August 2009 was the beginning of the end of the Democratic House majority. Tea Party activists showed up at town hall meetings, cameraphones in hand. They snagged video of their members melting under loud, tough, occasionally baseless questions. The video made it quickly onto Fox News; Democrats quickly stumbled and claimed it was all staged.
How’s the summer of 2011 looking? It’s not exactly a reversal of fortune. Republican members are opening up their meetings, but there’s no onrush of liberal anger. There’s a little bit, yes, but it still looks to be conservatives leading the questions.
For example: Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla, telling interrupting left-wingers to shut up.
Rep. Joe Barton, R-Tex., poker-facing his way through a long birther lecture.
A woman yelling at Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Ca., until she’s removed.
At 37:00 here, Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Col., deftly handles a question about why members of Congress compromise so much(!).
Not a bad August for Republicans, really.
