Pelosi On Bush Lawlessness: "The American people really don’t even know the half of it"

[Bob Geiger]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) held another one of her regular conference calls with Progressive bloggers on Thursday, addressing topics across the national agenda and emphasizing her commitment to keeping pressure on Republicans to do the right thing on Iraq, bolstering national security and forcing George W. Bush to start obeying America's rule of law.

Asked by writer Dave Johnson of Seeing The Forest about the blatant lawlessness of the Bush administration and their apparent belief that they're above the rule of law, Pelosi reinforced the difference a Democratic Congress has made on executive-branch oversight and said that we only see part of just how bad the Bush White House really is.

"The American people really don’t even know the half of it," said Pelosi in discussing what further oversight efforts might ultimately uncover. "In every aspect of the rule of law, and respect for the Constitution and checks and balances and how they conduct themselves, it's impossible to exaggerate how bad they have been."

"But we are trying to build the record and that's what we have to do. They had been going for six and a half years with no oversight, just absolutely zero accountability. And when people talk about this Congress, they have to recognize that there's a big distinction between this Congress and previous Congresses in terms of shedding the light of oversight and accountability on this administration. But with many of these things, you have to build a record so the public sees what it is."

And, of course, the House Speaker was asked at the top of the call, which went on for almost 45 minutes, about ending the Iraq war. Pelosi talked about her commitment to getting it done, the slow progress based on a slim Democratic majority and her resolve to not give up pushing for strict withdrawal timelines over and over again.

"I am determined to end this war -- it is my top priority," she said firmly. "But I also, in order to end this war, have to take the heat when it doesn't go well. Because this is a strategy that is more than one event, that's for sure."

"We are preparing legislation and will announce it either today or tomorrow, depending on the House schedule, that has our original language about the timelines, the timetables. That is to say no goal, but a definite date of departure. Within 120 days the Secretary of Defense must begin a redeployment of the troops out of Iraq to be completed no later than April 1, 2008. Not a goal -- a timeline."

"It makes it harder every time for the Republicans to vote in favor of this war," she said in pledging to stay in the Republicans' faces on the Iraq occupation.

Asked about the frustration she must feel over the ongoing Republican stonewalling of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, Pelosi blasted the GOP leadership as concerned less with national security and more with protecting their friends, who may have a financial stake in the Commission's recommendations remaining on ice.

"It's almost six years after 9/11, it's three years since the 9/11 Commission made the recommendations. As recently as yesterday afternoon, the Senate said they would not allow us to go to conference. It has passed both houses, it is what the Commission recommended and they have stood in the way.

"If there's a key to breaking open the obstructionism, I think the 9/11 Commission recommendations hold that key because the American people understand how important that is -- it's way up there with Iraq in terms of the concerns of the American people, maybe not with Iraq, but just behind Iraq and it's a national security issue.

"How if you're a Republican Senator you can justify 'I will not allow this bill to go to conference,' a bipartisan bill recommended by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, supported by many others and by the 9/11 families. And it is frustrating because this is as easy as it comes for them to cooperate for the American people, but they have to always be protecting their friends -- whatever the issue is -- they just do not want mandates in terms of any costs to their friends even at the expense of the security of the American people."

Finally, after asking her about the 9/11 Commission recommendations -- and while still on the subject of Team Bush's all-talk-no-action national security posture -- I followed up by asking Speaker Pelosi if she believes the Bush administration is still even looking for Osama bin Laden.

"Well, if they are they're not being very successful, are they?" said Pelosi, who strongly favors more focused action against al-Qaeda. "This president said about Osama bin Laden 'you can run but you can't hide' but apparently he could."

You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.

[MalloyLiberal]

1. Then FUCKING IMPEACH!!!

[Throwing Stones]

8. amen

[IndianaGreen]

47. Pelosi enables Bush's crimes by keeping impeachment "off the table."

Pelosi must let the House hold hearings to determine if Articles of Impeachment are warranted against Dick Cheney, HR 333 is the impeachment resolution.

Impeachment

Supporting Documents for H Res 333

http://kucinich.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=3750

[gasperc]

60. we have to be thorough and methodical

we go impeaching half cocked, gun blazing the public will turn against the democratic majority and the GOD DAMN MEDIA will help the president and his goons every step of the way. BUILD THE CASE, LET YOUR LOCAL DEM REP YOU HAVE HIS BACK. BUSH'S POLL NUMBERS HAVE KEPT DROPPING, TO 26%. This is a key to the political element of the impeachment process.

