GOP Rep: Republicans Complaining About Pelosi Are "Babies Sucking Their Thumbs"

Roll Call reports (subscription req'd)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) threw cold water on a key rationale House Republican leaders have been employing this afternoon to explain why they couldn't deliver more GOP votes for the Wall Street bailout package.

At a Monday afternoon press conference, GOP leaders argued that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) cost the measure a dozen Republican votes by delivering an overly partisan floor speech in support of it.

But Bachmann, speaking at a Republican Study Committee press conference, told reporters, "I want to assure you that was not the case. We are not babies who suck our thumbs. We have very principled reasons for voting no."

Bachmann was responding to comments Democratic leaders made dismissing the GOP leaders' claims. But she apparently confused the Democratic response with the initial charge by Republicans, and her comments mirrored those of the Democratic leaders.

UPDATE: More from GOP Rep. John Shadegg on Tuesday's Morning Joe:

Joe Scarborough: Let's bring in Republican Arizona Representative John Shaddegg. Did you vote against this bill because your feelings were hurt by Barney Frank or Nancy Pelosi?

John Shadegg: No, I didn't. It was a stupid speech by her. They didn't move any votes.

Joe Scarborough: Was Boehner wrong?

John Shadegg: Yes. It was embarrassing for leadership on both parties to lose the bill so they made a stupid claim.

Comments

[BarackMan]

Rep. Michele Bachmann.......very MILFy. But I disagree with her political view.

President Obama next 8 years!

[rivrgrrl]

Appearance-wise, she's no double bagger, but you will need duct tape for her mouth.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Might as well *F* her, she and her party have been *F*ing the American Public for 30+ years.

[LeftLeanWing]

can I have my cigarette now and a pizza ?

[Joeblue]

Nice looking allright, too bad she's a repukelican. I suppose if she gets defeated and needs a job she could escort and make good money.

[harriettubman]

From what I'm hearing the bailout included paying off loans to foreign lenders and giving Paulson a blank check. If that's true then I'm glad they voted against it. The homeowners need to be helped in this loan too with CEO's getting no bonuses at all.

[TrooAmerican]

Thats true but we'll never get out of this cycle of BS until we change White house administrations to Obama's and make wholesale changes in congress in a tidal wave of new dems over a new set of minority repubs.

The House GOP's plan believe it or not, was to come in and hand over billions in tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate elites and their big profit money making schemes.

nice.
sure are lookin out for mainstreet huh.

[ProudAmerican23]

"The House GOP's plan believe it or not, was to come in and hand over billions in tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate elites and their big profit money making schemes."

Where are you buying your crack from????

[mike42nola]

You are dreaming and in lala land. That sure will not resolve any of these issues since the dems had a huge role in relaxing the lending regulations so every American, regardless of the means to do so, would be able to buy property and own their own home. This backfired in Carters face, Clintons face and Bushs face. We cannot keep living this dream that 1% of the American wage earners can support 95% of the government spending. The dems have done more than their fair share of wasting taxpayer dollars and both sides need to be thrown out on their a@@es and replaced with fresh faces from both parties. This bs partisan bickering is exactly where the elite congress wants the American people to be so that they can better control us. We need to stand up for our rights, demand that the government cut taxes for all of us, provide incentives for corporations to provide and increase well paying jobs, demand that the government live within it's means just like you and I have to do and, lastly, demand that all of this destructive and divisive partisan rhetoric that serves no purpose except to divide us and make us weaker stop.

[rivrgrrl]

No blank check for Paulson.

Yesterday, I was against this bill. I thought it was just an extension of shrub's three paged original. After reading (most) of it online and researching more into it, I've decided to support it's passage. It does have safeguards and oversight in it, enough to turn my opposition to acceptance. It is not perfect, but nothing ever is and we don't have a lot of time to dicker back and forth.

[rmreddicks]

If this were a bill that created decent paying jobs, helped rebuild the infrastructure, moved towards universal healthcare and a green economy, I'd support it. Even in the revised edition it's a sell-out to the thieves who concocted this mess, not a bail-out for anyone other than those same thieves. The next edition ought to be interesting.

[ProudAmerican23]

Why exactly are the rest of us suppose to pick up the tab for the homeowners who tried to buy more house than they could afford? If I go buy a Porsche that I cant afford will you be willing to pay for it for me?

