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My Advice To Pelosi

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:37:52 PM EST
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By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

Nancy Pelosi wrote a letter:

Dear [XXX],

Here's what you and I can't let happen. We can't allow the tension and pressures of a spirited Presidential contest to spill over and harm hard-working Democratic candidates running to strengthen our Democratic majority in the House.

I will do whatever it takes to protect our candidates and make sure their campaigns to drive change forward don't skip a beat. . .

Here's what Pelosi needs to do - STOP TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE!! Think you can manage that Madame Speaker?

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    My Advice To Pelosi | 36 comments (36 topical)

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    "Madame Speaker" (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by oculus on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:39:40 PM EST
    She interprets her title literally.

    Wouldn't it be nice if she just did her (5.00 / 7) (#2)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:42:28 PM EST
    job for a change?  Heck, I'll even settle for her "speaking" and doing her job.  I would just like for her to do her job as Democratic leadership sometime soon ;)

    Parent
    Someone I respect ... (none / 0) (#8)
    by Demi Moaned on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:57:55 PM EST
    recently called her a hack. I'm from San Francisco and it's an opinion I've long held.

    You could almost say that being a hack was her primary qualification when she stood to fill the seat vacated by the death of Sala Burton, who herself replaced her departed husband.

    Effective from the start

    was her campaign motto then. Meaning that having worked as an aide in the Burton Congressional Office she understood how things really work in Washington-- and that was 20 years (or so) ago.

    Parent
    Hillary should 'borrow' (none / 0) (#12)
    by nycstray on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:04:44 PM EST
    Pelosi's motto, lol!~

    OY. 20ish years, eh? Means I prob voted for her . . .

    Parent

    I guess the outrage (5.00 / 7) (#3)
    by jen on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:53:33 PM EST
    from the O supporting netroots against Madame "Impeachment is off the table" Speaker is all forgiven now, eh?


    I think that (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by joyce1 on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:53:43 PM EST
    Pelosi, being the most powerful woman in the congress does not want to lose her status by having a woman as President. She should just shut up about the race and do her job. I am starting to like her less and less.

    Pressure from Madame Speaker (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by magster on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:53:56 PM EST
    combined with the Clinton donor extortion letter, combined with Judas, combined with Clinton weighing in on Wright in a way that even McCain and Huckabee wouldn't, combined with Dodd and Leahy, combined with her negatives going in the toilet resulted in Clinton's kumbayah call last night.  

    Clinton's kumbayah is good for the party. Would not have happened if Clinton did not feel the kind of pressure that Pelosi was pushing.  That's what party leaders do.  

    I couldn't disagree with you more.

    Sheesh that pisses me off. Obama (5.00 / 7) (#9)
    by oculus on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:58:58 PM EST
    incessantly and inconsistently talks about Wright; Clinton reponds to a question.  Clinton is characterized as pushing Wright/Obama.  That is bizarre, especially when Clinton stated is a pastor made such statements, she wouldn't continue attending the church.

    I don't read the letter from Clinton's big donors the way you do.  They have a right to request Pelosi not ask Clinton to drop out.  That's what they did.  

    Parent

    Sheesh that pisses me off... (none / 0) (#18)
    by FedUpLib on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:45:00 PM EST
    oh come on...

    you don't find it at least a little fishy that she took the high road for over a week with regards to the Wright situation (bravo to her) and then decided to go on the record with the architect of the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" almost immediately after the Tuzla story started going sour?  Wright had died down and all of a sudden, it was a BFD.

    Misdirection, a politician's most effective tool.

    Parent

    Sheesh (5.00 / 6) (#20)
    by nell on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:54:09 PM EST
    It's not like Wright was incredibly insulting and personally demeaning to Hillary and her husband or anything. Gosh! Why can't that evil Hillary just give Wright the benefit of the doubt and bend over backwards complimenting her political opponent? Why? Why? Why?

    SUCK IT UP AND DEAL.

    This is politics. If Obama did not want to have a Wright mess at his feet, he should have thought a little bit harder about all those controversial sermons he sat through. Had this stuff come out before Iowa, I believe he would have been toast. It didn't, and good for Obama, but don't for one second demand that Clinton take the high road when Wright has been personally insulting her and her husband from the pulpit. Obama's campaign attacks her and Bill in the most vile ways every single day - the Clintons are racist liars who will do and say anything to win.

    But yeah, Clinton owes it to Obama to keep her mouth shut when she is asked a direct question about what SHE WOULD HAVE DONE.

    Seriously, grow up.

    Parent

    What did you say (5.00 / 1) (#27)
    by waldenpond on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:04:40 PM EST
    about Obama discussing Wright 'video replays were stoking racial tensions' on the trail the same day Clinton made her comment?  Obama can mention it but no one else.  Most of us don't follow Obama roolz.

    Parent
    Wright had not "died down," as (none / 0) (#26)
    by oculus on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:03:43 PM EST
    on the same date Clinton answered the question about Wright, Obama, in a pre-recorded radio interview broadcast that day, discussed his relationship with The Rev. Wright, including that Obama had confronted Wright about some of Wright's statements.  

