CNN's Malveaux said Pelosi has no "standing," asked if Syria trip is a "political stunt"

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200704040010



On the April 3 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, guest host Suzanne Malveaux repeatedly asserted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had no "standing" and was not acting in an "official capacity" when she traveled to Syria to meet with President Bashar Assad and others, even though Democratic strategist Paul Begala told Malveaux that "Pelosi has standing. She's the speaker of the House," and Malveaux herself noted that Pelosi "will be the highest level U.S. official ever to meet with Assad." Additionally, Malveaux asked her guests if Pelosi's trip was anything more than "political theater" or a "political stunt," and characterized the trip as a response to President Bush's "wishes," which follows CNN's pattern of portraying Democratic action as a reaction to the president.

On the 4 p.m. hour of The Situation Room, Malveaux told Begala that Pelosi "has no standing officially to do any negotiations here. She is on her own." Begala responded "she has standing. She's the speaker of the House of Representatives. She runs an equal branch of government. ... this notion that somehow it's Mr. Bush who runs our government, and Speaker Pelosi or Senate Majority Leader Reid are somehow thumbing their nose at him not correct." Later, during the 5 p.m. hour of The Situation Room, Malveaux noted Pelosi's status: "Pelosi will be the highest level U.S. official ever to meet with Assad, who is accused by the U.S. of sponsoring terrorism." But Malveaux later told 2008 presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC), "Speaker Pelosi is in Syria. She is not traveling in any official capacity. She has no negotiating power."

Malveaux asked Begala why Pelosi's trip is "any more than political theater?" and later told Edwards, "Some people look at this as simply political theater, a stunt." According to a Media Matters Nexis search,* no one on CNN's Situation Room has ever called a trip by a congressional Republican "political theater" or a "political stunt." On the April 2 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, Malveaux asked how a bill co-sponsored by Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Russell Feingold (D-WI) to begin phased redeployment from Iraq is "any more than a political stunt."

[LynnTheDem]

1. And when REPUBLICAN lawmakers went to Syria...was that a

"political stunt", too?

Funny how it's bad when Dems do it, but good when republics do it. According to republics.

[rasputin1952]

10. Any semi-smart politico will set things up to look as good as they

can, and back the opposition into a corner. The GOP has lost that advantage, they have nothing anymore, even the constant barrage of "terrorism" isn't working anymore. I'm willing to bet the GOP people choreographed the whole situation when they had power, but since Pelosi seems to have gained some ground, instead of the GOP failure, they are going to go after her.

As for the "fools" in the political arena, they take chances, they get out there and DO things, some of them not necessarily the brightest of ideas, but at least they are active.

I'd give my right arm to see someone who was brave enough to do the right things this country needs, instead of all of the pre-set staged events. Pelosi came close to getting something done, if she can help bring about some form of stability in the region, the GOP won't be in power for 50 years...:)

[MissWaverly]

17. Pelosi has the power, Bush & Pukes are on the decline

anyone can see that the power has shifted away from them, they do the Rovian Hustle using
their media lapdogs but the dems are the majority party.

[rasputin1952]

29. I agree, and bush singlehandedly, set up D power for the next

50 years, if they govern w/the slightest wisdom...:)

It all started to go seriously downhill a couple/3 years ago when they let hin out to talk to the press in the Rose Garden w/o any preparation. Once that unstaged situation set the precedent, he had to face an increasingly hostile Press Corps, which is why there are no "open question", but rather "selected" reporters that are called upon.

After the last dubious election, he tried that semi-staged approach again, and is now getting cut to ribbons, even "allies" in the Press Corp have turned on him radically....:evilgrin:

[MissWaverly]

34. It all went downhill after the press corps was locked in

while the White House was evacuated, I think the Kool aid started to taste a little bitter
that day.

[WinkyDink]

11. Link to that episode here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/01/AR2007040100314.html

[Leopolds Ghost]

33. It's always just "lawmakers do this" unless they are democrats, then it's "DEMOCRATIC lawmakers"

Linguists havve done extensive research on this sort if language twisting, which is supported and encouraged by corrupt political plants like Woodward and Kurtz.

Until the mid-80's, the Washington post referred to "men" and "Negro men" (or "black men") as a basic language distinction. "Man, 29, charged in rape." "Black man, 30, run over in crosswalk." "Blacks from black neighborhood protest plan." "Crowd supports plan".

See?

[unpossibles]

2. "Democratic action as a reaction to the president"

well, in a way, that's true, but only out of necessity. Perhaps if the President's actions and decisions weren't so bad - you know, if he actually did his job well - our actions would be less necessary.

