In election parlance, we political-type wannabes often talk about "stumbling out of the gate." That's a technical term for "can't chew gum and walk at the same time," and, in its most extreme manifestation, "can't walk and talk at the same time."
It has just been announced that soon-to-Be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D. CA) has won the first but always coveted award of "Stumbling in the Paddock." (I have no idea what a paddock is — so assume it means where horses wander around stepping in each other's poop while waiting for a race.)
This afternoon, the Democrats in the House gave a grand Bronx cheer to the new Speaker by mooning her pick for House Majority Leader, John Murtha (D, PA) and rallying round the guy everyone wanted in the first place, Maryland's own Steny Hoyer. The vote? 149-86. Oops.
Months ago, D.C.-based Republican strategist Scott Reed said, only tongue half in cheek, that a lot of high level Democrats didn't want their party to win the House because Pelosi would be Speaker. Pelosi is noted both for her liberal California ways and the fact that he can hold a grudge for years--as evidenced by her support for Murtha. A few years ago, Pelosi and Hoyer ran for the same leadership office. Pelosi won but, according to more sources than can be counted, she made it clear that Hoyer was on her paddock list.
Pelosi had been sounding more moderate and accommodating since the recent election, but her written support of Murtha caused many to question just how "centrist" or "moderate" she would be. The size of the vote is a clear indication that she may be the Speaker, but the Democratic Party is not to sit back and let itself be labeled the Liberals who "cut and run."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Baronius
If you look at it another way, Pelosi came out a winner. She took the hit, displaying her loyalty to Murtha, and got a much more marketable Majority Leader. Hoyer isn't much different from Murtha politically, but he comes off better in front of the camera and has much less baggage. Murtha has one issue, and as a veteran he was able to embarrass Bush. Now that the Democrats are in charge, Pelosi was able to shed Murtha without any blood on her hands. I'm kinda impressed.
2 - Mark Schannon
My my my, but you're a sly, sneakin' little devil, yer are, my dear Baronius.
What a fascinatin' theory. You think Pelosi's smart enough to pull that off? And the media, for what it's worth, is calling it an embarrassment. But down the road, we shall see.
My understanding is that not only is Hoyer more moderate that Murtha, he's a lot easier to get along with and works both sides of the aisles pretty well.
I may have to make some calls on this, although the longer I'm out of DC the fewer people will turn my calls, LOL.
Neat comment.
In Jameson Veritas
3 - Bliffle
Baronius is correct.
4 - handyguy
Hoyer is more moderate on the war, but more liberal than the socially conservative Murtha on many other issues.
I think Baronius's analysis makes sense. NP has shown her loyalty to someone she considers a mentor [and who really does deserve some credit for getting independents and some Republicans to shift their opinion of the war], and the vote totals of this leadership race will be forgotten by January, if not tomorrow. She can still give Murtha some nice committee chairmanship.
I hope she surprises us by not being vindictive toward Jane Harman, and instead giving her the intelligence committee chair that is logically hers. Not holding my breath though.
5 - Bliffle
Gee, whatever happened to Iraq Happy Talk at BC? Where are the guys proudly pointing out that Noone Died In Iraq Today? Etcetera.
6 - Mark Schannon
Bliffle--more words, more supposition, more wild speculation. I'm going to have to get to the bottom of this. If it's true, Pelosi's just gone up a notch in my politico-meter.
In Jameson Veritas
7 - Baronius
Darn. I wasn't trying to make sense.
8 - Michael J. West
From all accounts, Murtha's loss had far less to do with his war politics than with his ethical ones, vis-a-vis Abscam and his opposition to the Democrats' ethics legislation earlier this year. Was Pelosi's grudge so deep that she neglected to consider those things in advance? (N.B. I thought the Abscam fiasco was enough to make him a poor choice for Majority Leader.)
That's assuming, of course, that Baronius's interpretation wasn't correct, but it's starting to make sense. Not only did Pelosi "shed Murtha without any blood on her hands," but she simultaneously put him in her debt by going to bat for him. If she did do that on purpose, it was damned sharp.
9 - Mark Schannon
Sorry, Baronius, sometimes we make sense regardless of our struggle to remain obtuse. This time, you lose.
All hail Queen Nancy....sigh.
In Jameson Veritas
10 - Franco
Pelosi support of Murtha was a gutsy move. Gutsy is not to be confused with smart, because it wasn’t. Pelosi should be scaring the hell out of most Democrats. Those who are not disturbed by Pelosi recent power play are suffering from being without majority rule for so long that they will take anyone and anything to lead them. That thinking is based out of weakness not strength. Get a hold of yourself. .
Pelosi showed her true colors once she had the opportunity in power. She is a far left radical and took a big gamble in supporting Murtha all because she saw the self serving opportunity to consolidate more of her power and influence over both chambers via the Murtha connection.
