Pelosi Thinks Giffords Will Return To Congress (VIDEO)

CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Rep. Nancy Pelosi on "The Situation Room" if Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head in an assasination attempt earlier this month, will return to Congress.

"Yes, I think so," responded the Democratic leader. "The reports that I've been getting from her husband are very positive. You see what's in the press. We'll be looking forward to welcome her back to her committee assignments."

An Arizona state law that allows elected officials to be removed from office after being unable to serve for three months does not appear to threaten Giffords' seat. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that, "In Washington, lawyers quickly concluded that the statute does not apply to members of Congress. The U.S. Constitution provides the qualifications for service in Congress and makes the House the sole judge of those qualifications."

On CNN, Pelosi also spoke about her visit with Giffords in a Tucson hospitol, where the Arizona representative was recently upgraded from critical to serious condition.

Pelosi declined to address comments made by Sarah Palin in the wake of the tragedy.

WATCH:

Comments

[thrdr]

05:58 AM on 01/27/2011

Now if only Nancy will NOT return to Congress!

[Cool Bam]

04:08 PM on 01/20/2011

I also applaud her and her tact for staying away from divisive politics in this context. I will note, however well Nancy Pelosi is liked her, she is about the most hated figure in politics nationally. The best thing she can do for Dems and Progressives is to stay away from cameras until after 2012

[rebel9999]

02:40 PM on 01/19/2011

You can tell how much Ariannna loves Pelosi by the photos. Each photo looks as if Pelosi approved of them herself.

Old ladies have to stick together.

[AgingLady]

02:37 PM on 01/19/2011

I hope Giffords can come back. After the initial rehab work, no reason not to continue rehab in D.C. and be a viable presence in the House. Even during the reading of the Constitution, the House was mostly empty except for the reader and the one just finished and the one waiting to be next. She can be very effective without being out and about all the time.

[NoSillyName]

01:48 PM on 01/19/2011

Let's hope so, but there is an AZ law that a representative loses the job if out for three months.

[MountainPenelope]

01:56 PM on 01/19/2011

The article explains that it doesn't apply to congressional representatives, who are FEDERAL employees. Of course, Jan-jan will try an find a way around the law.

Glad Gabby has Federal insurance. If she was dependent on AZ Medicaid, she would be d ead.

[NoSillyName]

03:22 PM on 01/19/2011

Thanks,MountainPenelope. That's what happens when we don't read beyond the headlines, lol.

Brewer is Gifford's "friend", so I wonder if she'd make an exception were it necessary to comply with the AZ law. In any event, that law should apply to any official who simply went on a three month vacation. Like Adam Clayton Powell going off to whatever island that was.

[schnauzergirl]

02:36 PM on 01/19/2011

You must have missed where they explain that it does not apply in this case.

"An Arizona state law that allows elected officials to be removed from office after being unable to serve for three months does not appear to threaten Giffords' seat. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that, "In Washington, lawyers quickly concluded that the statute does not apply to members of Congress. The U.S. Constitution provides the qualifications for service in Congress and makes the House the sole judge of those qualifications."

[DSM-IV-TR]

12:27 PM on 01/19/2011

Unfortunately, Pelosi doesn't have a good record for making predictions. She predicted that she would still be the Speaker of the House after the mid-term elections.

[lexingtonKY]

12:04 PM on 01/19/2011

I applaud Nancy Pelosi for wishing Gabrielle Giffords a fast revovery.

[shadowrider]

12:04 PM on 01/19/2011

I hope you are right. I also hope you regain Speaker of The House.

You were great on Rachel Maddow last night.

[troika]

11:53 AM on 01/19/2011

I hope Ms. Giffords pulls through well. It is amazing to see the speed of her recovery. For all the unthinkable pain she is enduring, I pray for her to get well soon and return to the seat in congress. Well, I do not want to be cynical, but I have a quaint feeling that Ms. Brewer may be looking to send a republican to fill her seat there.

[Gutenmorgn]

11:45 AM on 01/19/2011

A little known Arizona law may cause problems. According to that law Arizona's governor is empowered to call for an election to fill Jeffords' seat if she cannot fulfill her duties for three consecutive months.

[lizmckenzie55]

12:33 PM on 01/19/2011

I had read that because she is a U.S. Representative that all federal laws trump any state law that this particular law would, therefore, not apply.

[NoSillyName]

01:49 PM on 01/19/2011

Hope you're right.

[LaLa1999]

11:40 AM on 01/19/2011

I meditated on Giffords after the shooting and I must share that I saw her smile and she was surrounding by great energy. I got the feeling that she would return to the Congress. We all want her to get well so this goodwill will manifest.

[carolr51]

11:34 AM on 01/19/2011

Women like Pelosi and Giffords are strong, positive role models and represent us women very well. Sarah Palin, not so much.

[gatos1014]

12:23 PM on 01/19/2011

Pelosi/Giffords are both Israel firsters, they should be serving in the Knesset, not our Congress.

[CoronaDischarge]

11:24 AM on 01/19/2011

Any talk of replacing her is a little unseemly and certainly premature. I'd say she has the right to decide what she wants to do at her own schedule, given that she is regaining her faculties daily. The margin in the house isn't affected much either way. I see no rush. I am certain she will come to the best decision as to if she really feels up to it or not in due course.

One thing is almost certainly for sure now. She will be unbeatable in her district as long as she chooses to run.

[CaptainObvvious]

11:49 AM on 01/19/2011

I was thinking the same thing.

100% unbeatable.

She could even run for higher office and probably win.

Not only does she have the entire nation at her back her opponents couldn't say a bad thing about her without being politically skewered.

[lexingtonKY]

12:05 PM on 01/19/2011

99% don't care what you mistakenly think!

[peacefuldebate]

02:49 PM on 01/19/2011

How about this approach...http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/01/john-boehner-eric-cantor-republicans-house-gallup.html

[Guscat]

12:05 PM on 01/19/2011

Link.

[Nancy Reid]

10:56 AM on 01/19/2011

Why shouldn't she. She was elected after all and it doesn't matter if she shows up or not. And even after a head shot is still probably as smart as most democrats...