Pelosi defends handling of 4 House women as Democrats fume about Ocasio-Cortez's top aide

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday defended her treatment of four liberal freshman lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has accused her of targeting “newly elected women of color” through a series of public remarks dismissing their political influence inside the House.

Pelosi refused to respond directly to Ocasio-Cortez’s accusation at a Thursday news conference but said she had to speak out to defend her moderate members after Ocasio-Cortez’s top aide accused them of racist actions.

“Our members took offense at that. I addressed that. How they’re interpreting and carrying it to another place is up to them, but I’m not going to be discussing it any further,” Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters.

Saikat Chakrabarti, Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, referred to moderate Democratic groups in a tweet last month as “New Southern Democrats” who are “hell bent to do to black and brown people today what the old Southern Democrats did in the 40s.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pelosi-defends-handling-of-squad-as-democrats-fume-about-ocasio-cortezs-top-aide/2019/07/11/985c52a6-a3e7-11e9-bd56-eac6bb02d01d_story.html?utm_term=.086241e577a2

[brooklynite]

1. UPDATE: House Dem Shreds AOC and Colleagues for Playing the 'Race Card'

A House Democrat blasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive allies for their ongoing feud with House Speak Nancy Pelosi, saying “their ignorance is beyond belief.”

Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) fumed at AOC and other House progressives for their dispute with the House speaker, and accused them of playing “the race card.”

“What a weak argument, because you can’t get your way and because you’re getting pushback you resort to using the race card? Unbelievable. That’s unbelievable to me,” Clay said according to The Hill. “I could care less. I could really care less. I agree with the Speaker. Four people, four votes out of 240 people, who cares.”

Clay is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and is considered a centrist Democrat. The progressive group Justice Democrats has endorsed his primary challenger Cori Bush, and Clay took time to bash Justice Democrats as well.

https://www.mediaite.com/election-2020/house-dem-shreds-aoc-and-colleagues-for-playing-the-race-card-their-ignorance-is-beyond-belief/

[BeyondGeography]

2. Time to suck up and punch down

Yippee!

[DURHAM D]

7. I don't understand your post.

Who do you think is punching down?

[BeyondGeography]

8. I don't understand why you don't understand

[orangecrush]

44. Me neither

[PETRUS]

21. What, are you against tradition or something?

[Watchfoxheadexplodes]

6. Whoa!

Some are headed for a time out.

[Cha]

17. Exactly.. that's not good..

Link to tweet

Mahalo, Rep Clay

[Politicub]

32. Cha, Lucy McBath is amazing. She's my rep.

She's getting a lot accomplished, though quietly and effectively. It stands in stark contrast to AOC, who is creating a lot of news headlines, but not getting many of her priorities moving through the legislative process.

And it's too bad that AOC decides to attack her own party. She has a remarkable talent for using social media and could be a real asset to the democratic party and not just herself.

I know that sounds kind of salty -- I have been feeling salty here lately (but working on it) -- but AOC has so much potential and it's hard to see it wasted by attacking her fellow travelers.

[Cha]

35. Not salty.. just right! Good to hear about

Rep Lucy McBath from a constituent of hers, Politicub.

Nancy just wants to Win the House Again like she helped do in the BueWave of 2020.

Link to tweet

P.S. Jahana Hayes should be added to the list of Reps Lucy McBath, Lauren Underwood, and, Sharice Davids.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=12268011

[Politicub]

36. I would never bet against Nancy!

I trust her instincts. She's brilliant and we're so fortunate to have her as speaker of the house.

[cntrfthrs]

37. the fact stands...

that pelosi singled out these 4 progressives....who are women of color...

[Cha]

39. Not Because of it!

Link to tweet

[George II]

48. So what are you implying?

[sheshe2]

50. No.

That fact is not a fact.

And no, she did not.

Welcome back.

[ehrnst]

61. How did she "single them out?"

And after their attempts to make Democrats look "racist" for opposing the nomination of Al Gonzales as AG, the GOP must be having drinks to celebrate that a Democrat has taken over that effort for them....

Link to tweet

Ro Khana's Take on the Closed Door Meeting of the Democratic Caucus
with added context from John Yarmuth.

Steny Hoyer also spoke at the closed-door meeting.