Pelosi’s pent-up liberal agenda exploded upon the seen with this Murtha move and it spooked the majority of Demarcates in both chambers. It became a challenge for them to reel her in and save face at the same time, both for her and the other members. The house has its hands full now.
Pelosi is so focused on what she wants America to be and her vision and agenda for it that she can not be considered to be representing the people. As all this moves forward we will be seeing a lot more of Pelosi’s agenda for all of us. Watch and guard your freedoms closely and see if that becomes more of fight then a right under her leader ship. I just hope what we will be seeing will not do irreparable harm to the Democrats and the American people.
And to the women who would think I am only a MSP, I can only say look to yourself for why you would think that. I love women and have know many with more wisdom and common sense in there little pinky then Pelosi has in her whole agenda the she now plans to force down our throat.
11 - Franco
Imagine you are a fly on the wall and there is a meeting of the mindless going on:
Nancy Pelosi: Ok folks, we won...yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Now what the HELL are we going to do about Iraq? Does anyone have any ideas?
Dick Durbin: We leave, we get our soldiers the hell out of there.
Hillary Cinton: We CAN'T just walk away, if we do that we are then known as the party that lost the war. You people are going to cost me the 2008 election.
Nancy Pelosi: Hillary, we have to leave, thats what we promised, the problem is HOW do we leave without Iraq going into a meltdown, being completely taken over by al-Qaeda and having every life lost after we leave on OUR heads??????
John Kerry: I will tell you what we need to do.....
Nancy, Hillary, Reid , and Durbin all scream....SHUT up, you don't say a damn word!!!!!
Kerry sits back down and pouts in the corner, mumbling.
Nancy Pelosi, her voice shriller: What about sending more troops in to get the situation resolved?
Hillary: SITUATION??? Its a WAR stupid!!! You cannot go around spouting about Iraq not being a war, but a "situation" to be resolved". Do you have ANY idea how stupid that sounded?????? My god, I am never going to win in 2008 if I have to carry all you people along.
Nancy Pelosi: Those times publications SAID....
Hillary cuts her off: Yes and ABOUT that, do you not understand that those papers are written by USA Today and are NOT miltary publications??????????
Pelosi: No I didn't when I said it.
Hillary: Maybe you shouldn't speak without knowing then.
Reid: Ladies, ladies, this is getting us nowhere.
Kerry mutters from the corner: Its all that stupid Bush's fault. Our soldiers are over there terrorizing women and....
Nancy AND Hillary to Kerry: SHUT THE HELL UP, haven't you made us seem anti-military enough?
Pelosi voice even shriller yet: We stay we are screwed, we leave we are screwed...god I need a joint.
Durbin: Its Rove's Fault!!!! They set us up.
Pelosi, nodding like a bobble head: Yesssssss, they set us up.
Hillary: You know, they KNEW the war in Iraq was unpopular and yet the last weeks of stumping, they pushed it and insisted it was a war to be won......... instead of focusing on other issues, they KEPT talking about the war, over and over and over.....almost as if they wanted to lose.
Pelosi: What ARE you talking about?
Hillary: They could have pushed our tax agenda and not pushed so hard about the war right before the elections. They could have stumped harder on OUR not producing a "plan" for Iraq....they could have shaped the issues on their campaign trail, but they didn't, the focused completely on the war, every campaign stop, every speech they made sure to mention the war....
Pelosi: They set us up? They put this in OUR lap on purpose?
Hillary: You said it yourself...we stay we're screwed, we leave and civil war breaks out we're screwed, we send more troops in we are screwed publicly and branded liars.
Hillary starts rubbing her temples.
Pelosi, Durbin, Reid and Kerry all sit thinking about that, blank looks on their faces.
No matter what the Democratic party does RIGHT NOW, they are screwed. They were so busy saying staying the course was not a plan, so busy screaming about every life lost in Iraq even though since the war started in 2003 that Americans killed in car accidents has totaled over 120,000, killed by the common flu exceeds 58,000, and killed by murders exceeds 42,000, THEY could do better in Iraq, they have "fresh ideas". Now they have to produce those fresh, new ideas... they have to produce something that hasn't been tried yet and doesn't include leaving before Iraq can sustain itself, or they will be branded as a party of losers, of defeatists.
If it works, then what they call "president Bush's" war, is won and Bush is seen as a hero for having the courage to stand up to terror. If it doesn't then the Democrats will have been shown to the world as a party that could not win, could not produce after all their hype about having a plan.
The loser in all this? Hillary Clinton in 2008.
The End.
Wake Up America
12 - Nancy
Pelosi is smart enough. We're all just so used to dumb shits like Dubya, and straightforward thugs like DeLay, or stumblebum wannabe weasels like Hastert that we forget some of them maggots on capitol hill can play very deep indeed. Don't forget: as a woman, Pelosi has had to be twice as smart to get half as far as any man.
Oh - and Franco #10: chauvinist starts w/a "c", so that's mCp.... Use yer spellcheck.
