Air of victory: Democrats are hiring

Some might call it cocky, others smart planning. But I've stumbled across the latest evidence that Democrats are preparing to take back the House of Representatives after 12 years in the minority. They're hiring! What started about a month ago with lists being drawn up by some Democratic House committee staffers of Republican jobs they'd fill if the GOP loses badly on November 7 has turned into a résumé-collection operation by some. And minority staffers from at least one committee–the House Science Committee–have posted a want ad on the internal House employment website. It reads:

House Science Committee is seeking experienced Science Policy Professionals for possible expanded Democratic committee staff in the 110th Congress. Desire to build a nonpartisan staff of experienced and highly motivated professionals. Good communication skills and ability to work effectively with a team of credentialed and experienced existing committee staff more important than past Party affiliation.

The complete ad is here.

The number to fax a resume, 202-225-3895, is the fax for the committee's Democratic staff. A minority staffer said that the plan right now is to prepare for the change by collecting résum és. And she said that the bipartisan tone of the language is real. "That's the way the committee always operates," she said. But that tone isn't being followed on other committees. One House member told me that Democrats would be just as merciless in firing Republicans as Republicans were in dumping Democrats when the GOP took over after the 1994 election. Naturally, some Republicans are chortling over the confident want ad. "Now that's what we call putting the House before the carriage," said one GOP insider. In fact, the ad is being used by Republicans to motivate some House staffers who are a bit too confident of re-election.