[WinkyDink]

12. Like cleaning up after the elephant.

[bullimiami]

3. cnn is devious. i cant stomach it anymore.

not travelling in any official capacity? you know she didnt write her talking points, this came from above. pelosi wasnt on a sightseeing vacation.

[WinkyDink]

13. But did she buy 5 rugs for 5 bucks?

[bdamomma]

25. touche, that was a good response!!!!!!!

the bushies feel threatened by Pelosi reasons 1. she's a democrat, and 2 she is a woman.

[NightWatcher]

4. Where's our Sec of State? shoe shopping

I think it's a very good thing that we have REPRESENTATION out there in the rest of the world. Pelosi can tell everyone that we are not really nutty, religious zealouts, and try to rationalize with them.

A diplomat practicing diplomacy, who da thunk it.

[Skidmore]

5. Earth to Malveaux....Nancy Pelosi is third.--count to three, Suzanne---

in line to the presidency right now. She is also the highest elected official representing the people. She has more right to be there than McCain and Graham in Baghdad playing soldier.

[sallyseven]

7. Everytime one of those twinkie

news readers make a really stupid statment we should e-mail the net work. Enough of those e-mails will show them that people are aware of what is going on.

[Dinger]

6. Guess It's No Surprise That suzaaaaane Isn't Being Replaced

Can't stand that shill, never could.

[Warpy]

8. Bittter, hateful, and JEALOUS

Why do people bother with that shrew?

Write your letter of complaint, block the station, and be done with it.

[WinkyDink]

Suzanne, you ignorant slut.

[Richard Steele]

30. Zing! nm

[madokie]

9. Suzanne how could you do this to me, you're breaking my heart

I had high hopes for her, I found her to be pleasant and I thought honest. I guess I was wrong on both parts. No one who can spiel the pnac doctrine can be very attractive, no one.

[WinkyDink]

15. She was/is just another presentable face. Evil has always known how to hide behind one.

[madokie]

18. Yep, sure has

[rasputin1952]

16. I had hopes for her as well...but once she started 'reporting' from

Crawford, she became another squawk-monkey.

Kind of sad, because she seemed relatively bright when she started, now it is corporate profit time...:(

[Dinger]

24. dana bash is another one. (nt)

[rasputin1952]

32. Yep...She seemed bright and dedicated until she started getting a lot

of airtime on issues of importance, suddenly, she swung pretty far in bush's direction...sad.

[pretzel4gore]

21. a table dancer, showing stripe...

they're almost all a kind of hit man, only they 'hit' anything that threatens expose the Big Lie....and their style is distracting from the real news using their bodies, their orifs, their ready smiles and vicious concern for 'we the people'....after all they've done to USA, one would think the bummers would be in physical danger, or something...

[madokie]

22. if nothing else we should be able to take from this bush* time to better understand

just what people will do, will put up with. in 2000 no one could have convinced me that what I see happening in the world, especially the USA, today would be this, no way.

[pretzel4gore]

27. they're gonna outlaw baking soda...

even a farfetcher like me, is also....amazed....

[Bluebear]

14. "Some people look at this....." yup, she's been trained. nt

[City Lights]

19. Never thought I'd actually miss Wolfie!

She is an absolute disgrace and has been for some time.

Her last name always reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where he couldn't remember his new girlfriend's name. The hint she dropped was that it rhymed with a female body part. Suzanne Malveaux will now be Delores Mulva to me. :evilgrin:

[Wednesdays]

20. She's got to be a graduate of Liberty U. or Regent U.

Or if not, might as well have been.

[bdamomma]

23. CNN is in the backpocket of the bush regime

all propaganda, these commentators should keep their opinions to themselves.

[Dinger]

26. I Wonder What her Reaction Would Be If Someone Pronounced Her first Name Likke This:

suzaaaaaaaane (long a, rhyming with the a sound in "say"
I bet it'd piss her off. It seems that when others on CNN talk to her, they sort of "go out ofn their way"to say
"suzahne". Some people are just wierd about the pronouncing of their names. I don't happen to be one of them.

[Supersedeas]

28. Some people....does she mean the same people who pulled the USS Lincoln Mission Accomplished

flight suit...political stunt...

[Marr]

31. The fact that they can ignore the Republicans doing the same thing AT THE SAME TIME is

surreal. I mean, I've seen alot of doublethink in the last few years, but this is one of the most extreme examples, if not the most extreme example.

[Jim Warren]

35. Bwahahahaha

like bu$hco or Condi does?