[Vincardog]

63. IF their crimes are worse than I know why haven't you impeached the lot?

[pocoloco]

2. She is in way over her head!

Things are worse than we know but at least she has a clean table.

[The Backlash Cometh]

38. Well, I got a different impression. I think I read between the lines, but I got the

impression that Mrs. Pelosi is setting the foundation, and *IS* stealthily trying to stir up public support, perhaps for impeachment?:

"But we are trying to build the record and that's what we have to do. They had been going for six and a half years with no oversight, just absolutely zero accountability. And when people talk about this Congress, they have to recognize that there's a big distinction between this Congress and previous Congresses in terms of shedding the light of oversight and accountability on this administration. But with many of these things, you have to build a record so the public sees what it is."

[calimary]

56. I hope she's setting some sort of table along with that foundation.

I hope the way she's talking here - describing the utter lawlessness - well, Milady, "lawlessness" means criminality. Criminality is why you IMPEACH.

[BR_Parkway]

58. That was my take as well - too many uninformed masses still would

think it nothing but a political ploy, some sort of 'get even' for Clinton. They've also had their heads buried in the sand too long about what has really happened. The Prez's poll numbers are down because of the war and he never even appears to consider the reality that everyone else sees. But they wouldn't even be as high as they are if the general public knew what we know here in DU.

I'm thinking that the oversight hearings will lead to impeachment hearings, and will scorch the Republicans along the way with their filibusters, obstructions and loyalty to party. A super majority would go along way towards cleaning alot of this mess up - we could even impeach a few of the Supremes and set the Court back to a proper path if the general masses were riled up enough.

[zabet]

3. The American people are more aware than you think, Nancy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3346094&mesg_id=3346094

[Phredicles]

4. '"I am determined to end this war -- it is my top priority,"' - funny way of showing it.

I realize that the current meme is that a lot of us are "impatient" and "unrealistic" and "don't know how the system works". But as far as I'm concerned the source of great discontent is NOT that they haven't accomplished what they claimed to be working toward yet. I'm pissed because it doesn't look to me like they're trying very hard. Sure, they TALK big. But talk is cheap, and our constitution and the lives of the people dying in Iraq are dear.

[BlueJac]

5. So impeachment is off the table...........

That makes Nancy off her rocker!!!

WTF is wrong with her?

[C_U_L8R]

6. Do tell Nancy

Since you bring it up...What's the half that we don't know?

[Mist]

7. WOULDN'T IMPEACHMENT BE THE PERFECT WAY TO GET ALL THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC? nt

[MalloyLiberal]

10. She doesn't want to get all that out to the public because

She is complicit.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Those are reasons to impeach and remove

Nixon was forced to resign for less.

Ms. Pelosi must stop telling us that impeachment is "off the table" or that Bush and Cheney "aren't worth impeaching". Bush and Cheney are a dangerous threat to American democratic institutions and their impeachment is a matter of public safety.

[blm]

32. I have to call BS on Nancy - congress didn't want to look into IranContra or BCCI, either, and they

were eventually FORCED to because a Democratic lawmaker would not stop investigating.

SOMEONE big in the Dem party is advising Dems to not go further with BushInc, and no doubt is doing so BECAUSE the picture is even bigger and includes top Dems of the last 30 years.

[AntiFascist]

36. Excellent point!! Particularly in light of Hillary being the frontrunner n/t

[MuseRider]

11. The American people know enough

to be screaming to end the war and to impeach. If what we know is only half of it and you know the rest of it then why are you not doing something about it? Boy, this makes you look great Nancy. It is worse than you thought but we can't do anything about it. So, two more years of this worse than we think? Will there be anything recognizable left by then?

Get off your ass, stop worrying about your political future (come on Nancy, the country is behind you) and put these creatures in prison. Get rid of them. There is still a fraction of our constitution left I think, USE IT.

[PurpleChez]

12. THEN WHY DOESN'T SHE EFFING DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT???

Why doesn't the ***** stop bending over for Big Daddy Bush and stand up to the pack of criminals? I'm just not interested in what she has to say anymore.

[Totally Committed]

13. ANd, that's why she's bent over backwards NOT to hold him accountable????

Ugh.