“He said, come to me, criticize me in person. But let's be unified when we're dealing with McConnell. The real obstacle, which I agree with, is Mitch McConnell. Our fire should be directed at him,” said progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

Leaving the meeting, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.), a de facto member of leadership as the chairman of the House Budget Committee, said Hoyer emphasized that intraparty squabbles should be kept out of the public square.

“Steny gave a very impassioned unity talk just a few minutes ago, talking about how important everybody is to getting our agenda done [and] that if we have problems with each other we ought to address each other and not go outside,” Yarmuth said.

Asked if Hoyer’s message was directed at Pelosi, Yarmuth chuckled. “It was directed at everyone,” he said. “They know who they are.”

It is also being reported that Pelosi said:

“I hope there will be some level of respect and sensitivity for our — each individual experience that we bring to this Caucus,” Pelosi said. “You make me the target, but don’t make our Blue Dogs and our New Dems the target in all of this because we have important fish to fry.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/452422-pelosi-scolds-democrats-for-public-barbs
21

[Politicub]

31. Yes! This!

AOC is completely out of line.

“What a weak argument, because you can’t get your way and because you’re getting pushback you resort to using the race card? Unbelievable. That’s unbelievable to me,” Clay said according to The Hill. “I could care less. I could really care less. I agree with the Speaker. Four people, four votes out of 240 people, who cares.”

[George II]

55. Chakrabarti and Justice Democrats and Cortez endorsed and campaigned for Cori Bush last year....

...in the primary, too. Clay defeated her by 57% to 37%, and then he went on to with the general election with more than 80% of the vote.

So now they're once again going to try to destroy a very popular and effective DEMOCRAT again next year.

Incidentally Ms. Bush also entered the Senate primary in 2016, she got 13% of the vote.

[DURHAM D]

3. Saikat Chakrabarti is a problem for AOC.

He thinks that he is the Congresswoman.

[Marengo]

30. Wearing a shirt with the image of Subhas Chandra Bose should have been a red flag, but...

Apparently she’s okay with that?

[icymist]

33. He wore what? You're kidding me.

The fact that he's still with her definitely reflects on AOC.

[Marengo]

34. Yep...

https://www.newsweek.com/who-was-subhas-chandra-bose-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-senior-staffer-criticized-sporting-image-1448687

[George II]

56. Wow, and she still hasn't fired him?

[George II]

60. Here's the story (and a photograph of him wearing the shirt):

https://forward.com/fast-forward/427361/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-nazi-adolf-hitler-subhas-chandra-bose/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Main

Saikat Chakrabarti is seen wearing the green shirt in a video that aired in December on NowThis News about Ocasio-Cortez’s surprise congressional victory the previous month.

The shirt features a sketch of Subhas Chandra Bose, a dissident Indian nationalist recognized by Adolf Hitler as the leader of the Free India Government. In exchange, Bose enlisted tens of thousands of Indian men to support the Japanese invasion of British India in 1944 and help fight the British in Europe for Hitler. The Indian Legion Bose raised for Germany trained as a regiment of the SS.

He also broadcast propaganda for Hitler on a radio network set up by Bose to encourage Indians to fight for freedom. Bose met with Hitler in Germany in 1942.

Here's the video of him wearing the shirt:

[joshcryer]

62. Agreed.

[elleng]

4. 'I'm not going to be discussing it any further.'

Good

[hlthe2b]

5. Sorry,but AOC needs to discipline and/or replace her COS. That is beyond the pale.

[Me.]

10. It Certainly Is

[Cha]

18. ..

Link to tweet

[DURHAM D]

19. AOC actually went to Kansas and campaigned against Sharise Davies.

Her opponent was a white guy.

[Cha]

20. Exactly, Durham.. seeing that

on twitter, too. Not a good look to pull the "race card" on Nancy.

[George II]

49. She also campaigned against Lacy Clay and other African American incumbent Democrats.

[Cha]

41. Quit trying to Smear Nancy Pelosi!

[Roy Rolling]

9. AOC

She needs to show some real leadership and fire her Chief of Staff. Ad-hominem attacks are the lowest of logical fallacies, and it displays to the whole world this guy can’t see beyond the color of his own skin.

For AOC’s Chief of Staff to stoop to ad-hominem attacks waters-down her excellent message. It emphasizes the weakest card in her hand—racism—something that may work locally on her base, but make enemies of allies she needs beyond that one tiny Congressional district election.

