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

[Nova16]

Now that Nancy's revived her moxie, let's put impeachment back on the table. Let's see whose feelings are "hurt".

[shelobo]

Do you mean IMPEACH ALL OF CONGRESS AND BUSH ?The impeachment of Palin will be better than Clintons was I bet.

[XME]

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

Bingo! It's refreshing to know there are still some Republicans out there who are willing to be honest.

[fishretired]

at least when they are stuck between a rock and a hard place1

[JestMe]

Everyone needs to remember that we are in this position due to the GOP way of leadership. Unbridled greed will cause this kind of meltdown. It wasn't Pelosi. She is just trying to get a point across. This country needs a new set of rules. Obama '08

[rock2casbah]

Both sides? Well 2/3rds of the Dems voted for it and 2/3rds of the repubs voted against it. So how is it the Dems holding up the bill.

Something this huge should never be thrown at the feet of one party. It must be a bi-partisan effort.

[rmreddicks]

Who needs "bi-partisan" thievery? Any more than one party theft?

[noamjunior]

if Pelosi is so in the heads of GOP congressmen that she can get them to vote against something they supported with a few words- shouldn't those gop congressman be referred to as "Nancy Boys"?

[Blaqstorm7]

Hahaha, that's so true. The republicans are just looking for someone to blame because they couldn't get their own people to support the bill. I'm not a bit surprised by their actions at all, that's what they've been doing for the last 8 years.

[keepacoolhead]

Nothing but political theatre with Gingrich working on the sidelines. Anything to make it appear this mess can be blamed on Democrats.

[FastMovingCloud]

HAHAHA!!! Old Boehner will forever be Nancy Boy to me!

[zendem1]

Hope she's not up for reelection cos her campaign coffers just went dry. Bush Daddy and Cheney no like "disloyalty." She'll be sitting on the Independent side with Gilligan.

[olderdem]

All house members are up for re-election.

[SBlackmun]

All the members of the House of Representatives are up for re-election every two years, incl. this year.

[JohnnieP]

Unless they've changed the rules, zendem1, U.S Representatives' serve only 2-year terms,
hence, their being subject to running for office biennially.

[myna]

At first, during the Republican convention, I thought Bachman wasn't so bad. Then I listed to her entire presentation. She seems stuck between wanting to bake cookies and wanting to wear the big girl pants.

[BGDiNLV]

I am enoying this implosion of the Repugs right now. ust sitting on the sideline watching the whole thing ust play itself out.The RNC is in such disarray right now,its sickening. But fun to watch!!

[TrooAmerican]

Rep. Michele Bachmann is hot. what a cutie.

On morning Joe: The GOP always does stupid stuff and then tries to lump the Dems in with them when its always ONLY the GOP doing the stupid stuff.

It was ONLY their leaders that stated the stupid comments, and its a lie and hypocritical to say that anything in her speech was inflaming anything considering the Venomous Spitting that the Congressional GOP members continually spew forth on the Floor of COngress on every bill the dems put out bar none.

Look at this guy say it was embarrassing for Both party's leadership so THEY made these claims.
Dude.... The Dems got the votes they SAID they'd get. The Repubs failed to get more than a third of their party, after McCCaCACain said he'd declared himself the champion of bipartisanship and got his people on board.

ANd it was ONLY the GOP leaders that made the false and childish claims.

[Chixsngr]

Yeah, and she sound much more intelligent than Palin.

[STEW2949]

How long as it been that Obama has been saying that Washington is broken? Implosion of a rotten system is happening. If we could guarantee that the middle classes would be protected we could all watch the flames as the markets consume those who created this disaster. Sadly we cannot. We all must however realise that our democracy needs (at least) two strong political parties, dedicated to govern this nation with integrity. What a huge task it will be to right this ship................Obama can do it and I believe he was intended to do so. If we allow another Republican robbery we will find ourselves with a government that will make the Bush years seem a picnic! Wear the pins, sticker your cars, banner your homes, and show everyone that a vote for Obama is in the best interest of our nation.

[CostaMesaJoe]

Wow. I'm impressed!
The first preson to stand up and admit that partisanship had nothing to do with their vote against the bill was not a "cowboy-tough guy" Republican male. lmao
The majority of who, all used Pelosi's speech to shield their decision like cowards.

[Bitsko]

Who could forget Bachmann saying in August, regarding Pelosi's proposed environmental policies, "We all know that someone did that over 2,000 years ago, they saved the planet. We didn't need Nancy Pelosi to do that."

What Bachmann is essentially saying is, "Just lie back, Nancy, and think of Jesus."

[myangeldog1]

I am sick to death of these Repubs injecting THEIR reli gi ous beliefs into our government.

ENOUGH!

[rmreddicks]

Those people wouldn't know a jesus if he scourged them in the temple or cured them in some fashion. I don't think any human being or god can bring them back from the deadness of which they seem to be so delighted... I don't know any darn jesus. But I don't pretend to do so either.

[AngryCenter]

The Republican party is in turmoil, outright civil war. This is beautiful. Once McCain loses, expect some serious shakeup.

As Ms. Palin might say, "There's somtin' in this party that needs some fixin', some shakin' up!"

[ROBOT8]

HE ANSWERED THE QUESTION!!!!!!!!!! WAH WAH WAH!

[openhand]

the guy doesn't have a future...in the GOP

[beringer37]

She's prettier than Palin and seems a bit smarter....why isn't she the one on the repugnant ticket.

[peskyliberal]

Bachmann is smokin'...but not enough to vote Republican.

[Bitsko]

You might want to get out and meet, or at least look at, more people. ;^)

[Bitsko]

Because she's not only more right-wing than Palin, she's even nuttier than Palin!

[openhand]

She is seriously nutty but the problem is she argues from a fixed position so she is easy to knock over, while plane Palin revolving around McCains dying star will say anything, everything and nothing at all.

As Ms. Palin might say, "There's somtin' in this party that needs some fixin', some shakin' up!"

[AngryCenter]

Too smart; McCain couldn't control her.

[dwillisno1]

Boehner and Republicans prove Sarah was right about Dinosaurs. Modern dinosaur known as a Whinosoraus.

[AngryCenter]

McCain is Whinosaurus Rex.

[dwillisno1]

Correction: Whinosoaurus Wrecks!

[RJII]

mccain should have picked her instead of palin.

[AngryCenter]

He didn't want a woman who could think or talk back to him (i.e. his current wife, who he calls a C*NT in front of reporters).

In McCain's world, women are there to either bring him breakfast, clean the skids out of his shorts, or 'love him long time'.

[TuffCookie]

yea i agree. and i cant stand her lol. she has the creepiest frozen smile on her face.

BUT, she knows a lot more than Palin.

[RJII]

that's not saying much. lol. my pinky knows more too.