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How Nancy Pelosi signaled the end of Trump's easy ride
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/30/nancy-pelosi-trumps-easy-ride-ends-with-democrat-speaker-houseHow Nancy Pelosi signaled the end of Trump's easy ride
David Taylor in New York
Sun 30 Dec 2018 06.00 GMT
Nancy Pelosi was perched on the end of a sofa in the Oval Office when the balance of power in Donald Trump’s Washington decisively shifted in her favour. The event in early December began as a simple photo call with Trump – the first attempt at bipartisan dialogue after the midterm elections saw Democrats take back control of the House of Representatives.
The president was in domineering form, making demands about funding for his stalled border wall and contemplating shutting down the government if a budget was not passed giving him $5bn for his unfulfilled promise. “I think the American people recognise that we must keep government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything,” said Pelosi as Trump nodded. “And that we should not have a Trump shutdown.”
The president looked up and said: “A what? Did you say a Trump – ?”
After two years surrounded by loyalists and sycophants, Trump had got his first taste of what life will be like with Pelosi in control of one half of Congress. And as the cameras rolled, he quickly lost his cool, declaring he would be “proud to shut down the government”, trapped on live TV by his temper and the pincer movement of Pelosi and the top Democratic senator Chuck Schumer.
Pelosi walked out of the White House into brilliant sunshine in sunglasses and a fiery red coat looking triumphant and returned to Capitol Hill to make jokes about Trump’s manhood and utter the memorable description: “It goes to show you: you get into a tickle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you.”
The confrontation showed that Pelosi can outwit Trump. It also marked a turning point for her after an election season when some Democrats disowned her, apparently seeing her as a liability in races where Republicans spent millions of dollars trying to turn her into a hate figure to galvanise their voters.
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Pelosi raised $135m for the Democratic campaign, yet when she got back to Washington celebrating a heavy victory, some in her own party said it was time to move on from her leadership. No challenger emerged, yet a “Never Nancy” letter gained rebellious signatures and put her hopes of getting back the gavel as speaker of the House under threat.
The moment where she owned Trump in the Oval Office put a stop to all of that as she proved she could put him under pressure – and with the 2020 election in mind, hope to deliver him in a weakened state for whoever emerges as the Democratic presidential nominee.
(snip)
So, on Thursday the 78-year-old will become the face of Democratic opposition to Trump in Congress.
Almost 12 years to the day since she made history as the first female speaker, Pelosi will be back, calling the plays against Trump and passing bills on Democratic priorities from gun control to reform of voter suppression laws. Of course, those bills will be unlikely to get through the Republican-held Senate, but the strategy will help Democrats define Trump and the Republicans.
(snip)
10 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
Stew in his own bile and gall.
