Top priority during House Democrats’ retreat: “Messaging,” of course

“We never stopped to … campaign about what we did,” Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), the caucus vice chairman, told reporters in an opening press conference. He said he warned the former Speaker, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), about the need to better promote the party’s accomplishments after the passage of the contentious healthcare law last March.

“I said Madam Speaker, the problem with Democrats is we never give the public the chance to savor our victories,” Becerra said, as Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the assistant leader, nodded in agreement. “What we didn’t do was take the time to do tap-dances about what we had just done, but we did the work of the people.”

“Too bad we didn’t message it better,” he added.