Pelosi Secures Her "but"

Today on CNN's Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, responded to a viewer who asked why she took the impeachment of George W. Bush off the table. Pelosi's response (below in video and text), is categoric proof of her incompetence, dereliction of duty, disdain for the Constitution and disregard for the people of this nation. It underscores why she should NOT continue as Speaker of the House and why she should NOT be reelected in November.

By not going forward with her Constitutionally mandated requirement to impeach George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for their high crimes and misdemeanors, Mrs. Pelosi has cemented her legacy and secured her "BUT" forever. Let me be clear - I don't mean the double "TT" derriere kind of "BUTT." I mean the single "T" conjunction kind of "BUT." The proviso. The disclaimer. The tiny word that will ever be the prefix to her legacy. The "BUT" her grandchildren will hear from those who know history and politics - and who care about humanity - when they mention that Pelosi is their grandmother. The "BUT" like:

"BUT" wasn't your grandmother the one who wouldn't impeach George W. Bush?

"BUT" wasn't your grandmother the one who let Bush get away with murder?

"BUT" why did your grandmother do that?"

Grandma Nancy, or Mimi as her grandchildren call her, will live ever in infamy, having failed to take George Bush to task. Former Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the man who put Charles Manson in jail for murder, has prepared the murder case against George W. Bush - despite being ignored by Pelosi. Characteristically, both Pelosi and Harry Reid dismissed Bugliosi's request for information for his murder case against George Bush. I have before me, courtesy of Mr. Bugliosi, copies of the letters he sent to Reid and Pelosi. Judging by the contents of the letters, had Pelosi and Reid cared in the least about justice, they would have responded to Bugliosi's request.

Below is Speaker Pelosi's inexplicable rationale for not impeaching George W. Bush. I hope you're as angered by it as I am. It begins with CNN's Wolf Blitzer introducing viewer Kris Craig's question for Pelosi, with the words: "We got a lot of questions like this one" - indicating Americans' deep concern over impeachment.

CNN Viewer: Kris Craig of Olympia Washington:

I'm Kris Craig from Olympia, Washington. Speaker Pelosi, in 2006 you asked us to vote your party into power so that you could hold this administration accountable and yet a few moments after we did just that you said that "Oh by the way, impeachment is off the table."

Blitzer to Pelosi: "I'm sure you're asked this question all the time...

Pelosi: Constantly.

Blitzer: Why did you immediately rule out impeachment. I guess that's the thrust of his [Kris'] question.

Pelosi: I ruled out impeachment before the election in terms of a priority for the new Congress. Impeachment's always on the table depending on the behavior of the President of the United States but in terms of where we planned to go I said before the election that impeachment was off the table. And for the following reasons:

Our country has serious serious problems - some of them springing from this President's backward looking policies. We came in. We had our six [inaudible] six. Most of it is the law of the land relating to our energy bill, raising the minimum wage, having the biggest package for college affordability since the G.I. Bill in 1944. The biggest increase in health care benefits for our veterans in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration. Again the G.I. Bill for Afghan and Iraqi vets coming home. About education. About energy policy. About healthcare. We just passed the Medicare Reform Bill. It was my view that the priority was to get something done for the American people.

Blitzer: And that [impeachment] would have been a diversion...

Pelosi: And that would have been a diversion of the time and it would have divided the country. It would have divided the country.

Should there be a look into the irresponsible use of power by the President of the United States taking us into a war on the basis of a false premise without a plan and how we would succeed and without a strategy to leave? Certainly. And Congress has had that oversight over and over again and we will continue to do so."

I can't imagine that any lover of our democracy, or of our Constitution, or of our misused and abused military, would find this woman, Nancy Pelosi - this shameful example of incompetence - anything less than despicable. She has traded the rule of law and any sense of reason, for passage of legislation - that under a skillful leader - could have passed during impeachment proceedings.

That Congressional oversight Mrs. Pelosi alludes to, which she says takes place again and again, is under the Chairmanship of my own Congressman, Henry Waxman - who has produced NO measurable results from any of his many hearings - except perhaps indictments against athletes for abusing steroids.

Indeed, even after the emotional testimony in one hearing of Jessica Lynch regarding the military's dramatization of her rescue from an Iraqi hospital, and Mary and Kevin Tillman's testimony regarding the military coverup of the friendly fire murder of Mary's son and Kevin's brother, Pat Tillman, nothing has come to pass. Mary Tillman had to resort to writing her own book on the events of the death of her son because Congress just performed for Cspan's cameras.

