Pelosi maybe targeted by coup due to disappointing her liberal base & alienating conservative dems

[BigBearJohn]

In a Monday morning interview on Fox News, Boehner not only repeated his demand for an investigation but also suggested that a memo from newly-appointed CIA Director Leon Panetta defending his agency against Pelosi’s charges had “probably” been authorized by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanual.

In the memo, addressed to CIA employees, Panetta insisted that “CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing ‘the enhanced techniques that had been employed. … We are an agency of high integrity, professionalism and dedication. … Our task is to tell it like it is.”

“It’s pretty hard for most of these agencies to make such a public statement without the White House providing some kind of a blessing,” Boehner stated. “I don’t know that the President was involved in that decision. But, typically, before some agency would make some announcement like that, the White House would sign off. Especially, when it was a letter as hard-hitting as it was and a rebuke to the Speaker of the House.”

Although Boehner did not expand on his suggestion of White House involvement, he appeared to be echoing a Sunday opinion piece by Washington Post columnist William Kristol speculating that the White House may be deliberately trying to either weaken Pelosi or force her out as Speaker.

Kristol — whose speculations have at times misfired in the past — wrote, “Does Emanuel (and, presumably, President Obama) want a chastened Pelosi to remain speaker? Or are they following the model of the Bush White House in December 2002. Then, Karl Rove, on behalf of the president, played a behind-the-scenes role in nudging out Majority Leader Trent Lott — a legislator for whom the White House had little respect, but who had his own power base in Congress, so wasn’t easy for the White House to control? Are Emanuel and Obama happy to be deal in the future with a weakened Pelosi? Or do they want a new speaker, presumably Steny Hoyer?”

---

Please -- say IT AIN'T SO!!

Politico also suggested on Monday that Pelosi may be ripe to be targeted by a Congressional coup, in large part because she has disappointed her liberal base while actively alienating more conservative Democrats.

http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/05/18/boehner-cia-feud/

[billyoc]

1. Yes, an insurgent candidate could easily get 5 or 6 percent of the primary vote.

:eyes:

[tritsofme]

4. They are speaking of a leadership coup in the House to oust Pelosi as Speaker.

Not the district which she represents.

[billyoc]

9. Oh, thanks. Well, all I see are quotes from Boehner and Kristol, so I gotta call bullshit.

[murielm99]

10. Right. Boner is going to tell us what Rahm is doing.

He is an expert on Rahm's motives and behavior.

:sarcasm:

[Recursion]

14. I seem to recall Rahm running circles around Boner

and, to quote SNL, making him lose seats like it was a game of musical chairs on fast forward.

Somehow I don't think Boner has caught up with Rahm's strategery yet.

[babylonsister]

2. Baloney. Smokescreen to belay what really happened. She

didn't authorize torture. Period.

This is bullshit.

[BigBearJohn]

7. I pray you're right. I'm starting to really hate politics.

[babylonsister]

12. She was in the minority party. Seven years ago?

The rethugs got your goat, not reality.

[L. Coyote]

28. INDEED! because = *** Congress Investigating Documented CIA Lying ***

Big news today:

*** Congress Investigating Documented CIA Lying ***
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5682421

REC it UP, UP, UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Nancy!!! She had to have approved this move,
so the false propaganda is Rs doing PUNISHMENT.
Meanwhile, this has quietly been happening already.

[L. Coyote]

29. Video: MSNBS: Congress Investigating Documented CIA Lying

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x314073

REC it to the TOP! !!!!

[ShortnFiery]

3. Bullshit! The people are closing ranks around Pelosi - she's not my FAV by far,

especially since she said "Impeachment's off of the table" HOWEVER, this GOP onslaught has a PATRIARCHAL flavor that fires up the feminist in me. No way in hell should she be unseated for THIS, i.e., all trumped up with the CIA not even 100% certain.

They can NOT stick her so this should play out.

I'd love to see Pelosi go in the not so distant future ... but NOT THIS WAY. :grr:

[avaistheone1]

18. I tend to agree with you

for all the same reasons.

[leftofthedial]

5. She might be a target of dissatisfied fellow Democrats,

but I've seen more defense of her than attacks over the torture-CIA-lied nonsense by progressives.