TC

[graywarrior]

14. Seems to me if her top priority is to end the war, then she should IMPEACH THE WAR CRIMINAL! !

[Vilis Veritas]

15. Excuse me?

Get the word out?

Build a record?

WTF? :wtf:

There already is a record. Extra Long Play. 6 Years of SAME OLD ILLEGAL SHIT.

The word is out and CONGRESS IS IGNORING the WORD...IMPEACH.

IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.IMPEACH.

Word.

[earth mom]

37. Couldn't have said that better myself!

IMPEACH THOSE CRIMINALS! :grr:

[LeFleur1]

50. Impeach

I think you have to have some evidence, not just hearsay, in order to impeach.
That means getting some records, for one thing. The prez and his gang will fight it every step of the way as we have seen.
It's easy to call names and say the word, IMPEACH. It's a little harder to do it.
Laying the groundwork is a good idea. Where the evidence leads, they will go.

[blueworld]

16. What's her new strategy for winning without a veto-proof majority?

Or is whining about that Plan B.2? She isn't trying a case in court. The bloody record has already been built by the little we've been allowed to see & read in the news!

Now that the GOP Congress members running for re-election are concerned (conservatively speaking :sarcasm:), is she helping them build a good reason for removing their lips from Cheney's ass?

I'll need to see some proof that she's not just building a house of cards with blood & bodies.

[partylessinOhio]

17. "The American people really don’t even know the half of it,"

Then tell us Madame Minnie and please explain how you could let this criminal put his hands on you:



Stop enabling Bush!

[Totally Committed]

18. That picture makes me sick. n/t

TC

[partylessinOhio]

20. That photo makes a lot of us sick. Merkel put * in his place when he

tried to put his hands on her. Why didn't Pelosi? Just as a driver must do on the highway, she should "keep an assured clear distance" from him or anyone else in her public contacts. If she doesn't insist on it, then these types of displays are on her.

[Warren Stupidity]

19. Then perhaps she ought to tell us the other half?

And if Congress is aware of high crimes and misdemeanors or worse, of malfeasance that goes far beyond what has been made public, then

WHY IS IMPEACHMENT OFF THE TABLE?

[roxnev]

33. Why waste time and money

Hey wake up the supreme court that put him in office is stronger pro Bush court now. You can not impeach with out evidence. and Bush will just stone wall giving any documents, his supreme court will keep him in office. My advice is go get some evidence to impeach with, lying is not a impeachable offense. Bad mouthing Democrats won't help it will just hurt. Yes the Republicans has us by the balls, the only thing to do is buy more ass hole lube, and elect more Democrats.

[dweller]

43. "lying is not a impeachable offense"

:rofl:







guess Bill C. taught you a thing or 2?
dp

[Itchinjim]

21. Please get a grip people,

"the slow progress based on a slim Democratic majority and her resolve to not give up pushing for strict withdrawal timelines over and over again." We have to bring the GOP over to our side on the issues before anything will be accomplished. That is just the cold hard reality of politics. GOP support for this war is crumbling and by Sept. they will have the political cover to vote against further funding. The same goes for impeachment, without the votes it is just an exercise in futility. Jeez, the Bush bastards ran amok for 6 1/2 years you won't give Nancy and the Dems even 6 months before you give up on them.

[tiptoe]

34. precisely! thank you.

[ClintonTyree]

22. At the risk of being skewered alive by all here at DU.....

I think Ms. Pelosi and Congressional Democrats are doing the job they HAVE to do in order to do the job we all WANT them to do. Things just aren't that simnple. There's been a slim Democratic majority for 6 months now. She and the Democratic members of Congress must wade through 6 YEARS of unbridled Bush buffoonery, document it, and present it to the American people (who aren't even close to the speed of the average DUer).

WE, as progressives, ARE aware of the heinous acts of the Bush administration. Average Americans ARE NOT. Average Americans must be bludgeoned with the truth over and over again before they believe it. That's a simple fact. We're far more aware of the Bush administration's crimes because THAT'S WHAT WE DO! WE WATCH THEM. Average Americans don't. They think the government is on auto-pilot and everything is running smoothly, just like the passengers on the Titanic.

It's working, they're beginning to catch on. Bush's approval ratings are at an all time low. Since the first of the year there has been nothing but negative news about the Bush regime and that is due entirely to the Democrats doing their job as overseers of the Executive branch of our government. Ms. Pelosi et al. are "draining the swamp" but that doesn't happen overnight, or even in 6 months.

