Nancy Pelosi Emerges As Unexpected Villain At Netroots Nation

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

PHILADELPHIA ― The chatter at Netroots Nation, a progressive gathering that attracts thousands of people each year, was expected to be on the rising influence of the left on the 2020 presidential election. But frustration with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, once considered an avatar of San Francisco liberalism, has emerged as a constant theme ― centered on her recent criticism of progressive members of her caucus.

“She doesn’t act this way when Blue Dogs say stupid shit about other Democrats and about the party and constantly criticize the party,” said Markos Moulitsas, the founder of the popular liberal blog Daily Kos, referring to a group of conservative House Democrats. “For some reason, she’s singling out these four for a special brand of conflict. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Progressive discontent toward the California Democrat has been simmering for months, with the feeling that the speaker has been putting the interests of the more conservative members of the caucus over the priorities of the left. She has pushed off pursuing impeachment of President Donald Trump and been slow to embrace ideas like the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.”

But it burst into the open when Pelosi gave an interview to The New York Times, dismissing the power of four of the biggest progressive stars in the House: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.).

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-netroots_n_5d29ee90e4b0bd7d1e1d0aba

Here come the purists again. You guys look so great without a nose.

[DURHAM D]

1. Did not know that Daily Kos is a "popular liberal blog".

I am a liberal. I don't like Kos? Where can I vote on this bullshit?

[still_one]

3. It isnt

[radical noodle]

4. +1

[cally]

67. Pelosi attacked four members of her caucus and did not stand up for them

enough while the four new members of Congress have been under constant assault on the far right. I have been supportive of Pelosi in the the past, but her shameful actions is wrong. I do not believe criticizing a leader when they attack women I admire will cause Trump and the Republicans to gain power. Pelosi needs to take her criticisms out of the public sphere and meet with them in private and show them respect if she wants them to do the same.

[DURHAM D]

71. I did not say a word about Pelosi or any other member of

congress. I made a comment about a Reagan loving "former" Republican.

I think you meant you post for someone else.

[msongs]

2. the dKos editors dont like when people in the room are smarter than them nt

[Thekaspervote]

5. Took the words right out of my mouth

It doesn’t do anyone any good to snipe at our dem leaders!!

[melman]

6. Markos Moulitsas is a purist?

lol

[ProudLib72]

7. It's never too soon for Dems to tear ourselves apart

At this rate, we won't need a third party to draw votes away.

[Baitball Blogger]

50. Yup. Here we go again.

Sad thing is, Nancy Pelosi made it worse. She should call out the racist side of the Dem party.

I have a few who are relatives. If Pelosi is trying to coddle them to save their vote, she's wasting her time.

[ProudLib72]

65. Yes, I think it could have been handled better by everyone

Pelosi needs to recognize that the "progressives" have a huge following. AOC needs to realize that Pelosi is still the Speaker, has the experience, has the ear of the majority of Dems, and can accomplish a hell of a lot... IF THEY WORKED TOGETHER!!

[Cha]

8. Shame on Kos.. maybe if he knew

the facts instead of twitterverse gone wild he'd understand..?

Nancy wants to win the House Again in 2020 like she helped with the Blue Wave in 2018.

Link to tweet

Fortunately, I've seen a lot of people standing up for Nancy on Twitter and against AOC 'cause of her COS, Chakabarti.

[OnDoutside]

15. +1

[tirebiter]

9. Been through this shit in 68, 80, and on and on

Obama knew better’n this. JFK knew better’n this. FDR knew better’n this.

[betsuni]

10. "I came to Congress fighting with the old establishment, but within months I came to realize that

Pelosi can work for us even as she works to protect moderates. I learned quickly that I could not fall on every sword." Former Rep. Donna Edwards. A person with sense.

Justice Democrat types alway, always, assign bad intentions and Trojan horse Republican status to Democrats: Pelosi, Obama, Clinton, Biden, etc.

[Cha]

12. Always. Always Gas Lighting.

I wish Donna Edwards were still in office!

[betsuni]

13. I just saw the funniest thing.

A long post about how dare the corporate-stooges-for-the-mega-rich-large-donation-sellout CBC members whose campaign contributions from small donors is only 1% criticize the pure Justice Democrats who don't take any PAC money or large donations.

Someone pointed out that the Justice Democrats is a PAC.

[JI7]

14. Justice Democrats types mostly prefer republicans in office. they make their money off selling their

shit to angry liberals.