    Parent
    Sheesh this pisses me off (5.00 / 4) (#14)
    by angie on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:18:17 PM EST
    Obama goes on the View today and basically says the same thing that Hillary said about Wright (ie, "If he hadn't retired, I would not have been comfortable staying in that church") and his supporters are still trying to make a big deal about Hillary's innocuous response.  
    Support him if you want, but get your talking points straight.

    Parent
    Nope, she's been saying it all along (none / 0) (#11)
    by nycstray on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:00:44 PM EST
    sounds like our "speaker" doesn't "listen" either

    I did find Leahy interesting today, like someone forgot to give him the new memo along with a few talking heads at CNN. Amazes me how they can show footage and talk about polls and then today forget yesterday's discussions . . .  .

    Parent

    Leahy (5.00 / 2) (#15)
    by mm on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:24:02 PM EST
    I think Leahy is actually right on message.  You don't think this hasn't been carefully orchestrated?

    He's not saying what he said today because he actually thinks he'll influence Clinton to drop out.  No, his audience is the voters in PA.  Operation Demoralize.  They're just trying to minimize the damage to the annointed One in PA.

    Parent

    Where were you (none / 0) (#25)
    by waldenpond on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:02:18 PM EST
    when the Obama camp was threatening the jobs of the superdeez if they didn't flip to Obama.  You're outrage as usual is faux.

    Parent
    Reinventing the Old Guard (5.00 / 6) (#6)
    by stevenb on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:57:08 PM EST
    Isn't it obvious that Pelosi, Kennedy, Kerry and many other Leadership Democrats are using Obama and his candidacy as a way to reinvent their old, tired selves?  Obama does represent a young generation of voters, but so does Clinton (to which very few in politics or the media will own up to), and I think this self-serving partisan choice to support Obama reeks of brown nosing.

    Notice my specific use of "partisan?"  Yes, I think the "leaders" of the Democratic party, by putting their weight behind Obama in such a close race, shows that there is no true democratic every-vote-counts aspect to the Democratic party as a whole.

    So many people shout "Clinton is trying to steal the nomination," but I think it is an equal statement to use against Obama, who through speaking through surrogates, wants to force Clinton out of the nomination race before all the voters have cast their ballots.

    I am sick of the self-serving manipulation, and I for one am going to remember each and every politician who has tried to use their weight to decide the Dem. nominee and get them voted out of office.

    That means you Pelosi, and I live in your district!

    Obama is the establishment candidate (5.00 / 5) (#23)
    by badger on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:00:29 PM EST
    and is backed by the Democratic establishment that has failed to challenge Bush on the war, is afraid of universal health care and so prefers Obama's watered-down version to Edwards' or Clinton's, and in general is afraid of standing up for what used to be Democratic values.

    Either they see Obama as the candidate of the status quo, or they see him as so inexperienced and unassertive that they can manipulate him into maintaining the status quo.

    It's the same bunch that was afraid of standing up to Reagan or Gingrich, and still is, even when Reagan is dead, Gingrich is gone, and they have the majority in both houses of Congress and the backing of a majority of the electorate.

    They just love all that talk of post-partisanship and unity and nebulous hope and change, because it lets them continue to shirk their duty just like they have for the last 30 years.

    Parent

    steal the nomination is a netroot (none / 0) (#21)
    by thereyougo on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:54:20 PM EST
    rumor. Just fuel for the blogosphere fire.

    Parent
    Pelosi (5.00 / 4) (#7)
    by Arcadianwind on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 04:57:30 PM EST
    and Reid... so much hope... and so little change.

    Pelosi is utterly useless, (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by kmblue on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:00:06 PM EST
    along with her buddy Harry Reid.

    Democratic voters gave them a majority in 2006 and what have they done with it?
    Caved in to the GOP at every single turn.
    She cannot shut up soon enough for me.
    And Harry, with his mysterious pronouncements about a back-room deal, can stuff it as well.

    Unfortunatly, Howard Dean is (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by oculus on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:11:14 PM EST
    including her in his cadre of "for the most part" uncommitted bigwigs:

    Dean's supporters say he's working behind the scenes to resolve some of the issues. He's been consulting with party stalwarts about how to wrap up the nomination quickly after the voting ends in June, including former Vice President Al Gore, former presidential candidate John Edwards, former Sen. George Mitchell, former President Carter, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.

    ``There'll be some nasty fights if it goes to convention, and people will walk out,'' Dean said. ``But I've also been talking to a fairly significant number of, by and large, nonaligned people about how we might resolve this.''

    From AP interview of Dean, now accessible online at Guardian UK.

    And interestingly, (none / 0) (#16)
    by oldpro on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:35:10 PM EST
    she is the only female.

    To quote BTD:

    "SHUT UP," he explained.