We'd all like Ms. Pelosi and the Democratic Congress to clean house, to rid our country of the Bush scourge immediately. But our political system is not designed for things to happen immediately. It was designed to prevent knee-jerk reactions to problems within the system. It is designed for measured, thoughtful and yes, sometimes what we perceive as glacially slow, change.

It's only been 6 months, people. At least give Ms. Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats until the end of this year to stop Bush's war, impeach, try, convict and execute Bush and Cheney, will you? :sarcasm: Look how long it took to take Nixon down! Things don't happen overnight. I know we live in an age where instant gratification is considered the norm, but government doesn't work that fast. All I'm saying, is give them a chance. Give them a little more time before we tar and feather them and run them out of Washington on a rail. PLEASE! If I'm wrong I'll issue the biggest mea culpa ever recorded in DU history. I'll grovel at the feet of each and every DUer and bow to their superior intelligence. But what if I'm right? What if Ms. Pelosi and the rest of the Congressional Democrats are right?

OK, I'm now ready to suffer the slings and arrows of angry, impatient DUers. :) Fire away.

[PurpleChez]

24. Those are good, well thought-out comments

I'm still not thrilled with Pelosi right now, but I think to just attack your comments would be oh-so weenie. And who wants to be a weenie?

[ClintonTyree]

27. Thanks.....

for your understanding. :hi:

[PurpleChez]

40. No problem....

I love DU, and I respect the diversity of opinion, but I really do think a lot of people are on hair triggers around here, and I don't buy "six years of MonkeyMan" as an excuse for it. I'm reminded of a thread I started a few weeks ago. I started by describing in detail my own status as a huge fan of the Beatles and John Lennon, but went on to say that I was perplexed to see how, just recently (perhaps because of the film last year), more and more people are quoting him and referring to him as if he were a second Gandhi, just being perhaps a little too worshipful of a man who was decidedly mortal. I mentioned an interview he gave shortly before his death in which he said that a lot of his late-60s, early-70s activism had been publicity stunts. Well, you'd have thought that I had dug up his corpse and pissed in his eye sockets. Even though I said that I looked to Lennon as an admirable, even heroic figure, I was accused of attempting "a hit" on him and his fans. One poster insisted that the OP was so heinous that it should be removed immediately. In other words, they proved the point I was trying to make. Even though I consider myself an amateur Buddhist I have objected in several threads to what I perceived as unjustified Christian-bashing. I've read many of your posts on religious matters and I know your outlook...I am absolutely NOT saying that people shouldn't post comments that are unflattering toward Christianity, or to any religion, but I do believe that some posters feel justified in making insults, generalizations, blanket condemnations, etc., against Christianity that they themselves would find objectionable if directed against Judaism, Islam, Wicca, etc. People flipped out over that. I once made the observation that I knew people -- actually some of my very best friends -- who were as arrogant about their atheism as thumpers can be about their Christianity. While I would have respected opposing views on the matter I was perplexed by the number of people who responded to say, in very absolute terms, that there simply were NO arrogant atheists in the world, that it simply wasn't possible. It was almost like Spike Lee's argument that African-Americans can't be racist because racism is a power thing and Black folks don't have power in our society. I detailed these friends' Coulter-esque fantasies about intentionally losing control of their car and allowing it to plow into groups of pro-life demonstrators and I was essentially called a liar...I was told that I hadn't really been a part of such a conversation, as it could not have taken place. I'm sorry to ramble on and on about this...I got minimal sleep last night and my daughter thwarted my plans for an afternoon nap, so I'm getting punchy. To make a long story short(er), I think one of the reasons Dems have such trouble in so many elections is that we eat our own. While the rethugs would support John Wayne Gacy if he were on their ballot, we'll look at a candidate and say "sure...he's pro-choice...but he's not pro-choice enough." We fight and we pick. We form ourselves into the proverbial circular firing squad.

Again...sorry...I've gotta go to bed....(it's only 9:30 on a Friday night in Athens freaking Georgia. I'm so lame.)

PS: I've always enjoyed the Hiaasen reference. His books all seem to have a sameness about them but I love them nonetheless.