[betsuni]

17. This is true.

I felt silly after Obama was elected when some of the political websites I frequented went from attacking Republicans and Fox News to attacking Obama and Democrats. Ah, I realized, they just want people to be angry, even if they have to make things up. Republicans are easy, there are real things to attack.

[Cha]

16. Oooops! Justice Dems Equal PAC!

Know your PACS!

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

TrueBlue

[betsuni]

18. Ha! One.

Yet millions and millions and millions of Americans will flock to rallies and revolution the America.

[Cha]

19. Tragic that so many people

don't know their most vital priorities.

Right now Priority Numero #Uno is Kicking trump out, Winning the House Again, and Getting Back the Senate.. Before Full Blown Dictatorship Cements itself in our Gov.

[Me.]

41. Well How's This For Nutty

Biden was hit with protests over Obama deportations the other day. So let me see...traitor trump has people, including children, caged and is starting mass deportations and they're protesting Biden?

[Cha]

82. Exactly, Me.. I commented on it

here..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=200874

Thanks, Me!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

68. This

+1

[Cha]

83. Mahalo, Yo!

[Scurrilous]

66. ...

[Cha]

84. ..

[Me.]

87. Of Course You Know

Her COS is a millionaire with a share of a 9 bill PayPal like company.

[Cha]

92. Yes, several times over.. didn't know

exactly how, though.

So he thinks he can say whatever divisive, gaslit thing he can?

[Me.]

94. In My Research

I Learned he recruited her and I've been wondering lately if he now wishes he was her.

[Me.]

38. Run BY A Millionaire Techie

AOC Chief of staff, the guy who was/is the primary author of the GND

[scardycat]

11. Yep Gonna lose this election again

Instead of sticking up for each other, some are tearing us apart. Everybody shut up already!!

[myohmy2]

24. +1

“For some reason, she’s singling out these four for a special brand of conflict. It doesn’t make any sense.”

...

[Gothmog]

20. I stand with Speaker Pelosi

[Mc Mike]

60. I'm with her over no nose moulitsas.

Still like the young congresswomen, but she's my leader.

[GuyNamedNathan]

64. Yeah, she's only been in charge of the Democratic House since...2002?

Really inspiring the young people who NEED to turn out for Democrats.

[DeminPennswoods]

21. The flaw in the logic of protecting moderates

Last edited Sun Jul 14, 2019, 05:35 PM - Edit history (1)

It doesn't matter how many "passes" centrists/moderates get on votes, the Republican attack machine is a well-oiled one. These members are going to be attacked no matter how they vote.

What will most likely happen is that the voters who were inspired to vote for Dems as a check on Trump will be discouraged. Discouraged voters are less likely voters. Republican voters are going to vote for Republicans, they are not especially persuadable and they show up on election day regardless.

My rep is one of the centrist/moderates. The CD is a split of Pgh suburbs and the adjoining western county. The county is the larger area, but the suburbs have more people. The county is Trump country and the suburbs are Dem-friendly. My rep tries to walk this line basically by concentrating primarily on everything related to military vets with a little social security thrown in for the CD's many older voters. He has not taken a stand on any controversial issue, let alone a principled stand. He even voted against Pelosi as Speaker. To me, he's milquetoast and not particulary worthy of re-election except that he helps Dems have a majority in the House. That's the only reason I'll vote for him next Nov. I doubt I'm the only Dem who will be making this same calculation.

[Mc Mike]

23. I went to back Lamb with organized labor last election, in Washington county.

Candidate yard signage, in little Washington and Canonsburg, ran 10 to 1 in his favor.

There was some razzle dazzle with the CD lines, and numbers, after that. His district was 18, then our 14th Dem rep, Doyle, took back his original district number, 18. But Lamb didn't get the 14th district, he's the 17th district. And rightwing Reschenthaler gets Washington county and a +14 repug registered advantage district, and his district is now the 14th.

Pisses me off because I was in Dem stronghold district 14 for decades, since I could vote. 35 years, when Bill Coyne was the Representative. I could understand Doyle wanting his old 'District 18' moniker back, but here's the problem.

From a distance, to people vaguely familiar with the area, the only hard core blue area left to backstop against red ohio and w va now looks like a lopsidedly pro-republican area. Hardcore Dem 14 looks like a +14 % advantage hardcore Repug 14th.

[watoos]

31. People aren't aware that Pa.

is really gerrymandered. More people vote Democratic but we always end up with less Reps.

[DeminPennswoods]

93. It's not gerrymandered anymore after the state supreme

court threw out the maps and drew new ones. The CDs pretty much reflect the state now, 9D, 9R.

[myohmy2]

22. +1

" She has pushed off pursuing impeachment of President Donald Trump and been slow to embrace ideas like the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.” "...

