MAKING CORRUPTION WORK FOR THE GOP:

Parties Race for the High Ground of Ethics Reform on Capitol Hill (Peter Wallsten and Tom Hamburger, January 15, 2006, LA Times)

With the taint of scandal hanging over the capital and threatening Republican candidates in upcoming elections, both parties are in a race to seize the mantle of reform and to win credit from voters for cleaning up government.

Leading Democrats are scheduled to roll out major policy proposals Wednesday aimed at accusing the GOP majority of cultivating a "culture of corruption," while Republican strategists are working behind the scenes to shield their party from the charge — and even outdo Democrats' call for change.

Last week, Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman told a weekly gathering of conservative activists and lobbyists in Washington that reform would be key to the party's playbook for November elections, which will determine who controls Congress.

Among the ideas being considered by GOP strategists: giving maverick Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a possible 2008 presidential contender and onetime rival of President Bush, a central role in convincing the public that Republicans can be trusted to clean up the political system they control.

Only one party has a McCain to confer the good House-keeping seal.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 15, 2006 11:59 AM