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Rove is right in describing the larger picture. The entire political conversation now is about fiscal policy, which would normally make eyes glaze over.

If they play it well and drag it out through the fall’s upcoming battles (continuing resolution to fund government operations, extension of Bush tax cuts, vote on balanced budge amendment, etc.), this should seriously help Republicans next year.

We must control the conversation.

Rove is right in describing the larger picture. The entire political conversation now is about fiscal policy, which would normally make eyes glaze over.

I agree, and although it seems a very hollow victory for diehards like us, the conversation has been changed, and that is a big step. The real test will be what happens now, if we can continue down this road onto which we have taken baby steps. We need to take bigger ones, and then start running.

“We must control the conversation.”

That is certainly correct.

Republican politicians must develop the natural capability of speaking from the same political page - the page that makes plainly and abundantly clear in non-PC terms the collectivist threat to America and the steps Republicans will take to protect America against that threat.

In corporate terms, there should be a single mission statement consistently reinforced at every presser, not 100 different agendas or “possibilities”

At the same time, they have got to learn to effectively (bluntly) resist the efforts of the MSM and other political operatives to distort the Republican message or lead them off topic.

It can be argued the only time Republicans effectively avoided the MSM’s game plan was when they coalesced behind the “Contract”.

They aren't controlling the conversation, though. The debt only became the central focus because of the need to raise the ceiling. They bumped the ceiling past the next election. Obama is counting on the 5 minute memory of the American public. Without a need to raise it again before November, the topic will fade (not for anyone paying attention, but for most). Obama's biggest poll hit was due to this debate. He'll recover. Granted, the general economy won't, but Rove and company are once again trying to win by default. Thinking that if they just avoid the bogey man of the government shutdown and play it safe, they'll win with the generic Republican.

An immediate example of them not controlling the debate is this small airport bill. Republicans should be beating their brains in with that. The government lost how many millions in airfare taxes because the Senate will not pass an interim bill to cut some of the subsidies? When I watch the news, I see dims demagogue it complaining that Republicans are impacting jobs, when actually dims refuse to let a nickle be pried from their fingers at a cost of bunch of "revenue" to the government. If ever there was an example of dysfunctional democrat government, it's this. Yet, what do I see on the news: Obama saying Congress needs to get this done. No detail. The average shmuck seeing that goes "boy that congress sure can't get a d_mn thing done". So when they could lay the blame clearly at the dims feet, the Republicans end up taking an equal share of the blame. It's like they have no perception how this stuff shows up out here in the rest of the world and the impression it makes.

Rove is right in describing the larger picture. The entire political conversation now is about fiscal policy

Correct and for the first time in decades the Dem MO did not work even though Obama tried furiously...a ramp up of spending along with tax increases.

In order to get lasting reform the terms of the debate have to change first. This was Boehner's goal and he succeeded IMO.