Don't Let the Facts Interfere with the Storyline

The Washiington Times has a rather humorous article today discussing the use of the phrase "rare bipartisan support". The phrase was used today in news articles detailng the passage of the spending bills for the remainder of the fiscal year by the House yesterday and the passage this morning of the extension of the payroll tax cut in the Senate. So the Times went back to look at just how "rare" it is to have major legislation supported in a bipartisan manner. Here is what they said about things that occured just this autumn: "Agenda items described in the media as receiving “rare bipartisan support” include a trio of free-trade agreements, a veterans jobs proposal, an immigration bill for highly skilled workers, a pipeline safety accord, the repeal of a withholding tax on government contractors, a bill to thwart Chinese currency manipulation, the need to fight online piracy, the nomination of an Energy Department undersecretary, an overhaul of the nation’s patent system, new sanctions on Iran, federal highway funding and the sale of three federal properties."

So it seems that there have been a great many bipartisan accomplishments in Congress this fall. Of course, president Obama has been running around the country blaming Congress for not getting anything done. "It's all their fault; don't blame me," is Obama's new mantra. "The republicans block everything," is another of Obama's favorites. So when there are bipartisan successes, the media cannot point them out without undermining the Obama excuse/campaign machine. And we all know what that means: every time something happens in Washington as a result of cooperation between the parties it is called a "rare bipartisan" action. In other words, the media cannot let the facts interfere with the Obama storyline.