    Parent

    Jesse Jackson (none / 0) (#22)
    by nell on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:55:32 PM EST
    has openly endorsed Obama, though he has had some reservations about whether or not Obama will actually put the interests of the African American community first. He is NOT neutral.

    Parent
    Pelosi (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by americanincanada on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:41:42 PM EST
    has not done a thing she promised to do in the House. She has been utterly disappointing.

    She needs to do her job and stay out of the presidential race. She is hardly a respected party elder.

    BACK. OFF.

    Speaker Pelosi (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by kenoshaMarge on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:00:55 PM EST
    Madam you are an enormous disappointment. And now you and Dean want to skew the primary election to get the candidate you want. Not very democratic of you. And how do ya think that 48 State Strategy is gonna work? Think some folks might be downright miffed? Like some of the Democrats in FL and MI? And other citizens that think they got screwed by the DNC and the Democratic Leadership?

    Madam Speaker it would be nice if you and the phonies we elected in November of 2006 did something of value. Say like maybe do something to end this endless war? Like we gave you a majority to do.

    Madam Speaker you broke that glass ceiling which was great. To bad that didn't mean that we got an effective leader. Because we didn't just need a woman in the house, we needed a real woman. A woman with guts and brains and heart. And we got you.


    the short answer: no (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by cpinva on Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 05:41:29 AM EST
    Here's what Pelosi needs to do - STOP TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE!! Think you can manage that Madame Speaker?

    i'm begining to think she suffers from tourette's syndrome. or maybe she just figures the rest of us are really, really stupid.

    in either event, it's a problem.

    Nancy's posturing is troubling (none / 0) (#19)
    by thereyougo on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 05:49:53 PM EST
    just like her impeachment off the table is.

    I went to a house meeting in SF after the Dems re-captured  the House to send her petition on what the people wanted.

    Trust me she knows how we feel. But what I don't get is if something is being done as Harry Reid puts it, why is NP talking like this? If they really want her out, it would be more effective if done in a dignified manner.

    Finally some perspective here, the netroots community are young people - 20-30 something year olds, who are probably 1% of the voting electorate. Unless you back their biases with action, I doubt it has much pull in real time with real voters.

    Why? (none / 0) (#28)
    by kaleidescope on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:09:53 PM EST
    Why should anyone, the Speaker included, stop talking about the presidential race?  Isn't she entitled to her view?  

    If the objection to Pelosi talking about the race is that she's a Party leader, then how can a Party leader, you know, lead without talking about what she's supposed to be leading on?

    Just a week or so ago, some people were clutching their pearls rending their garments crying out for Howard Dean to "exercise some leadership" on the Michigan and Florida delegate re-vote issue.  If he were to exercise some leadership there, how could he do so without talking about the presidential race?

    The problem (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by nell on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:30:39 PM EST
    is that her bias shines through loud and clear when she makes statements, which pisses people off. If she is talking about the race, she should be saying things like, well, we will be united in November, and this is healthy for democracy. She should not be talking about the rules in the way that shows her bias. Period. Why? Because then Clinton supporters like myself start to get the sense that she cannot be fair in her role of chairing the Dem. Convention.  And if I don't feel like my candidate has gotten a fair shake a la Nancy, Dean, Florida, and Michigan, then I will be unlikely to vote for the Dem nominee in November.

    Parent
    Nader Could Use Your Support (none / 0) (#31)
    by kaleidescope on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:46:21 PM EST
    In the alternative, you should consider working on building an actual, viable, third party.  Cynthia McKinney might be a little far out for an HRC supporter, but maybe not.  If you choose the third party option, please let us know how it goes, some of us may want to contribute to that effort.  The best of luck.

    Parent
    You ignore his points (none / 0) (#34)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 07:23:22 PM EST
    He explained it to you and you respond with a nonsequitor. Bad show from you.

    Parent
    Thast you ask the question (none / 0) (#29)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:12:19 PM EST
    demonstrates that you have no idea what we are discussing here.

    Why? Because as the Speaker, she needs to be a uniter, not a partisan.

    Parent

    Already being hurt in NM CD-2, Nancy,... (none / 0) (#32)
    by SunnyLC on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 06:53:08 PM EST
    due to the DCCC and the games played by Denish and Richardson in making sure the progressive, who did so well (without $$) last time against Republican Steve Pearce, didn't even get on the primary ballot.

    See the update entitled "UPDATE on NM-CD2: NO SURPRISE! BACKROOM MANEUVERING CUTS OUT KISSLING"
    at http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/update-on-nm-cd2-dummy-me-the-fix-was-in-already/

    NobleBill (none / 0) (#33)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 07:22:29 PM EST
    Your comment was deleted as it was off topic.

    I got one of those too... (none / 0) (#36)
    by Fredster on Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 04:09:38 AM EST
    Which surprised me cuz after the last one I got from her I sent a reply and said sorry, no soup for you until after the convention and we see where things are.

    Guess that reply didn't make it up the food chain.  I'll send it again.

    My Advice To Pelosi | 36 comments (36 topical)

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