[babylonsister]

11. Which Dems are targeting her? I haven't heard that, so do tell, nt

[leftofthedial]

13. I've heard much criticism of her from Democrats, especially liberal Democrats.

She has drawn criticism for taking bush impeachment off the table, for supporting too much of bush's legislative agenda and for being ineffective or not aggressive enough. Surely you're not unaware of this. I've seen calls on this website to mount a primary challenge against her.

The point here, though, is that many of us who may not be fans of Pelosi think she is being attacked unfairly in this instance. The fact is the CIA DO lie. Frequently. Routinely. As a matter of course. I'm hard-pressed to think of any important situation from our history in which they did not lie. The attacks on Pelosi are classic CIA-media-repuke misdirection.

[babylonsister]

15. I've been angry with her, too, but this current argument is only trying

to switch the conversation from * admin torture, to what did Pelosi know about it. It's short sighted, sure to fail, and welcome.

[villager]

6. no fan of Pelosi's past weak-kneed moments, but Stony Heyer would be vastly worse

in terms of making Democratic legislation indistinguishable from its predecessors...

[merh]

8. I just want an investigation and eventual prosecutions

Investigate dems and republicans, the CIA, the bush admin, congress.

Investigate and prosecute the criminals.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

16. This stuff is getting pretty fucking stupid. n/t

[bottomtheweaver]

17. Kristol pushing for Hoyer to replace Pelosi?

Gee, what a surprise. But the way things have been shaping up ... who knows. The WH made a point of saying they didn't support her pushback against the CIA, and I imagine there are prominent WH staff members who would rather do business with Steny.

[Old and In the Way]

19. No Sale.

Referring to Old's 1st Law of Politics - whatever a Republican says, the opposite is true - I suspect her favorables are starting to trend upward. In fact, if I were Pelosi, I'd continue calling the 'Pubes out on this and keep pushing for an independent council to investigate all claims. I'm betting no Republican will support that...proving, yet again, that they are congenital liars. She can and should put these jokers on defense. Make them put up or shut up on their demands for an investigation.

[w4rma]

20. I want Rahm out if this is the case. (nt)

[Hekate]

21. Is Boehner a credible source for news about Dems?Pelosi is being targeted for destruction by Repubs

... that much we can see with our own eyes. They want HER to take the fall for THEIR Grand Old (Torture) Party.

When she's gone, they'll go after the next powerful Democrat.

I wish like hell that more Dems who are mad at Nancy Pelosi for her impeachment decision would get a grip and see the bigger picture, which is this: The Republicans are trying to bring her down for their own evil reasons, and why in gods' name would we help them do this?

Hekate

[cali]

22. you're being suckered by rightwing agitprop

there isn't a chance that Pelosi will be ousted by the dem caucus in the House.

[BlooInBloo]

23. And DUers continute to believe anything republicans say.

[leveymg]

24. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the WH has given an ok to oust Harman and Pelosi

But, my biggest concern is that if Nancy goes that Steny Hoyer is next in the line of succession. Putting Mr. AIPAC in charge doesn't seem to fit with Obama's agenda, so I don't think that's the desired outcome.

[countingbluecars]

25. Ridiculous.

These rovian tactics worked for the republicans in the past. We should be wise to them by now.

[Enthusiast]

26. The Pelosi thing is entirely intended as

a smokescreen. I can't believe it merits one moment of TV coverage. No matter what one believes about Pelosi, it is for certain that torture wasn't her idea and she did not order anyone to engage in torture. So what are we doing? The media and Republican talking heads(same thing)are doing exactly the same kind of persecution they did against President Clinton. While Cheney and Bush should be in leg irons all we talk about is Nancy Pelosi.


Think this media isn't completely under the control of Reich Wing interests? If we don't correct this TV media expect the Republican Party to be resurgent because it will happen-eventually. When every fucking issue is framed in their favor it will have an impact.

[sinkingfeeling]

27. It ain't so if Politico suggested it.

[madamesilverspurs]

30. Boehner doesn't decide

what the Democrats do. And Politico was founded by Bush afficionados. C'mon, now.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. "Dissapointed her liberal base" is putting it mildly.

Infuriating. Betraying. Ignoring. Spurning.

Not to mention covering for the torturers in an act of craven political expediency.

[Jazzgirl]

32. Anything that comes from Politico

is automatically suspect and NOT credible.