Restoring the Public's Confidence in Congress

The panelists focused on 1992 political campaigns and how these campaigns could affect the public’s perceptions of Congress. Mr. Beckel talked about the conception that it will be impossible to beat Pres. Bush, an idea he called a “mis-conception.” He said that the best thing the Democratic Party has going for it is the low expectations the public has. This way when the party even meets, let alone exceeds, the public’s expectations there will be a multiplier effect. Conversely, the Republican Party is expected to do well in current domestic policy and the 1992 political campaigns, so if that party does not meet the public’s expectations, then the multiplier effect will have large negative impacts. He also talked about the public’s assumption that Democratic candidates are always weak on national security and crime. The Republican Party has constructed this image, Beckel said, and the Democratic Party candidates just keep falling into the trap. close