Reynolds Dares Pelosi to Bet Job

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/50_8/news/6284-1.html (subscription required)

In a gambit that dramatically sharpens the rhetoric in the fight for House control, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (N.Y.) will pledge today to resign his leadership post if his party loses the majority in November — on the condition that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) do the same if the circumstances are reversed.

Reynolds will issue the “Leadership Challenge” in response to comments made last Thursday by Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Matsui (Calif.) in which they staked their “credibility” on the fact that Democrats will take back the House.

“It’s put up or shut up,” said Reynolds. “Pelosi has engaged in reckless, ridiculous rhetoric. I am getting tired of hearing her when she doesn’t believe it herself.”

Pelosi rejected the challenge before it was even formally offered, dismissing it as a campaign gimmick designed to change the subject in the face of a troubled political environment for Republicans.

[fearnobush]

1. Yep, Tell the Republicans to grow the fuck up!

[stepnw1f]

2. Reynolds....this isn't Highschool

Act like a Congressman for Country's sake.

[BattyDem]

3. You've got to be kidding!

This country is being run by third graders! :eyes: :mad:

[WillyBrandt]

4. He's scared of her effectiveness; it's a cheap trick to get rid of her if

the GOP still maintains control of the House after the 2004 elections. Pelosi was smart not to entertain it.

[markses]

5. Easy enough to say with a 15 seat lead

How about we even the odds and say if the GOP loses ANY seats, Reynolds bails? A sweeter deal by far.

[NWHarkness]

6. That's just stupid

In part, because his little job is not the equal of hers.

[NewJerseyDem]

7. It is really easy for Reynolds to say that

All he has to do is lose less than 11 seats. He should say that if Republicans have any net loss than he would give up his position and then maybe he could make this challenge, but otherwise it is really unfair. Anyway, it is so stupid to say that because even if she believes that Democrats will retake the House, I'm sure that she isn't certain of it. All politicians say that are going to win even when it may be unlikely. To call what Pelosi is saying "reckless" doesn't even make any sense.

[Hawkeye-X]

8. I will accept Reynolds challenge

And further ask that every single Republican House members resign effective immediately once the House completes its Democratic takeover. That way, we can really start seeing who is minority and how far they have to claw to reach their goal.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. "Let's match pink slips, Pelosi...meetcha at the strip"....

How incredibly childish...a grown man with testosterone he has not yet learned how to control.

[Cha]

10. What a fucking moron ...everything he

learned in kindergarten.

[NewJerseyDem]

11. Also, Reynolds wouldn't have to resign

The GOP would kick him out in a second as head of the NRCC if Republicans lost the House and more than 11 seats. However, Pelosi would likely be fine as long as Democrats stay around where they are. So, Reynolds isn't really making a challenge at all since he has nothing to give up because it will be taken away from him anyway.

[MallRat]

12. If the GOP didn't gerrymander the maps up the wazoo, you'd have a deal.

The generic congressional ballot has consistently shown the Democrats ahead of the GOP by 6-9 points... unfortunately, it's completely irrelevant due to unprecedented unilateral gerrymandering in a number of states.

In the House races, Democrats will overwhelmingly win the nationwide "popular vote," but there's no way in hell we take back control of the House.

:-(

[buycitgo]

14. that's the only good answer so far

she really shouldn't have said it, but, given the shenannigans of DeLay, etal, she should take the oppportunity to give a LONG LONG speech on the subject of Delay's corruption on myriad fronts

she could start out as if it were a response to that creep's challenge, and then launch into, repuglike, a tangential speech on the utter venality of Delay, and, indeed, the entire pug congress

where could she begin?

start with Delay, then onto Bill Thomas, then that Smith guy from Michigan, etc.

she knows who to talk about

[AFSCME girl]

13. The repukes are gettin' scared............

:kick:

[gasperc]

15. If the GOP loses the majority, Reynolds will be canned the next day

that's a given so this challenge is total bullshit, and besides he's not the fuckin minority leader or any elected leader

[Dr Fate]

16. Sorry- but we need to stop letting repugs define the game, No thanks.

n/t

[Mike Niendorff]

17. What Pelosi should say in response:

"Wow, Tom -- suddenly you sound just like George Nethercutt."


MDN