bill and bailed out Republicans nelly: His vote in favor of the bill did who would have had to vote yes. Brian A. Howey, Publisher not endear him to more liberal Demo- 2. Congressmen Dan crats, but he positioned himself per- Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington Burton, Todd Rokita and Marlin fectly to win the Senate race should Stutzman: They strengthened their Jack E. Howey, editor Senator Lugar lose the primary. hands short-term but lost respect Beverly K. Phillips, associate 4. Congressman Todd long-term as opportunists. They editor Young: He may have established voted for a worse bill on Friday, for himself as the top Hoosier Republican the rule to permit it to pass, but then in the House over Todd Rokita because made colleagues walk the plank to Subscriptions of Rokita’s back and forth on the vote for a bad bill so they could look $350 annually HPI Weekly votes. Todd R should never be under- good. Burton is sadly becoming a $550 annually HPI Weekly and estimated, but the guys who voted tragic figure, Stutzman increasingly HPI Daily Wire. both yes on Friday and then no on irrelevant, and Rokita put at risk his Monday lost internal credibility as well 'Call 317.627.6746 leadership potential but probably as among those who watch closely. strengthened himself in Indiana. Posturing seldom impresses those who When even Ann Coulter said to get a Contact HPI pay attention. deal, it means that you are hanging Howey Politics Indiana 5. Congressman Paul on to the right edge of a cliff by your Ryan: He grows in stature with 6255 N. Evanston Ave. fingernails. each debate. He is clearly a thinking 3. Senator Dan Coats: He Indianapolis, IN 46220 conservative, who understands – with just looked inconsistent last week, www.howeypolitics.com TARP and now the debt limit – that first saying that he didn’t run for the [email protected] sometimes you take as much as you Senate to watch America default and 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 can get to avoid economic collapse, then refusing to support the deal thus, and then go on to the next battle. 'Washington: 703.248.0909 in effect, snubbing Senator McConnell. 6. Congressmen Andre His opposition was well stated, had it 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 Carson and Pete Visclosky: Some- been stated a week earlier. It was body had to stand up for real Demo- incredibly irrelevant this week since © 2011, Howey Politics Indiana. crats and they did. Members were voting either to default All rights reserved. Photocopy- 7. President Obama (may- or not to default. No one liked the be): Did he successfully pull a Clinton ing, Internet forwarding, fax- bill, so what was his speech about? triangulation of the left and gain votes Though it appears unlikely, should ing or reproducing in any form, in the middle? Many conservatives he get appointed to the Debt Com- whole or part, is a violation of viscerally hate him and most conserva- mission as someone who voted “no” federal law without permission tives are still outraged by his poli- but is responsible, which could have from the publisher. v cies, but that was true of Bill Clinton been in his or in McConnell’s head, he too. Plus those who are vehemently would become a big winner. I’ve been against him were against him last a close friend and supporter of his for time as well. Health care and climate well over 30 years, but this really con- change still lurk, as do first and fore- fused me as out of character for him. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011 4. Nancy Pelosi: She was ignored, then rambled a default or will those who favored default come after him in her closing floor statement, and lost liberal credibility by in a primary? Probably both will happen, and no one really urging passage. Most former Speakers leave after they knows how to predict Southwest Indiana. lose their post so why is she still there? She was definitely 4. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McCon- the biggest loser. nell: He seemed to be somewhat effective but comes across so muddled as a spokesman that it is hard to tell. Tossups He’s a winner in policy and a loser in public persuasion. 1. The Tea Party: Without their incredible, 5. Senator Lugar: He voted like the long-time passionate intensity the deal likely would have been a responsible adult that he has always been. He probably lot worse from a conservative perspective. They flexed fueled more Tea Party opposition with his yes vote but muscles, scared some people about primaries, and proved solidified himself with the bulk of the Party. He was hurt by again their ability to actually impact policy in a conservative Coats voting no but helped by Pence voting yes. Richard direction. However, they didn’t just declare a minor victory Mourdock is still in the awkward position of having wonder- and move on to the next fight but continued to blast away. fully enthusiastic Tea Party support that tends to alienate They failed to scare two-thirds of the Republicans who in- the swing voters of the Party. 2012 will be a presidential, creasingly question whether some of the leaders speak for gubernatorial and senatorial primary year so turnout will the voters because they don’t know when to stop pushing. not just be the most conservative voters. Had the senator 2. Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid: Up voted “no” he would have looked like another pandering and down and around so it is hard to say whether he politician wanting to stay in office at any cost. He did the gained or lost. right thing but it is hard to guess the net impact. v 3. Congressman Larry Bucshon: He took the tough votes in arguably the toughest Indiana district for a Souder is a former Republican member of Congress.