Pelosi: Retire or Stay on as Minority Leader?

[Bucky]

Two thoughts here. One is, "Americans love a winner." When someone loses a big election or goes out on a sour note, the current behavioral norm is to go silent for a while and then re-emerge as an elder statesman once the shame of losing rubs off. Recent examples include Newt Gingrich, Al Gore, Poppy Bush, and a surprisingly quick rehab time for Eliot Spitzer.

One recent exception is John McCain, who's following the old model of "it's all business and I'm still the leader 'round here, boys." The standard was set back in the 1940s & 50s when Sam Rayburn and Joe Martin kept trading off the job. (Rayburn was speaker three times; Martin two).

[SteppingRazor]

1. All the examples you name were actually removed from office before becoming "elder statesmen."

So, given that Pelosi's still in office, I don't think that model necessarily applies here. I expect her to keep on as minority leader. I mean, why not?

[Bucky]

7. Clinton's another example. He stayed out of sight for 18 months before trashing Dubya

And in very real sense Pelosi certainly is going to be removed from office. Not as Democratic leader, but as Speaker.

I'm not taking sides in this, by the way, I'm just getting a sense of the room. Stay on & fight right now seems to be a 3 to 1 favorite here.

[Lasher]

2. She should stick around.

Particularly if she'd like to be Speaker again in 2 years.

[emulatorloo]

3. Either Pelosi or somebody else from the Liberal Caucus

I can understand if she might be tired of doing it.

BUT NO BLUE DOGS. That would be preposterous.

[monmouth]

4. She's the one with a spine...A keeper!...n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

5. NO WAY should Nancy Pelosi step down!

She did nothing wrong! She deserves to remain Minority Leader, and when 2012 rolls around and the Democrats are in power again, she should be made Speaker of the House.

She earned that title, that position, and she should be returned to it.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. Stay on as Rep

If her colleauges say - Yep we want you as Minority Speaker - then so be it.

But if they decide no - or she decides no -

The Wiener. I like that guy - and he's so in your face AND in a safe district.

[Obamanaut]

8. Retire. Pelosi has been in the House since 1987. Time for someone

else to move in.

[GSLevel9]

9. she has a fucking 29% AR... bring on new blood!

What about Steny Hoyer?

[SteppingRazor]

10. Meh. If we want a strong progressive as minority leader, I'd take Pelosi over Hoyer any day. n/t

[blondeatlast]

12. Hoyer? NFW.

No Fucking Way.

[iamtechus]

13. She has a low AR because the reptiles demonized her.

Don't let them have their way. KEEP HER!

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

16. You're a Steny Fan?

Those initials "GS" wouldn't stand for "Goldman Sachs" by any chance?

Because that's all Steny cares about. The criminal Wall Street banking fraud industry.

(And for a real stomach turner, dig up a copy of his AIPAC speech from either 2002 or 2003)

[Blasphemer]

11. Stay on until '12. If they don't recapture the house, then she should probably retire... nt

[Bucky]

14. Wouldn't that strengthen Hoyer's cause?

Presumedly, I'd like to see any replacement to her be a true progressive. If she can't lead a takeback in 2012 (which is statistically highly unlikely) then Hoyer is a shoe in for the job. If she goes now, it'd give the progressives, who are stronger in the 2011-2012 caucus, a better chance to organize a candidate against Hoyer.

[XOKCowboy]

15. She should stay on just to piss off the mysogynist old white Republicans....

who spit out her name like she was subhuman in the midterms. I spent most of last month in Oklahoma and all of the political ads mentioned Pelosi and Obamacare in the most snide ways. She should stay on just to spite them.

[Terra Alta]

17. she needs to stay.

We need a good, liberal voice as minority leader... and who knows she might be back as Speaker in two years. Chances are good she will.