[ClintonTyree]

57. I didn't become an atheist overnight....

believe me, there was a LOT of research that went into that decision. I was raised a Lutheran, went to all the classes, got "confirmed" and all that, but there was always the nagging thought in the back of my head that everything they were teaching me was a bit over the top, too cut and dried for the flimsy "evidence" they presented as "proof".

I've always been one to ask "why"? about nearly everything. I embarked on a journey of research and enlightenment to find out the truth about what we're brainwashed into thinking is "the greatest story ever told". The history of Christianity and all of the dirty deeds and deals that made it "the one true religion", religions that existed prior to the advent of Christianity, the obvious discrepancies and contradictions within Christianity..... I inhaled everything I could get my hands on, pro AND con. I'd say I know more about Christianity than a vast majority of Christians at this point. Christianity, as it exists today, is nothing but a hodgepodge of reheated myths from earlier religions and hasn't an iota of proof to back it up. It's also a great method of controlling the teeming masses, but that's another 1000 word post I won't get into here. ;) Blind faith doesn't cut it for me, it's just another way to say "delusion" in my book. It wasn't an easy decision to come to and I felt quite uncomfortable with it for a while. I've since abandoned the "guilt" of being an atheist and now wear it like a badge of honor. As for arrogant atheists, there are a TON of them, Richard Dawkins first and foremost. I enjoy reading his books but he goes way overboard at times in his ridiculing of Christians. I'd like to think that I'm evenhanded in my criticisms of religion but after all the research I've done over the years it's difficult to hold my tongue at times. I do admit to being a bit snarky at times when posting in religious threads. :spank:

As for Buddhism, I have nothing bad at all to say about it. It's more of a personal thing and shuns all the pomp and circumstance of "conventional" religion. I've even thought of exploring it further (if I can find the time). It sounds like something I could perhaps relate to. We'll see. ;)

As for Hiaasen, what can I say. :) The screen name "Skink" was already taken so I had to settle for his more formal moniker. After living in Florida for a few years and seeing firsthand the absurdity and ridiculous cast of characters that comprise the state, his books were a lot closer to the truth than the tourist brochures. It's light reading that I enjoy in between the "serious as a heart attack" books that I usually read (I probably read 50-60 books per year). "The Governor" was always my favorite character but I think Hiaasen has retired him. He hasn't been present in his last few books and that kind of bums me out. :( Oh well.

Take care. I'm sure we'll cross paths again and now that we understand each other a little better communication will be much more respectful and thoughtful. Oh, that many other DUers would take to time to understand each other better. Maybe there wouldn't be as much combative posturing as there is.

P.S.
I agree with you about the "Lennon" thing. He was always my favorite Beatle (because I believe the was the deepest thinker in the group, perhaps George?) but his ascendance into cult hero status is way overboard. He was used by many people who had their own agendas. They thought having a Beatle on board would lend them credence, respectability and acceptance but in the end it tore the man apart. The whole sordid affair was sad and I wish people would just "Let It Be".

Enjoy your day in beautiful Athens, Georgia ( that's not a snide remark, I've been there and enjoy the area). The music scene there is great, or at least it used to be. Haven't been there in probably 20 years or so. It's going to be a nice 75 degree cloudless day here in western New York and I plan to enjoy as much of it as I possibly can. Seeya! :hi:

[Olney Blue]

39. I'm impatient, but you are right- the system moves like a glacier.

I haven't totally lost my faith in the Dem leadership, but I'm getting very concerned.

[YvonneCa]

51. I agree with you...

...about what the Democrats are doing. You explained it well...Thank you. :)

P.S. I also agree about re-electing Gore. :7

[Silent3]

62. Wonderfully said!

Thank you.

[Malva Zebrina]

23. What does she mean when she says they are trying to build

the record? Jaysees Chreeest! The record does not have to be built any further, and even though the R's were in charge, there were
Democrats who just sat there and let them be in charge without nary a voice in opposition. Just look at how, in this Dem. congress, the R's stand up and be counted.
Qt the least, it makes them appear as if they have the courage of conviction.


Come on Nancy--stop this crap. Put on a pair of jeans and a wrinkled tee shirt. Get your fingernails dirty--miss your hairdresser appointment and your dye job for a while--miss your botox appointment also for a few months, and do something to stop the bragging about your ability to have five children as if that gives credit to your politics.

Then, you will look like us--you know, the little people, the hard working and the struggling to make ends meet people--the mainstream--the gaddam frikkin AMERICANS--instead of a movie star dressed in the finery of very expensive suits. Too low on the social scale for you?