People like that on her staff are a liability, unless she agrees. If she does, then she owns the statement, too.

[redstatebluegirl]

11. Okay then...that chief of staff needs to go.

If not I have to wonder about his boss.

[rockfordfile]

13. I agree with Pelosi on this

[Laurian]

14. AOC needs to be concerned about the Republicans and stop attacking fellow Democrats.

This circular firing squad shit is mighty old and especially dangerous in this election cycle.

[OKNancy]

15. AOC should take a clue from Katie Porter and other 1st year congresswomen

AOC is actually pretty good when she is in hearings and when she questions people.
Stick to that like Katie Porter does who is getting a reputation as a real powerhouse.
Or she could emulate Reps. Sharice Davids and Debra Haaland who work so hard for their constituents.

There are many other 1st time Reps who do a great job and don't spend their time on Twitter and Instagram.

[sheshe2]

22. +1

[cntrfthrs]

40. sowing a little bit of the old...

division huh?

[Cha]

51. No, she is Not. You have that Wrong, cntrfthrs.

She is Not the one "Sowing Division".

[SergeStorms]

16. AOC and her associates...

would do well to brush up on ancient Greek mythologies. Icarus comes to mind.

[sheshe2]

23. Ouch.

[DrToast]

28. Completely agree. I love AOC, but I'm with Pelosi

It’s fine to have your beliefs, but you’re not going to get your way all the time. One member, one vote.

[SergeStorms]

47. I love AOC myself...

she's from my state and I think she's going to be a force to be dealt with for many years to come. I just think she should learn to walk before she starts galloping all over the House and everyone in it. She'll make too many enemies to be effective in the future at this rate. Patience, grasshopper.

[eilen]

52. I think she is a flash in the pan

Ultimately, she is going to end up on a cable news network. Probably in 2021.

[brush]

59. Good one. She should also learn to work on forming a power block of reps.votes...

for actual leverage and a larger voice—and the "squad", 4 votes ain't gonna do it.

[ripcord]

24. I guess I don't understand what AOC's problem is

When has she ever hesitated to call out and criticise other democrats up to and including working to unseat some who don't meet her standards?

[eilen]

54. She can dish it out nt.

[brush]

58. It's almost like, who's the enemy? Other Dems or repugs?

Makes you wonder.

[kacekwl]

25. You know if we don't stop this shit

we might as well concede 2020 right now. Fucking nonsense.

[DrToast]

29. Deep breath....

It’ll all be ok.

[Perseus]

26. They need to discuss these issues between them behind close doors

Neither of them should have said/done anything. After AOC said something to Pelosi, Pelosi being the adult in the room, should have called them and discuss in private instead of saying what she said about the "4 people/4 votes", and of course that AOC should not have tweeted, she should have gone to Pelosi's office and present her disagreement.

I hope they decide to discuss it in private, this is the last thing the Democratic needs, I hope this is the last we hear about it.

[BeyondGeography]

27. Thank you...if Pelosi doesn't mock them to Maureen Dowd this never spirals out of control

Last edited Thu Jul 11, 2019, 08:37 PM - Edit history (1)

But try telling that to the fan base here.

And for anyone who disagrees, Charles Pierce would like to have a word with you:

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a28322801/nancy-pelosi-mitch-mcconnell-democrats-border-bill/

[George II]

57. That's what Pelosi said she wanted, discuss this privately and not on twitter....

....they turned around and accused her of "singling them out" because they're WOC.

[EX500rider]

63. "Pelosi being the adult in the room" Being in Congress you'd kind of hope they all act like adults

[Marengo]

43. What privilege? What bigotry?

[orangecrush]

45. AOC....

The NERVE of that woman!


(sarcasm, just in case someone doesn't get it... )

[dalton99a]

46. "Franken must go. We do not tolerate those who abuse their power."

“Franken must go. We do not tolerate those who abuse their power,” said Justice Democrats PAC executive director Saikat Chakrabarti in a statement.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/nov/18/progressives-call-replacing-al-franken-keith-ellis/

[Thekaspervote]

53. Alan Grayson comes to mind... big talk, big media splash, billboards on the congress floor

Didn’t work out so well for him. Guess we’ll see