[ellawensmom]

No doubt!
I'm just wondering how these people got these loans!
I don't have good credit, and I have a tough time getting people to take my cash!
Whoever these people talked to, that's who I need to meet!!!

[albanaeon]

Yeah, there's a lot of that, but let's not forget that some of the blame is also on these shifty mortgage companies that had these loans that allowed stupid people to buy more house than they could afford and then sell these loans to banks so they never have to worry about the consequences. The bad part is, those of us who were smart about which house they bought are still getting hammered with the devaluation of their homes. Maybe you should look a bit more at the big picture.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

If my stereotypical 'lazy bum' brother-in-law asked me to loan him $500, and I know that he has no way to pay me back but I loan him the money anyway, whose fault is it when I'm out that $500?

[mike42nola]

That is exactly what your democratic representatives want us to do. Pay more taxes so they can help people buy things that they otherwise cannot afford. Ever heard of the Earned Income Credit? This is a tax refund to a person that pays no taxes. It should be called the Unearned Income Credit. How can we keep taking out of the pockets of people that succeed to waste money on idealism that doesn't work? The entire housing crunch and credit crunch is because of idealistic politics trying to allow regulations on lending to be relaxed so people who normally wouldn't qualify for a home loan could get one. The means to pay it back took a backseat to actually getting them approved for the loan. Talk about putting the cart before the horse.
This is where all of this idealism gets you, no matter how well meaning, there still must be a time to pay the piper and if the piper doesn't get paid nobody sings or dances.

[mike42nola]

There was help for homeowners. You just had to be already living off of the government so you could get more free money at the hard working peoples expense. It also had billions in it for ACORN and to increase funding for the Community Redevelopment Act which has been a failure from the day it passed and ACORN is under indictment in a number of states for perpetuation voter fraud by signing up democrats and throwing away republican registrations that they take.
This bill should have never been brought to the floor for a vote to begin with. Pelosi is a socialist and needs to be thrown out of office.

[GuidedByEwoks]

This may be the only thing good Bachmann has ever done in congress. And hopefully, the last thing. Go, El Tinklenberg '08!

[TrooAmerican]

Tinkle? omg. ahahaha

[GuidedByEwoks]

Not as funny as Bachmann's positions. TINKLENBERG! TINKLENBERG! TINKLENBERG!

[rivrgrrl]

I'll second that.

[minty68]

My plea to all Virginians in the 7th District - vote out Eric Cantor!

[WAWTU31]

we need t\o list them all and the state they represent

[mike42nola]

Please list all of the partisan demagouges so that they may all be thrown out of office. The only leaders that should be re-elected are the ones that show a clear and obvious record of working with the other party to get the peoples business accomplished in a fair and sensible manner.
If they vote with their own party more than 75% of the time, we need to dump them.
I was proud to see how well the two parties in the house worked to defeat the bailout bill which is a horrible piece of legislation. That is the first time since the Clinton years that they have worked this closely together with the exception of voting to go to war in Iraq.

[TrooAmerican]

My plea to all Virgins in the 7th district, go wild!

[Tommygun264]

Bonehead is just in a snit because he had to actually sober up for more than two days in a row.

[TrooAmerican]

Yeah, he does seem Drunk on the job a lot doesnt he.?

[DawnLA]

As usual there was so much backlash the Republicans had to backtrack. They realized how infantile they sounded and now they are claiming Pelosi's speech is not the reason. So back to my original question, why did the House repubs vote no? Was it a bad bill?

[ProudAmerican23]

The public sure thinks it was!

[ProudAmerican23]

Steve Forbes and Donald Trump both said something Very intersting yesterday - that we should watch the oil price. Dow Jones market dropped... so oil dropped, when they do pass some version of the bill depending on the price tag, then OPEC will adjust their oil cost in order to eat up profits (benefit) that we couldve accomplished with the deal!

[lefty74]

Many cited that there were too many regulations. You know, the Pubs are "free market" advocates. Many felt it would stifle the free markets if there was so much regulation. To some Pubs' credit though, a few were purely concerned about the taxpayer burden.

[maying]

yes, that was definitely a big mistake when the repubs came out and said that it was pelosi's speech that doomed the bill. it was very very childish. they should just have said that they voted no because their constituents did not want the bill to pass.