...

...

[Me.]

42. You Mean AOC's Chief Of Staff's Green New Deal

you know, the guy who owns part of a 9 billion dollar business.

[Goodheart]

25. Pains me to say it, but Madame Pelosi has made some big missteps lately.

Let's face it. She DID, in fact, start an unfortunate "feud" against those four ladies, even if it's only one in public perception rather than in actuality.

And she is losing big momentum on the entire hold trump accountable front.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

28. This is where I'm at, unfortunately

Feels like an unfortunate rerun of our 2006 midterms victory. Little accountability for serious concerns and kowtowing to “moderates” constantly afraid of their own shadows.

[watoos]

33. There is another overlooked issue,

first of all AOC's chief of staff needs to apologize.

There is another issue in play, Republicans want AOC and her 3 friends out because they fear them, especially AOC has the ability to change the right wing narratives.

AOC and her 3 friends aren't talking about this much but they are getting a tremendous amount of death threats.
It would be nice for the Democratic party to think about this terrible situation and condemn what is happening.

Anyone see Steny Hoyer?

[brush]

40. Possibly, but why do actual adults have to be told not to blast other Dems to the world...

on twitter? Washington DC and the House is the major leagues not the high school/college/20-something twitterverse where you casually toss out insults of others instead of having the personal courage of an adult to sit down with someone you have a beef with to hash it out.

Blast repugs to high heaven, left and right on twitter as they are the enemy. Other Dems are not. Keep your arguments in-House and DON'T FUCKING BLAST THEM TO THE WORLD.

Not rocket science. Adults should not have to be told this.

[Bettie]

56. It is better, I hear to blast other Democrats

to Maureen Dowd in the NYT.

[brush]

57. It goes both ways. Do I really have to say that?

And I take it you agree the blasting other Dems on twitter is not a good idea?

[LisaM]

102. Absolutely agree with this.

It's maddening. I am starting to really hate Twitter - sure, it's fun when the Twitterverse catches hold of something, and people can be very funny, but overall, it's just harming Democrats.

[Nevermypresident]

58. It's time for Pelosi to use her leadership skills to seek out a middle ground with

these freshman congresswomen instead of tweeting and of all things giving interviews to Maureen Dowd about it.

She is the mature, experienced politician and leader of the caucus after all.

Most of my career, I was a manager. Many times I had smart young pp. on my staff that needed to learn the ropes. All my boss told me was to "fix it". However, I did not take my criticisms to all company employees. We worked on issues one on one, behind closed doors.

[beachbum bob]

26. like this, we have all been patiently waiting since Jan 1 to see

something to hold trump/admin officials accountable. We get strongly worded letters, threats of contempt of congress charges, etc.


Why AG William Barr not a subject of an impeachment inquiry is beyond my understanding when Pelosi herself said Barr has directly lied to congress, If lying to Congress in an official capacity is not an impeachable offense then why even have it in the constitution?

[snowybirdie]

27. Kos and Netroot Nation

Outlived its usefulness years ago.

[watoos]

34. I go to Kos quite often to get the truth,

sorry if I offend any who keep posting articles from "The Hill.""

[democratisphere]

29. So this kind of sh't does a lot to accomplish the Democratic goals.

1.) Remove drumpf from the oval office? Nope.
2.)Healthcare for every citizen in America? Nope.

WTF people?!

[Va Lefty]

30. This sums it up for me

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[brush]

36. Kinda goes both ways. It amazes me that adults have to be told not to blast...

members on their own party on twitter to the world. A tweet out of AOC's office, by her chief of staff, accused other Dems of being like segregationists of the '40s.

I mean really? Adults don't know any better than to do that to other Dems?

That and other tweets is where the whole "if you have a problem with another Dem, don't tweet it to the world, come to me" quarrel between the Speaker and AOC came from.

Another adult way to handle personal beefs with others is, believe it or not, is put down the phone, have the courage to walk down the corridor to the other person's office and hash it out, have a knock down, drag out even, just fucking keep in house. The world doesn't need to know the COS of AOC is calling other Dems segregationists just as the world doesn't need to know that AOC insinuated that the Speaker is a racist then immediately walks that remark back when challenged by a reporter.

DC is the major leagues, this is no longer the high school/college/20-something twitterverse. If you have a beef with someone in your own party, have the courage of an actual adult man or woman and sit down and discuss it with that person. Don't effin blast it to the world on twitter.

OTOH, blast repugs on twitter left and right as much as possible. They are the enemy not other Dems.

