New Republic: "Nancy Pelosi, Badass"

The New Republic:

Nancy Pelosi believes in being direct. With the Democratic presidential contest running hot, in March a reporter with Boston TV station NECN asked the House speaker about the possibility of a dream ticket uniting Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Doe eyes wide, the nation's highest-ranking Democrat flashed her trademark smile ominously.

"I think that the Clinton administration [sic] has fairly ruled that out by proclaiming that Senator McCain would be a better [long pause, dismayed half- laugh] commander-in-chief than Obama. I think that ticket--either way--is impossible."

Pelosi turned to walk off, then retraced her steps and added, with another half-laugh, "I didn't want to leave you with any ambiguity."

Nope. No ambiguity here, say supporters of Team Hillary. As party elder and chairman of the upcoming Democratic convention, Pelosi maintains that she will not pick favorites in the nominating contest. But, as many of Hillary's people see it, Pelosi's repeated rejection of a "unity ticket" is just further proof that, official neutrality notwithstanding, the speaker wants Barack Obama to be the nominee--and will use her influence to make sure there is no place for Hillary on his ticket. Pelosi is "anything but uncommitted," insists one Hillary adviser, echoing colleagues.

Read the whole story: The New Republic

Comments

[meltingpot101]

I read this article and have a new respect for Nancy Pelosi, not that it wasn't there already, but it has deepened. She has worked hard for 20 plus years to get where she is today.

With that said chances are there is quite a bit of tension between Hillary and Nancy. This may have had something to do with some of Hillary's behavior.


Just Sayin.

[JimR]

I don't see how you can have a running mate who has publicly stated your opponent would make a better Commander-in-Chief. Pelosi was just pointing out the obvious.

[Tator]

207- HAHAHAHA How anyone can call Pelosi "Badass" is hilarious she is do nothing "Queen Bee" ....

[HST]

Hilary "proclaims" McSame to be a better CiC than Obama. As a result, Obama wouldn't want Hilary as VP. Because the Speaker points this out, it means that Pelosi is favoring Obama?

I think it's just common sense...

[noneIn2008]

Remember the 2006 promises of Pelosi? Delivery none, excuses plentiful. Amazing the people continue to tolerate a stream of excuses from the Reps and Dems.

[JackNasty]

Is Nancy Pelosi threatening to take out her tiny can of whoop ass again?

Everyone must be quaking . . . from laughter.

[karela]

What an excellent article! I am very, very impressed with Nancy Pelosi and the job she's doing. She is all about strategy and effectiveness. She has done a good job of holding the worst of Dubya at bay. He didn't get the Columbia trade agreement and she hasn't backed off on giving telecom a free ride for warrantless snooping. We'll have a dem president soon and there is every indication that we will gain considerably more seats in the House and Senate. She could have thrown that opportunity away and still accomplished little with Bush committed to vetoing everything we send. Instead, she kept him from moving forward and she held our power position to be activated with the new president, House and Senate. We are looking at an excellent opportunity to start setting a lot of things right, including the war, economy, environment, healthcare----we will be in an excellent position and we owe much of that to the patient wisdom and strategy of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Bless 'em!

p.s. And I am doubly impressed that she did it all as a feminine woman in Armani and pearls while maintaining her rule with a "grandmother look" that seems to work on crusty old committee chairmen without making them hate her. A truly magnificent female poll who knows her power as a woman and uses it wisely. Her mama would be proud and so am I.

[castrochavez08]

All about strategy and effectiveness?
A good job of holding the worst of Dubya at bay?

Bush didn't get the Columbia deal because of real Democrats, not because of Pelosi. In fact she is still working behind the scenes to ADVANCE that deal.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/pelosis-trade-move-the-go_b_95847.html

She made several attempts to get Bush his FISA deal, working with the right wing Harry Reid. Thanks largely to Joe Biden (real Democrat) she failed.
http://www.truthout.org/article/the-fisa-follies-redux

She has impeded the progress on an investigation into Republican sex abuser Mark Foley by holding up critical information to the case. She is a classic Washington insider.
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Investigators_want_Pelosi_to_hand_over_0109.html

Nancy Pelosi is a walking example of false advertising. She is not a liberal, she does not oppose the war with action, she is a big money insider who personifies all that is wrong with the Democratic party.