[CaliTLC]

Poor babies. Their republican feelings were hurt, they were embarrassed, and they were sucking their thumbs. Are they like the so-called "GIRLY MEN" that Gov. Schwarzenegger referred to previously. I think so.
Obama-Biden 2008-2016

[daBinsi]

OMG! that reminded me the GIRLY MEN!!!

[lefty74]

I believe it was actually 'Economic Girly Men'. Even more fitting.

[gintheb]

She's cuter than Palin. Why didn't McCain pick her for vepp?

[bandooluLiberal]

maybe because she has some sense and is not just an empty suit?

[nellie]

my thoughts exactly

[Le nombril]

No, that's not it. She's just as dumb as Palin.

[kburlz]

Good question!

[engineer68]

Check out what she did to Bush at the 2007 State of the Union speech.

[esgabel]

You need to read more about Bachman--this is one of the few things she has said and done that has made sense...she is a bit wiffty!

[TrooAmerican]

Mainly cuz Palin brought in the evangelicals. You know they have been just waitin at the edge of their seats (pews) for someone being magically blessed against Witchcraft, and curses and seeing apparitions to Mobilize them all to vote for McCacaCain.

[lefty74]

Because she's not a sheep. She's actually bright and has a mind of her own. Granpappy can't 'mold' her.

[KareninSac]

WAAAAA, Nancy called me names. I'm gonna grab my blankie and go home! Whiners!

[jupitor]

hey fedup, So where does shadegg stand with ya! Or is it just strong minded femal Republicans who tell the trueth ya don't like! at least a couple of the repugs are tired of the crap/tell the trueth!

[fedupwithrepublicans]

Minnesota is so red-faced over Bachmann. She is our Palin!

[rivrgrrl]

And hopefully we will not be seeing much of either of them after Nov.

[barackobama4prez]

how is she palin? she's a ineffective liar?

[JohnnieP]

The fact of the matter is that the Republicans in Congress can't handle the truh. What Speaker
Pelosi said was true. The entire Wall St. meltdown was caused by Republican greed, starting
with the Reagan Admnistration. The banking and securities regulations placed into effect by
the Roosevelt Administration were done so for a purpose and kept the U.S. financial sytem un-
der control for over 45 years, until the Reagan Administration sought to line its' own pockets
and the pockets of the nation's upper-most classes by introducing its self-servingderegulation
mantra to the federal government.Now that the sh_t has hit the fan after years of Republican
excess and Wall St. is near a point of collapse, the House Republicans yell foul when called
on their complicity in the matter.

[cowboyjerkface]

As much as I favor Barack, I have always thought Pelosi was a gutless soul.

She could have held the republics to the fire but never did. And now she gets all cute on the floor of the House. It was uncalled for.

But then again I would be even more embarrassed if I was one of the republic males who dared to say "Oh boo hoo....Nancy hurt my wittle feelings"......come on boys, shes a liberal from Frisco and you ran from her and cried. What does that say for the male gender of the republic party????

[rock2casbah]

If you watch CSPAN. Both sides get up and run off at the mouth for a few minutes over every single thing that they vote on. That was nothing unusal what Pelosi said or did.

That was a pathetic and weak reason to claim non-cooperation in something so critical to the nation.

[harriettubman]

I blame both sides here. Bush may be president but its a Democrat controlled house right now so Dems can't be absolved of any responsibility.

Where was Barney Frank while he was overseeing the finance committee? Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac didn't get like this overnight.

[UNCLEJOE]

The Democrats do not control the house until they have a majority of 60% to over-ride Bush's Veto,

[rmreddicks]

I'd say the speech was posturing by Pelosi, and the repub response was more posturing. They (the two parties & the moneyed) want this thing. But for the first time in a long time both sides (or almost all 'elements') of the electorate said no.

[Soundofthunder]

NEWSFLASH: John Boehner claims Nancy Pelosi nailed him in the forehead with a spitball. Breaks down in tears. Film at eleven.

SOT

[dct1999]

D@mmmmn you, I spilled my drink.

CTFU!

[rivrgrrl]

LOL

[lefty74]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jealousmonk]

Michelle Bachmann is my congresscritter. This is the first time I've been proud of her. I'll take opposition to this supposed fix in any way even from her.

That said, she is in a tight race with El Tinklenberg despite the fact that he has little money and she has scads. If you feel like sending a few bucks his way, here is his site.

http://www.tinklenberg08.com/