[ripcord]

39. I have been wondering about their actions

Rather than making comments on Twitter and then deleting them when confronted wouldn't it be smarter not to make dumbass comments in the first place?

[calguy]

32. "She's been slow to embrace ideas like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All"

Yes she has, and that's because she knows they are losing positions in a national election. Nancy has the experience and foresight to keep our eyes on the prize and not be distracted by these shiny objects. The right wing propaganda machine would have a heyday attacking these positions. Mainstream America is not ready for the far left agenda being pushed by the naive and inexperienced AOC and others. There's a reason they are called " freshmen". If they could learn to talk less and listen more they would go a long way to learning how to actually get things done in Congress.

[watoos]

35. I can't respond to your post

or I would get in trouble.

Let me leave you with this moment in recent history; Nancy Pelosi was Speaker of the House in 2010 when we lost 64 net seats to Republicans. Do you remember her handing John Boehner that oversized gavel?

With that said I pushed for Pelosi to be Speaker in 2018, but I 100% disagree with her position that impeachment is off the table.

[brush]

37. She hasn't said impeachment for trump is off the table. She is encouraging public testimony...

through committee hearings to get the public on board with impeachment as 95% of Americans haven't read the Mueller report and don't know of the crimes trump committed. Hearings with broadcast that live and dispel Barr's lies that the report exonerated trump.

Congress doesn't move as fast as most of us want, granted, but Mueller's testimony is finally coming despite Barr and trump doing everything they can to stop it.

So don't go with the "impeachment is off the table" remark and attribute it to Pelosi now. That was years back in the W Bush admin if I recall.

[Me.]

43. You Can Keep Saying That Until You're Blue In The Face

There are some who won't hear it nor do they want to. And here's something else to add to why it isn't being done this very minute....without support of the Dem House and the country the people who won't answer or show up for subpoenas without the issue being taken to court certainly aren't going to show up as impeachment witnesses.

[brush]

44. So accuracy isn't important now? She hasn't said "impeachment is off the table."

Tell the truth when you post.

[Me.]

45. I Think You're Mis-Reading My Post

My point is that you can tell people she hadn't said that all day long but they will keep saying she did

[brush]

46. They sure will if they keep reading it, even if it isn't true.

It's not rocket science. Tell the truth when you post.

[Me.]

48. You Need Coffee

Obviously you don't see the truth when it's right in front of you.

[brush]

49. Don't lie. That's what repugs do. And accuracy in journalism, my field, is key.

It's not that hard.

[Me.]

51. If That's Your Field

you need a class in comprehension unless I am misreading you and you are anti-Nancy.

[brush]

52. Don't lie. You lied and said Pelosi said impeachment of trump is off the table.

I stand with the speaker and I don't get what you don't get about no being accurate in what you post.

[Me.]

53. Wow, You Are Having A Problem This Morning

EOM

[brush]

55. I'm not the one with the problem. Be truthful. I'm done with this.

[mcar]

59. You need to re read these posts

I think you are replying to the wrong person.

[brush]

61. This is the last paragraph in the post I responded to.

With that said I pushed for Pelosi to be Speaker in 2018, but I 100% disagree with her position that impeachment is off the table.

Pelosi has not said impeachment is off the table for trump now.

Let's be accurate in our postings, and own it if called on it.

[mcar]

62. Yes, but Me. did not write that post

[brush]

69. I responded to the poster. If someone else butts in and doesn't say that the Speaker...

didn't say "impeachment is off the table now for trump" but keeps on with I can keep saying that as long as I want people are still going to believe she said it—what the hell is some one going to do with a person who keeps arguing that?

He/she jumped in and never clarified that he/she wasn't the original poster or say that he/she didn't agree that the Speaker said "impeachment is off the table for trump now."

If you inject yourself into a conversation at least make your position clear.

[sheshe2]

98. Holy Shit.

Boom!

[mcar]

99. I mean...

[sheshe2]

101. Ya.

I know.

[wryter2000]

72. She never said impeaching Trump was off the table

She said it about Bush, not Trump.

[Blue_true]

74. She lost 64 net seats because she got in place some of the most progressive laws and

policies of the last four decades. The right hated her and the Reps that helped her and the far left was busy throwing knives at democrats and telling people not to vote. Imagine where we would be today if the far left had said "you know, we did not get as much as we wanted, but we did get a lot, let's support every democrat and see whether we can do better in the next Congress". The far left was not rational, they tore down Pelosi, President Obama and the democratic party and emboldened the teabaggers, the rest is bitter fucking history.

