Talk of Pelosi as Speaker Delights Both Parties

[cal04]

Hoping to win a Congressional majority in November, some optimistic Democratic lawmakers have taken to referring to Representative Nancy Pelosi as "speaker," as in speaker of the House. So have some optimistic Republicans.
She ought to be a big component of the fall campaign," said Ed Rogers, a Republican strategist and lobbyist. "There are some Democrats who make really good bad guys." Ms. Pelosi, the California Democrat and House minority leader, lends herself to easy caricature by Republicans. She is an unapologetic liberal, with a voting record to match (the Republican National Committee chairman, Ken Mehlman, said she was neither a "New Democrat" nor an "Old Democrat" but a "prehistoric Democrat").

She is wealthy (married to an investment banker, she has assets listed at more than $16 million). She represents San Francisco, which Republicans love to invoke as a hotbed of counterculture decadence and extremism. "Is America ready for Nancy Pelosi's Contract With San Francisco?" asked Representative Ric Keller, Republican of Florida, posing a question that, one imagines, could form the basis of many Republican advertisements this fall. Democrats may have some reservations about Ms. Pelosi, but they are largely loyal, seeing her as an earnest champion of the party's beliefs and as an effective leader.

"She has brought everyone together, she has kept everyone together, and I think she deserves a great deal of credit," said Martin Frost, a former Texas congressman and rival of Ms. Pelosi for minority leader. Republicans have made a target of Ms. Pelosi — who has become ubiquitous on campaign podiums, in interviews and in Republican talking points — because the notion of Democrats' winning a Congressional majority is hardly the pipe dream it was 18 months ago.

As President Bush's approval ratings languish with those of Republican lawmakers, polls suggest that Democrats could be on course to lead the House for the first time in 12 years. As a result, Ms. Pelosi teeters on a fine line: between the need to say what Democrats plan to do if they win control of the House and the danger of speaking too soon. She begins some sentences with "when we win" and others with "if we win." Sometimes she will tack on a qualifier ("no matter who wins this election") or caveat ("that's if the election were held today").

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/30/washington/30pelosi.html?hp&ex=1148961600&en=a99943eca9e14b6b&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[aquart]

1. Speaker.....or President.

It's up to you, Nancy. Got guts?

[oasis]

2. Nancy's one of the hardest workers in congress. Speaker Pelosi. Okay

by me. :thumbsup:

[flpoljunkie]

15. Would love to have "prehistoric Democrat" Pelosi as Speaker, Mr. Mehlman.

We call them "real Democrats," by the way, not "new Democrats."

[texasleo]

3. pelosi was a mistake from the start

she's the typical limousine liberal.
I can't think of anyone worse to head the Democratic party in the house.

[Lexingtonian]

4. She's gonna kick their asses

so get that crap in while you can, Bill Keller.

[jerry611]

5. She said impeachment is "off the table"

You can forget about any impeachment possibility with Pelosi as Speaker. Because she doesn't think it has a chance of ever succeeding. Sure it might pass the house but there will never be 2/3rds majority in the Senate. You would tie up an entire year of congress for nothing.

[immoderate]

6. Yeah, they need the time to mull over flag burning and gay marriage...

and the official language.

--IMM

[jerry611]

7. How about improving the country?

If the voters put Democrats back in power, they will expect Democrats to improve the country, not just get revenge on everyone.

[immoderate]

13. Yeah, that too.

Actually if they did nothing, it would improve the country. Because they wouldn't be sellling it off.

--IMM

[Ilsa]

8. Sometimes I think they are handing out that line

to keep the 'Pukes mollified. It wouldn't surprise me if they jumped on it after they retake Congress.

[WhiteTara]

9. The House investigates, the Senate

Impeaches. Just a small factoid.

[immoderate]

12. The House impeaches, the Senate convicts.

--IMM

[Biernuts]

16. The Constitution

The House of Representatives has sole power of impeachment - analaguous to indictment

The Senate has exclusive power to try impeachments - the trial, but senators are triors instead of mere jurors - they determine not only the facts as charged, but also whether the charge amounts to a level worth of removal. Although the Chief Justice presides (for a trial of the president only), the senators in effect determine the law as well as the facts.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Yes. Do we really want Dick Cheney to be officially running the country?

President Cheney--I think not!

Pelosi has indeed done a remarkable job in unifying the Democratic caucus:

Ms. Pelosi, who succeeded Representative Richard A. Gephardt as minority leader in 2002, has been credited in that role with keeping her racially, ideologically and stylistically diverse caucus unified. Congressional Quarterly magazine examined 669 roll-call votes in 2005 and found that Democrats voted with the majority of their party 88 percent of the time, the highest total since it started doing such analyses in 1956.

"She understands her members, where they are on issues and what they need," said the Democratic lobbyist Steve Elmendorf, a former aide to Mr. Gephardt.

Mr. Elmendorf described Ms. Pelosi as "an extremely attentive leader" who would deservedly receive much credit if Democrats won in November.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/30/washington/30pelosi.html?ei=5094&en=88416d148ce1a4f1&hp=&ex=1149048000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all

[Justice Is Comin]

10. Out of all the people

we're going to have to win with, she's one of the weakest there is. I hope to hell they keep her off the television as much as possible.

P-l-ease don't go on the Meet The Press again, or anywhere else. Her and Harman make me cringe every time I see them.

[Greeby]

11. Hmmm, I'd rather they had an election for a new Speaker

And if it's still Nancy after that, fine. But at least give someone else the chance