I find your speech to be patronizing.

[TheMadMonk]

41. There is no record. We do have a shit load of evidence.

But no record per se. That has been systematically destroyed over the past 6+ years and especially the last 6 months.

What's taking time is collating that evidence and assembling it into a coherent whole. Documenting it; establishing its pedigree; linking it to other evidence; establishing motives; and perhaps most important of all: Getting as many co-conspirators as is humanly possible.

Bush is nowt but a buffoon distraction, has been right from the start. Cheney is certainly a high level director, but he's not alone in this little enterprise. He has his "equals" running their own little fiefdoms in the corporate world.

[loudsue]

25. Nancy!! Get on the fuckin' TEEVEE shows, every chance you get!!!

Take the message to THE PEOPLE, and educate their crazy asses on what is going on!!

IT WILL HELP:
1) Get the job done so we can convict these bastards
2) Help Democratic candidates in the next election
3) Set us on the path to turning around some of the STUPID, HORRIBLE legislation that's been passed in the last 6 years.

The timing couldn't be more perfect!! Michael Moore's SICKO film is just now out, and people are going to be paying REALLY close attention! NANCY & HARRY HAVE TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.

In the conference call, she said about the 9/11 commission:

"How if you're a Republican Senator you can justify 'I will not allow this bill to go to conference,' a bipartisan bill recommended by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, supported by many others and by the 9/11 families. And it is frustrating because this is as easy as it comes for them to cooperate for the American people, but they have to always be protecting their friends -- whatever the issue is -- they just do not want mandates in terms of any costs to their friends even at the expense of the security of the American people."

That is the message that the people need to hear, so they can call their REPUBLICAN representatives & senators. Just because I'm a Democrat, that doesn't mean that I don't pick up the phone and call my republican senators offices and tell them that I think bush needs to be impeached. I do! THEY need to hear it more than the majority of the Dems need to hear it.

:kick::kick::kick:

[CRH]

26. If the American People don't even know the half of it, ...

then Nancy do your job, or at least half of it. Have your office write up the other half of it, submit it to other democrats who care, for co-sponsorship of the statement, then release it to the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Then the rest of mass media must cover it and the rest of America can know the 'rest of the story'.

Then watch the demands for impeachment from the people make it very uncomfortable for all politicians with a 'R' behind their title, and Hillary Obama and friends as well, not to support. Nancy, if you want the support for impeachment, bring the criminal practices permitted by both parties, into every living room and every office space in America.

If you do this, I guarantee this, Americans love a nightly soap opera, and they will pay attention in their usual voyeuristic fashion, to all the dirt that can be made to stick to the filthy political elite. The ratings would soar beyond Paris and settle in Washington, where media circus, paparazzi, and tabloids could feed on the rotting corpse of our tawdry federal government.

From the carcass picked clean could rise a new government of and by the people, laying its foundations on such principles and organizing it powers in such forms, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. The times have illustrated, the reasons for change, are not for light or transient causes.

Otherwise enjoy the hugs from the President, you can be his designated 'first ENABLER' and Madam.

[barb162]

49. You have a really good idea there about writing up the other half.

[Golden Raisin]

28. By the time Pelosi "builds the record"

Cheney will have Halliburton domestic internment camps up and running and Blackwater mercenaries throwing American citizens into the camps.

[ShortnFiery]

29. Then show us your competence as House Leader by IMPEACHING THEM !?! nt.

[ellie]

30. But please,

don't do anything about it or anything. For fuck's sake.

[Supersedeas]

31. building a record....oh....is that what the leadership is doing...a record for what?

[TheWatcher]

35. Bush should be careful. He's on DANGEROUS Ground here

If he's not careful she might start getting serious, and take the gloves off.

Might even criticize his choice of necktie to his face.

IN PUBLIC.

This woman is a Maverick I tell you.

[pingzing58]

42. She's making sound bites that no longer sound good. Of course the Repugs want to protect their

friends. But, give us statistics, examples, anecdotes, and facts so that we can hold the repugs feet to the fire. Otherwise her sound bites are just that useless, meaningless, sound bites - she can go on Fox Noise and be a talking head for them for the 45 min. she said nothing to the bloggers.