If you want to do a nasty reply to my post, I am ok with that. I said what I meant to say and I really don't care if you don't like it. But if you want to avoid a TOS violation, DU mail me, I promise that I won't go crying to admin.

[Owl]

47. Exactly.

Well said.

[Strelnikov_]

54. Six in ten adults support the "Far left agenda" of single payer

And probably more if fully explained.

I think I like Trumps tweets better, they are more entertaining.

[Bradical79]

76. Selling it takes effort though

I guess it's just easier to pander to ignorance, and reinforce the right wing's propaganda on government and taxation.

Seriously though, saying something is a losing issue while simultaeneously making sure it's a losing issue has always struck me as a poor strategy, or worse... blatantly dishonest.

[Blue_true]

73. AOC and her crew can take lessons from some of the other first year Reps that they are attacking.

Learn the ropes about how to do your job, take care of your district, voice your concerns in the caucus meetings, not on social media.

AOC and the other three are smart, policy passionate and determined, but they methods they are choosing is causing distance between them and their colleagues, that does not help them.

[Blue_true]

70. My guess.

When it is said and done, democrats like Katie Porter, and Abigail Spanberger are going to have far greater political influence than AOC and her crew. I see Porter and Spanberger becoming US Senators, or Governors or even having a shot at President, they are young enough, and they are smart enough to stand for principles without alienating large blocks of their own party.

[padah513]

81. +1

[Bradical79]

75. Pelosi should watch what she says and how she says it

For a supposed experienced wise leader, she's been petty and amatuerish, drawing extra attention to a divide that is mostly fantasy. The latest round started with "The Squad" voting against a bill to fund Trump's concentration camps. It's not unusual for a small group to buck the party on a hot button issue in the House, and be very vocal on their reasons why. What is unusual is the Speaker responding to four people going against the grain with a perty, condecending, and out of touch quote given to the New York Times.

“All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,” Pelosi said. “But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people and that’s how many votes they got.”

So not only did she sound like she has no clue about social media (100% out of touch with young people), she also basically said that four of her fellow House Democrats (Democrats with large national followings) don't matter. On top of that, "The Squad's" analysis of the bill proved correct. The kids, women, and men in the camps/prisons are still horribly abused, live in deplorable conditions, and money was spent to open more camps. She came out looking rather foolish to those paying attention.

BTW, has she even visited the camps?

On Medicare for All, it's a type of plan that is fairly popular until taxes are brought up (like virtually every good plan to help people). Unfortunately, too many in the party are taking the wrong message from the perception. Rather than go out and sell the public on good plans, they've decided to pander to ignorance, actively fighting against such things. It becomes self fulfilling prophecy.

Overall though, the votes and positions between The Squad and the mainstream party have been very much in line with each other. But for some reason, Pelosi is intent on alienating Progressive voters, suppressing another portion of the Democratic vote.

[Gothmog]

77. I support Speaker Pelosi

[backscatter712]

78. Maybe if she were focusing her attacks on Trump where they belong, instead of fellow Democrats.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

89. Oh?

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Turin_C3PO]

91. Nancy Pelosi IS a progressive.

Her voting record is one of almost 100% liberal votes. I guarantee she’s in the most progressive third of Congress. She is most certainly not a neoliberal in any way. Neoliberals are globalist conservatives.

[nini]

80. The Russians are smiling.

We have learned nothing from their playbook from 2016.

The fact so many 'liberals' are doing their dirty work for them amazes me. These articles are a prime example of their divide and conquer tactic.

[Me.]

85. BAM

you said it sister/brother!

[nini]

88. We must stay focused

Our country depends on us to not allow them to get away with this again.

[Me.]

90. I Agree

but some keep falling for it

[betsuni]

95. The attacks appearing to come from the Left were so successful last time.

The right-wing have their rage bubble of talk radio/Fox News/evangelical Christianity. Now a rage bubble is forming on the Left. Both with the same goal: brainwashing people to hate and blame everything on Democrats.

[nini]

97. Exactly

It's mind boggling to see it all happening again and people don't realize it.

Some people know it and keep it going, others have yet to realize their playing right into the Russian / ring wing hands. It's so frustrating.

[Turin_C3PO]

86. Ridiculous.

Nancy Pelosi is probably the best Speaker we’ve had. I trust her political instincts.

[GulfCoast66]

96. Not unexpected by those of who pay attention.

[jcmaine72]

100. Show of hands: Who wants four more years of Trump?

Because that's precisely what we will end up with if we don't start showing a little unity.

[Hortensis]

103. I can see Russia from this gathering...

?resize=807x807