Both Waxman's "Oversight" Committee and John Conyers' Judiciary Committee have produced NO "actionable" results. The only real actions that take place in Congress are those of the ever present pro-peace/pro-Constitution members of CODEPINK, who constantly risk their freedoms to challenge the criminality of the Administration and the ineptitude of Congress. Regardless of how many high profile hearings Congressman Waxman conducts, he produces NO results. The real criminals - those who orchestrate wars, default banks, drive up oil prices, instigate mortgage crises, coverup environmental studies, and more, are allowed to continue on.

Henry Waxman does NOT have my vote this November. I do not support his charades. In that same spirit of truth and justice, San Franciscans should NOT support Mrs. Pelosi. She has secured her "BUT" for her consituents, just as she secured it for her family. If San Franciscans reelect Pelosi in 2008, they will forever be doomed to hear:

"BUT" how could you vote for Pelosi when she wouldn't uphold the Constitution?

"BUT" how could you vote for Pelosi when she wouldn't impeach George Bush?

"BUT" how could you reelect Pelosi when she ignored the will of the people?

... and on... and on... and on...

"BUT" really, San Franciscans, after seeing this video and reading Pelosi's words, in all good conscience, how can you reelect her?

Follow Linda Milazzo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LindaMilazzo

Comments

[westwind]

Nancy Pelosi made the cold-blooded decision to use the public's revulsion with Bush to improve her party's chances of controlling the next congress to an even greater degree. Impeaching him would bring the baying hounds of the right wing out to attack her and Democrats in general, and Nancy doesn't want a fight, even if it's a fight that is part of her job description.

So the Democrats will sweep the election, and will control congress, but they will have done so by selling their soul for their own political gain. What is worse, subverting the constitution in ways too numerous to mention here, or cynically, as the very person elected to provide the check on a president's excesses, using that criminality to improve your own political power?

The disgust I feel for Pelosi and Reid's feckless leadership is starting to rival the disgust I feel for that of the man they are constitutionally mandated to indict.

[CAROLINA4AMERICA]

I heard Pelosi speak a couple of times before winning her seat and I was impressed with her - but she turned out to be a great disappointment - she flip-flops on issues just like Obama - they have the flip-flop syndrome.

On Monday they say one thing and by Tuesday it changes to another thing --- they contradict themselves and they are good at giving speeches --- we get so duped by great speeches --- look at these people's track records.

Read Obama's books --- look at Chicago --- his district --- who has he helped?

Obama is in love with Obama and America is in trouble if he becomes president. Obama speaks of "change" --- how can he change anything --- he's being lead by the ears by the old-school network --- they own him --- they write his speeches and direct him like a puppet.

WE NEED TO REPLACE DEMS IN CONGRESS!

VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN IN 2008.

[funnyguy]

You are living in Fantasyland. If Pelosi was removed, we'd have Raum Emmanuel or Steny Hoyer as Speaker---both far to the right of liberal Pelosi.

Start living in the real world.

[Charley2u]

Excellent!

[nippersdad]

Pelosi has spent the last two years (at least) laying down and thinking of England whilst we all got screwed. There can be little argument that this is the type of thing that Nader meant when he said that there is little effectve difference between the Parties. If there is a Progressive backlash this year at the polls, it will be because of the broken promises of the 110th Congress and the foreshadowing of things to come represented by the FISA capitulation. Accountability means nothing when it does not start at home; that is called hypocrisy. If only one Blue Dog in the House loses at the polls this year, I hope that it is her.

[jspivey]

I'd like to see Pelosi gone, too, but I think she's right about not impeaching George Bush. He'll be gone in a few months anyway -- it would be a waste of time, money and it would distract from more important things, such as the election.

[nippersdad]

When/if the elections are stolen... again...we will all be sure to remember those who cautioned that enforcement of the rule of law was a mere distraction.

[jspivey]

"we will all be sure to remember those who cautioned that enforcement of the rule of law was a mere distraction."

Sounds like a veiled threat. You can always prosecute Bush after he leaves office. Only those who really don't care about this country and take a masturbatory glee in revenge want to turn the next few months into a three-ring circus.

Find another hobby. Get a job.

[nippersdad]

The last two Presidential elections were marred by reports of voter caging, voter list purges, voting machine "irregularities" and voter suppression. Good to know that they are so very important that the rule of law must be subverted in favor of them because it would be a "distraction."

That argument smelled bad two years ago and it has only become more repellent since then. Seeking the truth is never a waste of time or money; those in positions of power who say it is have something to hide.

[jspivey]

It wopuld have made sense to try to impeach Bush two or three years ago. Now it is a pointless exercise in wasting time and spending money. It will throw the country into disorder at a time when we particulary cannot afford to have that happen.