[MadMaddie]

44. It's only been almost 7 months sense the Dems have come to

power by a slim majority....Most of you are asking the Dems to undo a war, impeach the President, fix the VA, fix Katrina, fix the DOJ, and the list goes on......and as they try to fix the things they are aware of .......

EVERYDAY there is a new revelation.....for example Cheney getting involved in the Northwest Environmental Issues...that caused the kill off of Thousands of Salmon.......

So you are asking them to fix all of the problems they know about and all of the new ones in 6 months....Folks it took 12 years of ReThuglican rule to fuck up the country and get us mired in an unending war in Iraq....

It's going to take more than 6 months and a slim majority to get us out of this fucking mess...just sayin...

[driver8]

65. I'm not asking them to fix everything right away. But they shouldn't be making

statements like "impeachment is off the table".

Why does she feel that she needs to say that?

[MadMaddie]

66. I agree with you....she should have never made that statement!

[rucky]

45. I have a suspicion, and possible explanation for Congress "inaction"...

:tinfoil:

I think they have it arranged so the day Boosch steps down as president, he and Dick and Karl are going to be frog-marched to The Hague. It's the only thing I can think of that explains it - other than everybody sucks, which is equally possible.

[Imagevision]

46. Well then, why not educate us Nancy, while you still have the opportunity...!

This house speaker is off to a very unprofessional start, like the rest who are publicly elected elected these people think they can rest on their laurels once the get in. One George W. is one too many!!

[welshTerrier2]

48. 9 more months of Iraq????? no thanks ...

troops left behind to guard the embassy????? no thanks ...
no mention of Blackwater? will they all be removed from Iraq too?

i, for one, have had it with timetables. the right policy at this point is clear and simple: get the troops out of there as quickly as their safety will allow. three or four months should be more than adequate. and don't even get me started on Pelosi's no withdrawal for 120 days. 120 days????? how about 120 minutes?

and what about mentioning the Oil Law, Nancy? how about an assurance that no foreign country or commercial entity will be allowed to profit even a penny from Iraqi oil? How about mentioning that?

and what about "no permanent bases"?????

Pelosi's heart may be in the right place on many issues but her Iraq proposals, even after all that's happened, are still falling very far short of acceptable.

If Pelosi really wants the anti-war left to support her, she's going to have to offer much more on Iraq than she has.

[pingzing58]

52. Build the record? How civil of you gentlewoman Pelosi, while our military men and women

die. Oh, let's have tea and be oh, so civil with the Repugs. That's true statesmanship; while our troops die in Iraq and Afghanistan. Why don't you invite the grieving parents of the fallen soldiers for your tea party to show them how civil and bipartisan you are! Oh, sorry your son or daughter died, but we're doing what we politically can; building a record. It'll be two more years and then, oh, we have another Repug president to be civil with and invite to tea. :sarcasm:

[sampsonblk]

53. OK so when is the impeachment starting??

[DarkTirade]

54. And the american people will CONTINUE to only know the half of it

unless something is done to let them know.

[anitar1]

55. I would like to know why Nancy and friends made a deal with

Bush to grant him "fasr teack" authority with trade agreements. This does great damage to the people of the US. What is the pay-off for betraying us.? I signed the petition Public Citizen has about this. Very crooked goings on, IMHO I trust no one anymore.

[w4rma]

59. Extremely good. She definitely gets it. (nt)

[Vidar]

61. We know enough to impeach, you miserable appeaser!

[L. Coyote]

64. "it's impossible to exaggerate how bad they have been." Sssshhh! It's under the table.

[Major Hogwash]

67. Part of the reason we don't "know the half of it" is because of the Dems dragging their feet.

I am beginning to think that they are satisfied to do nothing more than criticize Bush from their seats in Congress.
But, the American people expected them to do something about it, not just criticize him.

People are beginning to take a hard look at this Congress and they are saying that they are now engaged "in gridlock", arguing over "partisan politics".
This is playing right into Bush's hands.
It's almost as if Karl Rove wrote this speech that he knew Pelosi would make!

We don't want to hear the bickering - we want something done about the illegalities that Bush pulled on us.

Is that too much to except from this Congress?

They are squandering precious time. Instead of looking strong and acting as one, they are just gloating about being in power and admiring themselves.
This is the most perilous time in 62 years to be an American, and Pelosi is wasting her time talking to bloggers!!
Jesus Christ, get off of your high horse, and impeach these bastards!