Democrats retreat from corruption theme

Washington Times:

Democrats have reined in their use of the "culture of corruption" mantra in their efforts to oust congressional Republicans from power, fearing the slogan would backfire after two senior members of their own party were implicated in ethical scandals.
Last year, minority-party leaders announced that they would offer something different from a culture of corruption, after a series of indictments and resignations involving Majority Leader Tom DeLay and other Republican lawmakers. The phrase became a regular Democratic refrain.
Then, FBI officials revealed they found $90,000 in marked $100 bills in Rep. William J. Jefferson's freezer, and the Democrats opted to change course. Now, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, who is regularly asked why the term has been shelved, spins the culture of corruption question to say Republicans are incompetent and beholden to special interests.
She also told the Hill newspaper in June that Democrats' "culture of corruption" message was ending, and it was "time to talk about us."
Mrs. Pelosi did trot out the line last week in a statement about Mr. DeLay, under indictment by a Texas grand jury on money-laundering charges.
"Texas voters now have a clear choice: to continue the culture of corruption or go in a new direction that upholds a high ethical standard," she said, referring to Thursday's court decision to keep the Republican's name on the November ballot despite his resignation from Congress.
Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina Republican, said the message seems to have "disappeared" after being the Democratic "key to victory" for months.
The culture of corruption message was unsuccessful because many voters don't make the connection between ethics scandals and lobbying reform, said Bruce Cain, a Washington-based professor of political science at the University of California at Berkeley.
"It hasn't worked as a general theme," he said. "It may cause some people to run harder, and it may play in as a marginal factor, but it's never going to be just that."

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It did not work because corruption is a rare area of bipartisanship in Congress. It is an area where people for both parties can find a common interest in making money from their position. The Democrats thought they were immune because of their lack of power, but they forgot how ingenious corrupt people can be whether or not they have the reigns of power, they still find ways to project power that can attract corruption.