[skip4Obama]

This is an out lie! She did not take impreachment off the table before the election in 2006. Also,
how could she have possibly forseen the war crimes information that has come to light since that election. She was pandering a position that would be above politics when in fact she has played nothing p[oiltics on this issue! I am contributing and supporting Cindy to replace her. She has done such a diservice to our country and constitution.

[trudem2]

Agreed. Pelosi is a liar, an incompetent, a triangular, and by no stretch of the imagination anything near a "leader".

She has failed this country to an extent equally (if not more) egregious as George Bush.

Since when is enforcement of the Constitution a "distraction"?

[jcorrington]

EXCELLENT post Linda! I couldnt agree more.

[loslobo]

Nice post

Current logic states that the democrats don’t want to fulfill their duty of impeaching this clearly criminal administration because of their imagined assured November victory.

Does anyone remember when Dick Durbin said that he knew all the pre-war hype was BS because he was on the intelligence committee and was told DIFFERENT. But he and everyone else said NOTHING. This in itself is treason, and is exactly were Nancy is coming from. Because she was told of all the illegal activities the Bush administration has done, thereby becoming an accessory because they went along with torture, along with spying on Americans BEFORE 9-11 or allowing NO investigation on who was behind 9-11. If they bothered to read the patriots act they might have wondered how such a piece of legislation was put together in days after 9-11. While any intelligent person knows this was written before 9-11 and nobody asked why. Along with Iraq oil field maps that were leaked from Cheney’s Energy Task Force or why plans to invade Afghanistan was done before there was a “need”. Where is the outrage????

[texanna]

Spkr Pelosi asserts that the Dems said BEFORE the 2006 mid-terms that impeachment was going to be off the table, but I don't recall the chronology of this announcement going that way. The first time I heard that statement made was AFTER Pelosi was elected to the Speaker position, which was AFTER the mid-term election. I'm sure I voted the Dems into power in Congress because I thought they would stop the Iraq Occupation (or at least seriously attempt to do so) AND bring the criminals in the Bush administration to justice. I think most of us that voted Democratic in 2006 thought pretty much the same thing.

[Lemeritus]

"I'm sure I voted the Dems into power in Congress because I thought they would stop the Iraq Occupation (or at least seriously attempt to do so) AND bring the criminals in the Bush administration to justice."

Not according to Rahm Emanuel, you didn't. According to him, you (and I) voted the Dems in because of the economy. Swear to you, he said this very thing on Real Time with Bill Maher and practically got booed out of the sound stage.

[texanna]

I heard him say that on Maher's show and in other interviews. Which is why I hope he doesn't get to achieve his goal of being the first Jewish Speaker of the House. The most amazing thing about that appearance was that he seemed shocked by the response and that he didn't seem to give a second to the thought that his perception might be wrong. Our government is broken on all sides and Sen. Obama is just the latest guy to play the game correctly and win the Big Prize. I don't think Obamas on our side, I think that's just what he's allowed his Obamaniacs to project onto him.

[TekBoss]

Pelosi AND Reid ought to out of Washington on a rail!

When you swear an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and then fail to do so, you are as bad as those you fail to prosecute (or even investigate!!!!!). Maybe even worse.

[nippersdad]

The ironic thing is that the Republican Party has always called us cowards and appeasers. It would appear that our leadership has proven them correct, though not in the military context that they normally place it in.

[tommo]

We really must get her out of there. She colluded on torture and domestic spying. She is as much a war criminal as The Bush Crime Family.

Please do all you can to help Cindy Sheehan get elected in SF.

[ILibertine]

Certainly, if for no other reason than for Congress, representing the United States of America, to go on record as having profound misgivings concerning the conduct of the current administration, impeachment should have been initiated in 2007. All of Speaker Pelosi's other illustrations of action, while nice but not terribly productive over such a period of time, pale in comparison to the gravity of our representative branch of government conducting a justified inquiry into the legality and morality of the executive branch. In an historic context - do we or don't we go on record for all time as saying "all of this was okay with us". I guess the speaker has answered that, but, it's not okay with me.

[RENREVARD]

The Democratic Congress has only aided Bush in his crimes.They have funded this Presidents every illegal action.Pelosi passed War funding, Fisa and I am sure that Oil Drilling will next. Whatever Bush wants Bush gets!

[Vinca]

RENREVARD: I just want to say that I agree with you

[oscarp]

because once elected, they don't care about us, they just want to keep their positions !! when are we going to learn this?

[bichn]

Nancy MUST go. Impeachment is the PEOPLE'S REMEDY against HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. She had no right to take that away from the people. They deserve better. Maybe the democrats are protecting themselves because let's face it...they are complicit with regard to the patriot act, fisa, etc.

The time is always right to do what is right.