13 - Dave Nalle
Being smart isn't enough, Nancy. Pelosi is completely out of touch with reality. She believed the Democrat self-promotion and propaganda and has no idea how the real people of America live or what they want. She's a ivory tower limousine leftist and that means that whatever intelligence she has is largely obscured by her preconceptions and prejudices.
Dave
14 - handyguy
Not chauvinist [or do you prefer shovinist?], Franco, just ill-informed. Calling Nancy Pelosi a 'far-left radical' is a cariacature based on very little evidence. A liberal, yes, but with blue-collar Baltimore Italian roots...scrappy, and tougher than her voice would first lead one to believe. I'm not necessarily a fan, but some of the stuff written about her on here and elsewhere is ridiculous and far from factual. Take time to read and research before shooting off your mouth.
15 - handyguy
"...whatever intelligence she has is largely obscured by her preconceptions and prejudices..."
This could apply to many folks writing facile insults on these pages, Dave. Including you, and maybe occasionally even me.
16 - Dave Nalle
Blue collar roots? Come again? Her dad wasn't a Baltimore laborer, he was a career politician, legislator and mayor.
And she's hardly a liberal in any normal definition of the term. A soft-socialist rather than a hardline Marxist, that I'll agree with. But not liberal. Very few Democrats these days are that.
Dave
17 - handyguy
DN--I know that you have your own idiosyncratic definitions of 'liberal' and 'conservative' and especially 'socialist' and 'Marxist.' But the definition of liberal used by many if not most contemporary journalists would be something like: supportive of minority rights/civil rights causes; supportive of government programs to help the poor; leery of military action; suspicious of large powerful corporations [and therefore supportive of government regulation of same]. Nancy Pelosi fits this definition.
'Liberal' as used by the fine magazine The Economist may be closer to your definition: democratic [small d] government that can best protect the rights of individuals and also protect free capital markets by mostly keeping its paws off them, except when absolutely necessary. I don't think the two definitions are completely incompatible, but apparently many folks do, including you, I believe. The main sticking point, besides taxes, is government regulation of things like corporate behavior and gun ownership.
I am a liberal with some characteristics of both definitions, always on the lookout for common ground and practical solutions. Some people apparently would just rather naysay, fight and argue, problems and solutions be damned.
18 - Nancy
Frankly, Dave, her idea of how the "real" people of America live is at least as realistic as yours - probably more so, based on what you've written to date. As I have frequently commented, you seem to live somewhere in Pixiedust Land, in a place removed from the fiscal reality & prices most of the rest of us seem to have to deal with. In any event, you hardly can speak for The People of America. It seems to me the People of America just spoke for themselves a week or so ago, and they overwhelmingly were not speaking Conservative or the Dems wouldn't be holding both houses right now.
19 - handyguy
Pelosi's father was a successful machine politician, but not necessarily wealthy. They continued to live in Baltimore's gritty, tight-knit Little Italy even after he became mayor. She married into wealth...and only entered politics in her mid-40s after her kids were grown.
It's awfully easy to throw around snide phrases like 'limousine liberal,' or, as others have done frequently, remind us that her district is San Francisco, as if that tells us all we need to know about her politics. It tells me she's lucky enough to live in the US's most beautiful and civilized city. Many, many of SF's quirky politicians are way further to the left [or in some cases on an entirely different planet].
I'm sure there's plenty of fodder in her voting record and public comments for both criticism and praise. How about going there, instead of resorting to name-calling?
20 - Dave Nalle
Handy, I'm pretty familiar with Baltimore politics of that era. If you think the mayor didn't become rich in office, you're living in a fantasy world.
I actually think her voting record is pretty neutral, but the alliances she's made in Congress are troubling. She aligns herself with the most radical elements regularly. That appears to be her power base.
Dave
21 - Mark Schannon
You know what's boring. Slogging through the same old stale left/right violent attacks at thin air. No one scored any points, no one advanced the discussion. We've become a nation of balloons--some painted blue, some red, some mauve (whatever that is), some half red/half blue, well, you get the idea.
We never just talk anymore.
In Jameson Veritas
22 - Bliffle
Dave: "Pelosi is completely out of touch with reality."
How do you know this?
23 - Martin Lav
"Dave: "Pelosi is completely out of touch with reality."
"How do you know this?"
Takes one to know one.....
24 - MCH
"You know what's boring. Slogging through the same old stale left/right violent attacks at thin air. No one scored any points, no one advanced the discussion. We've become a nation of balloons--some painted blue, some red, some mauve (whatever that is), some half red/half blue, well, you get the idea.
We never just talk anymore."
Mark,
But didn't Socrates say that, too?
25 - MCH
"She's a ivory tower limousine leftist and..."
- Dave Nalle
So is that worse than a fortified compound control-freak?
BTW, professor (cough) Nalle...shouldn't it be "...AN ivory tower..." ??