By Edward Epstein, CQ Staff

House Democrats, increasingly frustrated that the public doesn’t give them credit for what they view as a long list of legislative accomplishments, are launching a new strategy designed to break through the Washington media filter.

In undertaking the new strategy, which calls for all 233 members of the House Democratic Caucus to trumpet the positive message back home, some Democrats admit that the combative Republican House minority and the White House have scored points against them — depicting the 110th Congress as a “do nothing” group more interested in making partisan points than in solving America’s problems.

Rank-and-file House Democrats are being encouraged to hold town hall meetings in their districts or to participate in online or telephone discussions with constituents to talk up Congress’ successes.

On the Senate side, Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., has brought back a former top aide, Susan McCue, to help improve the majority’s “strategic communications.” In part, that means helping the public understand how much inactivity can be blamed on Republicans, since Senate rules allow the GOP to require at least 60 votes to get anything accomplished.

Public Opinion Surveys

Congress’ standing with the public is reflected in a raft of recent public opinion surveys that generally put Congress’ approval rating at below 30 percent.

House Democrats kicked off their new reach-the-public strategy Thursday morning with a campaign-style event on the Capitol’s West Front.

A majority of House Democrats attended and cheered as their leaders and “real people” from around the country touted such accomplishments as raising the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade, cutting the cost of student loans and stepping up aid for people hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

“We come here today with great confidence and pride in what we have achieved and what remains for us to be done,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif.

Later, at a news conference, Pelosi conceded that Congress’ inability to force President Bush to change his Iraq War policy had disappointed many voters.

“I don’t approve of Congress, because we haven’t done anything that — we haven’t been effective in ending the war in Iraq,” Pelosi said. “And if you asked me in a phone call, as ardent a Democrat as I am, I would disapprove of Congress as well.”

But, she added, polls also show that more Americans describe themselves as Democrats than they have in many years, and more say they prefer the Democratic Party position on many issues.

Media and Messages

Even as they expressed optimism about their prospects, some Democrats also said their party has not been effective enough at countering Republicans’ version of events.

“The public is traditionally not happy about Congress,” said Rep. José E. Serrano , D-N.Y. “But the big problem is the attacks from the White House and the threats of presidential vetoes. The public can’t concentrate on what’s been done, just on the threats.”

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., said Republicans are more interested in Congress’ failing than in getting things done. He said they were trying to win points with the public by making “Congress fail or make it seem to be failing.”

“That is the Republican strategy,” Hoyer said, pointing to the blocked expansion of the children’s health insurance program (HR 3963). “The Republicans have made a deal with the president to stop legislation the American people want.”

Rep. Sam Farr , D-Calif., said Republicans know how to frame issues through effective language.

“They are still better at framing and in this case at framing the negative,” he said. “They are better at being a mean minority than we were.”

Republican leaders contend that the Democratic Congress is running aground and that the majority party’s leaders have no one to blame but themselves.

“Never has Congress spent so much time to accomplish so little,” said House Minority Whip Roy Blunt , R-Mo.

Republicans say that after a record 1,033 votes and after 146 legislative days, the Democrats “have only provided a ‘post office’ Congress,” in the words of Rep. Adam H. Putnam , R-Fla., pushing a GOP theme that renaming post offices has been the focus of too much floor time.

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner , R-Ohio, said Democrats would be well-advised to lower the partisan temperature.

“I’ve seen people in my party take a partisan approach. Now Pelosi and Reid are taking the same partisan approach,” he said. “It never, ever works.”