Is President Obama Baiting House Republicans?

Washington Post (Article by Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake): In the past six days, President Obama has sent a very clear message to Republicans in Congress. And that message goes like this: Bring it on.

His decision to stop actively deporting young illegal immigrants, which was announced last Friday, and his action Wednesday to invoke executive privilege over documents tied to the “Fast and Furious” program both amount to a finger in the eye of House GOPers.

Congressional Republicans have quickly responded in kind --— condemning Obama'’s end-run around them on immigration and scheduling a contempt vote for Attorney General Eric Holder on the House floor next week.

The question is whether, in reacting quickly and forcefully to his provocations, Republicans are playing directly into Obama'’s strategic plan.

I't’s no secret that President Obama is doing everything he can to run against the unpopularity of the Republican Congress, trying at every turn to lump former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney --— who has never served a day in office in Washington, D.C. -- — in with that lot.

I't’s also no secret that the economy is a tremendously complicated political issue for Obama and one without an obvious solution.

By going directly at Congress twice in the space of the last week, Obama not only ensures that House (and, to a lesser extent, Senate) Republicans get the national spotlight shone on them, but also that the national debate (at least for a few days) is focused on things like immigration, which is far better political space for him to fight.

Romney and his team obviously understand the perils of elevating congressional Republicans on issues like immigration. Romney did issue a statement on Obama'’s immigration decision, and his campaign said Wednesday that the “Fast and Furious” choice amounted to “another broken promise” by the president.

But, in each instance, Romney has sought to quickly pivot back to his main economic message. That’'s very smart, since it’s the ground on which he wins.

The question is whether Romney can keep House Republicans in line or at least somewhere close to on-message. The more chatter there is about suing Obama over immigration or a constitutional showdown over “Fast and Furious,” the less talk there is about the economy.

Obama knows this. Romney knows this. But do congressional Republicans?