Weigel parses a recent poll (pdf) on the Koch brothers:
So 13 percent of Americans view the Kochs favorably and 25 percent view them unfavorably. By contrast, “Wall Street” has a 29/39
favorable/unfavorable rating, and the most prominent libertarian in America, Rand Paul, is at a robust 38/30. There you go—the Kochs are by miles the least popular icons of the pro-business, libertarian right. It only makes sense to pummel them. And when you pummel, you realize that “all Americans” will not be the electorate in 2014. The electorate will consist of maybe 40 percent of registered voters. Democrats need that electorate to grow a bit and include more Democrats. Anything that scares or angers them and makes them vote, they’ll use.
Drum passes along the chart above:
Given their low profile, you’d hardly expect the Kochs to be a household name. And yet, nearly half of all American have heard of them, and among those who are in the know they’re very unpopular. So maybe the Democratic strategy of personalizing the robber-baron right by demonizing the Kochs is paying off. Give it another few months and maybe the Kochs will be a household name.
Cillizza doubts the strategy will earn Democrats votes:
We’ve long believed that attacks on two relatively low-profile billionaires isn’t likely to work for Democrats simply because, as this poll shows, people don’t know who the Koch brothers are. And, beyond their low name identification, the reality is that voters almost never use campaign finance or money in politics as a voting issue. Yes, in polls people will say there is too much money in politics and that it’s a bad thing. But, time and time again in actual elections they don’t vote on it. Take 2010 when, in a last-ditch attempt to change the narrative from one focused on President Obama and Obamacare, the White House and its allies insisted that the “dark” money that groups like American Crossroads were putting into the system was going to be a major issue for voters. Um, not so much.
David Graham largely agrees. But he sees few other juicy targets:
In 2014 the White House (and congressional Democrats) once again have few choices. The Republican presidential field two years ago was weak and diffuse; Mitt Romney’s ultimate victory came after boomlets for Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and, yes, even Herman Cain. At this early stage, the 2016 GOP field promises to be much stronger, but it’s still a wide-open race and Romney has shown no interest in giving it another shot, so there’s no obvious bogeyman. So who else do Democrats have to attack? Reince Priebus isn’t exactly a household name either.
Ed Morrissey’s take:
[T]his is red meat for the base. Most everyone else could care less, mainly because the “look — billionaires!” scare tactic is so blatantly hypocritical.
Earlier Dish on the Kochs here.
The Dish 