On the November 6 broadcast of National Public Radio's Morning Edition, Wall Street Journal Washington bureau chief David Wessel baselessly asserted that the Democrats' ability to “accomplish anything,” should they gain control of one or both houses of Congress on November 7, will hinge on whether “they want to spend the next two years investigating and overseeing the Bush administration” or whether “they want to govern and try to show that they can get something done.” When host Steve Inskeep asked, “Is that an either/or?” Wessel responded in part: “I think that it's certainly an 80-20 question: You can spend 80 percent of your time doing one, but you can't spend 80 percent of your time doing both.”

As Media Matters for America has noted, the view that Democrats will use congressional investigations to obstruct and destroy the Bush administration is a Republican talking point, advanced by Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA). Democrats, on the other hand, assert that Congress' duty to “govern” includes its constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight of the executive branch. Notwithstanding Wessel's apparent view that congressional oversight of the executive branch does not constitute “get[ting] something done,” recent polls indicate that a majority of Americans would support Democrats if they began such investigations. Moreover, Wessel's statement reflects the view -- for which he provides no support -- that Congress cannot both conduct oversight and pass legislation.

From the November 6 broadcast of NPR's Morning Edition:

INSKEEP: If Democrats do take over one or both houses of Congress -- and let's underline the if -- will they be able to do anything anyway?

WESSEL: There are two parts to that. One is: What do the Democrats want to do? Do they want to spend the next two years investigating and overseeing the Bush administration? Or do they want to govern and try and show that they can get something done? I don't think we know the answer to that.

INSKEEP: Is that an either/or?

WESSEL: I think it is an either/or. I think that it's certainly an 80-20 question: You can spend 80 percent of your time doing one, but you can't spend 80 percent of your time doing both.

INSKEEP: OK.

WESSEL: And the second thing, of course, is they will not have 60 votes in the Senate, which is what you need to get anything substantial done. And they will still have a Republican in the White House. Even though Mr. Bush has been reluctant to use the veto, I suspect he'll be a little less reluctant if Democrats are sending him legislation. So, they have to decide what they want to do, and then they have to have a strategy to get Republicans on board if they actually want to accomplish anything.

INSKEEP: David Wessel of The Wall Street Journal, thanks for coming by again.

WESSEL: A pleasure.