[Presidentclouseau]

No one on this thread argues that Nancy Pelosi can't count votes--the corollary to that is that she does not fight losing battles. Backing impeachment would have been a disaster. Instead of facing the prospect of picking up 20-30 Dem. reps, we would be looking at turning back the seats we picked up in 2006. Nancy Pelosi has kept the Dem caucus together--the 16% approval rating is meaningless when you have a President who automatically vetoes Dem legislation--what matters is the approval ratings of Dem reps and candidates in their districts. Pelosi understands her job a whole lot better than her critics on the right and left wings of the party. As for those who say she is power-hungry, the answer is Well, Duh. That's her job, too, and she's doing it with an iron hand in a velvet glove.

[castrochavez08]

This establishment Democratic party talking point is tired, and an insult to all decent patriotic Americans who care about the rule of law, and our Constitution.

But the repetition of the "no votes, impeachment would be a disaster" talking point does not make it true. It is no more realistic than any number of Bush talking points repeated endlessly.

The effort to impeach would be an honest attempt by Democrats to show us that they really are working for the people, not corporate America.

I can easily say it would succeed, an opinion.
No different than clousea offering his opinion, except that one of us is predicting the result would be "disaster" as if it were fact. There is no possible way for anyone to predict what would happen.

Democrats can only control the effort, and in that sense they would be far better off TRYING to take on Bush, than they would repeating their lame tired dishonest talking points as to why they should not impeach.
Ditto for their never ending capitulations to Bush on war funding bills.

[JimR]

I agree with Clouseau. I think the slimebags did such a good job of covering their tracks, that Democrats would never be able to make the case.

But that doesn't excuse their overall general cowardice.

[Presidentclouseau]

Pelosi's critics on the left and the right of the party seem not to to understand her job, and how masterfully she has handled it. She has kept the Democratic caucus together--her blocking of telecom immunity in the FISA bill after the Senate caved is the best example. The corollary to her ability to count votes is that she knows how to avoid losing battles. An impeachment resolution would have been a political disaster--instead of a look at adding 20-30 Democrats to Congress, we would be turning back the seats we won from the GOP in 2006. In 5 months Dems should have the presidency, a majority in both houses, and control of appointments to the Supreme Court. aside from George Bush the person who is most responsible for us being in that position is Nancy Pelosi. For those on this thread who say that she is power-hungry, the answer is, "Well, Duh."

[jesselee26]

see, whether you like her or not, whether you're for clinton or not... this puts an end to the argument that clinton's the only woman in washington capable of wielding some power. and if you're voting for clinton just to see a woman hold office before you die... think about the fact that you're leaving a lot of living women vulnerable to losing their reproductive rights... in some weird, reverse-sexist, hopeless gamble.

[hillarysupporter]

Why is it assumed that Hillary Clinton's supporters are voting for her because she's a woman?
Pelosi is a woman, but I would not vote for Pelosi if she ran for president because she's made
poor decisions. Hillary Clinton's supporters vote for her because of her intelligence, strength and experience, to name a few things. She is the best candidate for president.

[nyckingpin]

Nancy "impeachment is off the table" Pelosi is bad ass? Um, no, I don't think so.

[johnnyjust]

Correction: Nancy Pelosi, Bad Dress.

[YankeeCanuck]

The comments on the HuffPo about Pelosi have consistently shown a streak of mysogyny as wide as Kansas.
Nobody notices that.

[granamica]

No

[beboy]

The American people in 2006 voted in an anti-war House and Nancy Pelosi has done less than zero in ending the war in Iraq. Yeah, she's more than bad-she's evil.

[SEQUOIABISON]

I LOVE NANCY.

If she were not so indispensable as Speaker of the House I would recommend her as VP.

OBAMA/PELOSI