My Conversation with Nancy Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the most powerful woman to serve in the history of the U.S. government. She's a dominant figure in the Democratic Party who shapes her party's agenda on key issues from climate change to the economic stimulus package that was recently signed into law. I recently spoke to her about her party's efforts to end the Iraq war and the close presidential race between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Comments

[EspressoAtNoon]

Interesting that Pelosi assures us that a candidate will be selected before the convention. That means that she's saying Clinton will bow out, because it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to collect enough earned delegate votes to pass Obama between now and the convention, yet Clinton is likely to stay in it if she wins anything tonight. Clinton will try and seat Florida and Michigan delegates.

I'm guessing that Pelosi is giving us the same empty rhetoric she gave earlier regarding the Dems making the neo-cons accountable and ending the Iraq War.

I really am starting to hate our government, our politicians, AND our Presidential candidates, ... I really believed Obama's promises, but after his recent pro-AIPAC assertions leaning more and more towards the Likudnik ideology, I realize that the new boss is the same as the old boss.

It's going to take a bloody revolution to turn this country around and get it back on the right track. They are all beholden to special interests and ensuring that change doesn't happen.

[RISEUPAMERICA]

Nancy Pelosi Needs to stand up for the Constitution! She needs to get Impeachment back on the table and press it forward!!

she also needs to grow a backbone and quit funding this war!!

America can not afford this war or the crime against it's constitution

[browndog2]

The only thing Pelosi has going for her is that her counterpart in the Senate is even more inept at moving meaningful legislation than she is.

[mrdontplay]

...what a Nancy Pelosi is.

[dax49]

why didn't he discuss the fact that the democrats cave on every single confrontation in congress with the bush white house?

[milo9]

That is noteworthy and universally ignored by the pundits.

[Macready]

hey Nancy . . .when are you going to do the decent thing and put impeachment on the agenda . . . . you seem more content to keep the neo-cons happy that to serve the American public

[SFreeborn]

Do you think calling for impeachment would neccessarily stick to Cheney? If it didn't we would suffer a Cheney administration. NO thanks. Bush is dumb as a stump. Cheney would beat us with a stump.

I agree that the Constitution needs defending, but look at the succession to the presidency. Who among them would you want?

[754]

Last I heard, you don't support and defend the Constitution when it's convenient, or when you feel like it.

Nancy, what the hell are you doing??? While it makes me proud to have a woman Speaker of the House, I'll show you the same respect that I would a man who is not doing his job properly; the oath you took was to support and defend the Constitution, not George Bush.

If you are not going to fight, then get out of the way so we can get someone who will. It shouldn't matter, but there is no political downside to fighting for the Constitution. Why are Congressional Democrats so afraid to do the right thing? The vast majority of Americans want us out of Iraq. The vast majority of Americans want you to at least push back against the Bush administration and yet you all cave in to them at every turn. I can't remember the last time I heard about you breaking heads to win a vote. If you are going to lose, go down swinging- you'll win in the long run.

I truly expected more fight from you and your team. We are out here to support you. You are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for our country's sake, do your duty.

[FreedomLoverX]

Well, I agree about impeachment, and if anyone ever deserved it, we know who does. BUT, if it would have been best for the country at that moment is up to debate. With only a couple years left to a new presidency, we would have had to deal with Bush, Cheney, ETC... and have all the time in the senate taken up with an enslaught of stuff - none of which would have necessarily put us in an immediately better position. PLUS, it would have put Nancy right in the Whitehouse, and I think even the possibility of that might have prevented her from acheiving the speaker position. We are making progress - too slowly. I hope that all the crimes perpetrated will be paid for in one way or another. I fear, the whole bunch of them will get off scot free. Maybe, with a new president and a new Attorneyu General, we will see at least SOME justice done... Man- the last 8 years... we are so messed up.

I hope our constitutional professot winds up in the Whitehouse. That might help turn things around in a hurry.

[milo9]

She has to be taken off the chessboard. She's part of the problem. Cyndi Sheehan. Anybody!

[milo9]

Back in the day, there was a song by Dylan that applies to Charlie here, " You don't what is happening, do you, Mr. Jones".

[milo9]

Charlie Rose, like most pundits, is unbelievably disconnected. No questions on the train of capitulations committed by House? Everything is beautiful!

[Rowland]

The matter of impeachment is not one of political calculation where advantage is of concern. Nor is it a calculation of distraction. If there are impeachable offences there is a fundamental duty to the nation, to the victims, and to the world that the machinery of government go forward with the constitutional duty. That responsibility is not there as an option, it is a mandate. To abrogate that moral duty by saying that it is "off the table" is anathema to the presumption to power. It renders the country a rogue nation because impeachment is the way in which a democracy is infused with a conscience.
We must not abandon impeachment because it is our moral compass.

[Advocate123]

Charlie:

I loved your tribute to William F. Buckley. It was wonderfully moving!!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I don't excuse the obstructionist Republicans one iota, but I do say Nancy Pelosi has violated her oath to uphold the Constitution.

The 2006 election mandate was clear: end the Iraqupation. Instead, we've had two more years of enabling Bush to trample the Constitution, and ESCALATE the war.

Pelosi, and Reid, are responsible for Congress's rating being LOWER than Duhbya's.

For shame.

[jglatzer]

I absolutely agree, this Democratic leadership has spit in the face of every voter who put them into power. For 2 years I have heard Pelosi make statements about "the days of giving this President a blank check for the war are over". I actually got my hopes up at first that the leadership would stand up to Bush. It's not just the war, but it's FISA, it's confirming Mukasey, it's backing down every time their alleged principles are put to the test. I have completely given up hope in the Democratic Party they are only a slightly less corporate version of the Republicans, but at least Republicans tell you what they're going to do and do it. The Democrats pull a bait and switch every time, running on hope and change, but governing from the center right every time, from Carter to Clinton the misleading of the liberal voters never ends. I fear Obama is the next in this sad line of disappointments. I have no choice but to vote for Nader, and encourage everyone else to do the same.