Why is Nancy Pelosi such a hero now all of a sudden?

[mtnsnake]

Is it because of President Obama's apparent fall from grace on DU that she becomes the newly anointed role model? Just wondering.

Nancy has done her fair share of good things as a Democrat, past and present, but she is far from being a saint. For one thing, she should never be forgiven for her role in taking impeachment off the table for War Criminal Bush. What a shameful mess that was. To think how hard so many of us fought for impeachment only to have Nancy jump in bed with the monster and put an end to all that hard work.

And what about the torture of the detainees? Here she was one of the only Democrats who knew all along about water boarding, yet she chose to remain quiet when all the horrific torturing was taking place. No wonder she was in bed with Bush during the latter parts of his tenure. She knew he knew.

If I was going to pick a hero from the House it wouldn't be Nancy Pelosi. It would be Dennis Kucinich. That man has fought as hard as anyone else from the House on behalf of peace, on behalf of the environment, and on behalf of doing what's simply right.

[yurbud]

1. of top democratic leaders Obama, Reid, and Pelosi, graded on that curve, she gets an A

the other two are marked absent without leave.

[democracy1st]

2. why wouldn't she be a good democrat,the rw has waged a multi million dollar effort to demonize her

[QC]

3. In the kingdom of the blind.... n/t

[Lucinda]

4. Rumor has it she found her spine.

I was away for quite a while and out of the political loop, so I was surprised too!

[tabatha]

8. She has always had a spine.

And she has always been a hero to me.

But, anytime something does something good, it should be recognized.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. She's the same kind of hero as Gerald Ford

They're the president pardoners.

What an achievement.

[Imajika]

6. She's been pretty great...

...but to be fair, her job has been much easier than Reid's or President Obama's.

Running the House of Representatives with a massive majority is significantly easier than trying to lead the Senate where 1 single Senator can stop business. And the President, well, he has to try to persuade 300 million people AND keep an eye on the House and Senate.

"It would be Dennis Kucinich."

You mean the Dennis Kucinich who hemmed and hawed about not voting for HCR, got a ride on Air Force 1 and then predictably voted for the very bill he claimed he couldn't vote for?

No thanks.

Pelosi kept her eye on the ball. She had a mission and got it done and didn't scream for attention in order to do her job.

[veganlush]

7. She has said basically that her hands were tied

following the CIA briefings, due to the rules and I'm not in a position to dispute it. I think she took her cues about impeachment from the Obama people, the executive branch. But in terms of her tenure as Speaker, she has been one of the most, if not THE most productive Speakers in history. Right now she's the strongest voice in the Democratic party.

[tabatha]

9. +1000

[mtnsnake]

10. You really think she took her cues about impeachment from the Obama people?

How do you figure that?

And as far as "She has said basically that her hands were tied", she changed her tune on that one, first claiming she didn't know about it and then admitting under pressure that she knew about it since 2002 or 2003, one or the other. Her hands were tied alright.

[intheflow]

15. "Impeachment is off the table" was prior to the Obama presidency.

She said it during her re-election campaign in 2006. But she was briefed on torture as early as 2002 as she sat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. She is complicit in the torture cover-up and, I'm sure, in facilitating the perpetuation of that cover-up into the current Democratic White House. Her hands were not tied. She swore an oath she "will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Instead, she abused that oath and the civic trust we placed in her by colluding with war criminals.

[Clio the Leo]

11. Love Nancy, but she's got the easy part, she doesn't have to deal w/the Senate. nt

[Mnemosyne]

12. Bad memories? n/t

[glitch]

13. A lot of snark but the reality is she is one of the few fighting for the people.

That's really all it takes to be a hero. It also shows how easily fighters are forgiven past mistakes.
Cavers, not so much.

[craigmatic]

14. Because she stood firm on all her liberal positions and gave the republicans hell.

[mtnsnake]

16. I appreciate that part of her.

Still, I'll never fully trust her for the reasons I mentioned above. Nor can I ever forgive her. Having said that, I hope she gives Republicans hell as much as humanly possible.

[treestar]

24. She did have the votes

Which Reid could not have.

She merely had the votes in the House. It was solidly blue with no filibuster rules.

Reid was hamstrung by the filibuster.

So there is no reason to attribute character traits to anyone. Of course that is how our system is. Toughness blah blah. Nancy would have made the deals needed if the House had enough Blue dogs or republicans to make it necessary.

That is how our government works. It is not a matter of standing firm. It's deciding whether you want something or nothing. End of story. The whole DU narrative about toughness is just useless fluff that merely helps Republicans.

[craigmatic]

26. Nobody gives Pelosi credit for the disipline she ran her caucus with.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. But she, though Clyburn, still had to fight to get Democratic votes on several

big ticket legislative items. Yes, she was dealing with a large majority, but as we all know, we had to face Blue Dogs down and the corporatists in the party. I wouldn't necessarily assume that her job was easy. Not at all. And I'm sure that Clyburn wouldn't appreciate that characterization. I have several students who intern for him and I can assure you that they are always incredibly busy.

[MadHound]

17. Because these days it is exciting to see a Dem, any Dem, exhibit a spine and some fight n/t

[Paladin]

19. Amen, MadHound. Well Said. (n/t)

[treestar]

25. What is well said about the 11 millionth repetition of the same old tired saying?

[Paladin]

27. That's Right--- Lash Out At Me Regarding Who I Compliment.

But assume the lotus position while the Republicans make merry with our party's idiotic, non-stop appeasement policy. Pardon me if I don't join you in such a suicidal set of priorities......

[tavalon]

22. There is that

God, I feel pathetic even saying that. We gobble up the tiniest scraps they give us, don't we?

[awoke_in_2003]

18. she has done good things...

but I have said it before, and will say it again- "Impeachment is off the table" showed where she really stood.

[bigwillq]

20. Not to me

A politician would never be my hero.

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. +1

[tavalon]

21. I've noticed that of late, too

It's like an either/or. Odd. I see that she's done some good things but she took impeachment off the table and I'll not ever forget that.

[treestar]

23. It is kind of funny, because she was once called spineless and

all the other stuff now shifted to Obama.

I think it is because she lost in the sense of going from Speaker to minority leader come January. The left simply prefers being out of power. Being in power means they have to support something. The left only likes tearing down.

Notice Reid is still Majority leader, so he's not getting as many mentions and no doubt is still "spineless."

[dionysus]

29. ahem.

hey there, mtnsnake
there's another congresswoman you should try
she will never run and hide
she will fight the GOP
she will fight for you and me
hey mtnsnake....

:rofl: (couldn't help it)

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. She hasn't been perfect. I don't think anyone is suggesting that she has.

But her effectiveness as the Speaker for getting things done and for fighting back is enough for hero worshipping for me, anyway.

Bash her if you want. Hate her if you want. Fine. Many people do.

I'm happy that she cares more about governing than about being liked.

[ShadowLiberal]

32. I thought Pelosi was always a hero, isn't that why we wanted her to stay in charge of house dems?

[egoclothes]

33. hey

Hi mtnsnake
I have not seen you post for a LONG time.. I was mainly a lurker for a LONG time.

[Jennicut]

34. I always liked her and find it funny that those who called her a spineless wimp suddenly consider

her their hero. She was always an affective leader.

[boppers]

35. Torture and impeachment weren't separate issues.

She knew full well that any torture investigation would lead right back to her.

*That's* why impeachment was off the table.