Nancy Pelosi Criticizes Media For Focusing On Her Age And Not Mitch McConnell's

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Damned librul media.

WASHINGTON -- Amid renewed focus on whether she should step down from leadership, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday sharply criticized what she said was a double standard for women in positions of power.

Pelosi was asked during her weekly press conference if she had given any thought to giving up her leadership post following tough losses for Democrats in last week's midterm elections. In response, Pelosi expressed frustration over the number of times she has faced the question, noting that her male counterparts have yet to be asked whether they should also step down.

"What I said to the most recent person who asked is, 'What was the day that any of you said to Mitch McConnell when they lost the Senate three times in a row … Aren't you getting a little old, Mitch? Shouldn't you step aside?'" Pelosi said. "Have any of you ever asked him that question?"

"I don't understand why that question should even come up," she added. "I'm here as long as my members want me to be here ... I'm not here on a schedule. I'm not here for anything except a mission to get a job done."

Pelosi said she was grateful that her members have continued to express confidence in her ability to lead the Democratic caucus, even as the media continues to ask whether her time is up. "It just is interesting as a woman to see how many times that question is asked of me and how many times that question is never asked of Mitch McConnell," she said.

This isn't the first time Pelosi has dealt with questions surrounding her age. After the 2012 election, the California Democrat got into a similar exchange with NBC's Luke Russert, when he asked whether she should move aside and make way for younger members within her party. At the time, too, Pelosi pointed out that the same point was never raised with McConnell and added that the question was "offensive."



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/13/nancy-pelosi-leadership_n_6152564.html

[onehandle]

1. They should concentrate on assholeness rather than ageness.

Nancy would do a lot better.



'Assholeness' and 'ageness' are not words.

[Cha]

8. Since they're assholes themselves.. I doubt they'd wanna do that.

[Cosmic Kitten]

19. Pelosi is whining when she should be...

STANDING UP for DEMOCRATIC POLICIES!

Pelosi is doing it wrong as usual.
She is letting MSM distract the public.

Rather than hand wringing about how they aren't
picking on "old men", she should be pointing out
how the MSM is ignoring REAL ISSUES that
impact ALL of US

[Hekate]

22. Pelosi is doing none of those things. She stands up for herself and for Dems, "as usual"

Nancy Pelosi doesn't do handwringing, nor does she whine about herself. She can't control the MSM, but she can and does call them on their shit when needed.

I'm proud she's a fellow Californian, a woman, and in the House.

[Cosmic Kitten]

28. Maybe it's semantics or poor word choice.

But, Pelosi has not challenged the Right-wing
on significant issues such as:

No push to investigate the Bush Admin.
No push to investigate Wall st.
No push to end the Middle East wars.
No push to defend our social safety net.
and on and on...

It's fine if she pushes back against sexism.
Is she fighting for EQUAL PAY for equal work?
Why didn't she bring up the issue of EQUAL PAY
while she was decrying sexism and ageism?

When she has the MSM's attention why isn't she
REDIRECTING the conversation to the policies
SHE SUPPORTS, that will put and end to pay discrimination?

She needs to take some lessons from Elizabeth Warren.

[spooky3]

37. The Republicans control the House and have for several years. Please outline

the specific steps you recommend that she could take to get any bills passed to address any of these changes. Please be sure to review her actions re: women's rights, the social safety net, etc., while she was House Speaker. And, please review the status of the Paycheck Fairness Act in the Senate. (Hint--it was blocked by the Republicans even BEFORE the elections).

How exactly is talking to the media in any way other than the one she has chosen to address the points addressed to her going to accomplish anything?

Stop blaming her for things that plenty of other lawmakers deserve to share accountability for.

And, why are you comparing her only to another woman? That in itself suggests sexism.

[11 Bravo]

24. Whining my fucking ass! She is rightly pointing out the ...

ridiculous right-wing, sexist, slant of a dumb-ass question.

[Cosmic Kitten]

31. I absolutely agree, however....

Rather than noting that the MSM doesn't
question men in the same way regarding
sexism and ageism she should have shamed
the "journalist" and belittled the question
as an inherently bigoted.

But instead she appeared self-serving and
somewhat petulant retorting "I'm not here
for anything except a mission to get a job done"
The "mission" should be to demolish the people
and policies which have institutionalized sexism.

Tell us what she IS DOING to get that SPECIFIC job done.
She hasn't done anything we can point to as evidence
she is "getting the job done"!

Pelosi stating "that question is never asked of
Mitch McConnell" sounds petulant.
Her "whining" that the MSM doesn't ask men that question
is a missed opportunity to speak out about the MILLIONS
of women who face institutionalized sexism.
Where are Pelosi's POLICIES that will end that injustice?
Why isn't Pelosi DEMANDING equal pay for equal work?

[11 Bravo]

33. Yeah, right. You "absolutely agree", yet you adopt the right-wing framing ...

of labeling a powerful woman pointing out an obvious double standard as "whining". Then you ask for her to DEMAND equal pay for equal work, ignoring the countless times she has voted for exactly that.
I 'm sensing a powerful odor of underside of bridge.

[Cosmic Kitten]

40. Why do you feel a need to be personally insulting?

Whining is defined as:
complaining in a feeble or petulant way.
That is exactly what her response amounts to.

Regardless of her "power", or right-wing bullying,
or an antagonistic MSM she has a national platform
and a national media to communicate through.

When she is insulted and forced to endure bigotry,
as a majority of us are, she needs to fight back.
If her efforts to level the playing field legislatively
have been thwarted, MAKE THAT POINT!
Forget if Mitch has his age brought up, it won't change anything.

The remarks were offensive.
But WHEN will Dems actually fight back?
Reid and Pelosi have been feckless.
She needs to stand on her efforts and point out exactly
who is standing in the way of progress.

Why do folks here defend representatives
when their job is to be defending US.
The middle class is getting demolished.
Our representatives are not "getting the job done"
We have had enough words.
Lets see some action, leadership, and results.

[hopemountain]

45. you first.

"feckless"? she needs to this and she needs to that... do you realize much of the women's rights progress has either been introduced by nancy pelosi or supported by her? do your homework.

[MADem]

29. Really? It's WHINING to object to sexism and ageism? Luke Russert--is that YOU?

Sexism and ageism came into play in these most recent elections, FWIW.

[Cosmic Kitten]

32. It is whining if you point and say...

but but but what about Mitch?
He's old too!

Let's see her DO SOMETHING to
address the bigotry that she and
MILLIONS of people face everyday.

[MADem]

34. You are saying that pointing out a disparity in treatment is "whining."

I think that says a lot about you and none of it good. Either you get that she has been treated in a biased fashion, or you don't.

She took the entire press corps to the frigging woodshed with those comments, and I don't think they will soon forget them. She did do something--she told them all about themselves and they didn't like the way they looked. It was a masterful moment.

[Cosmic Kitten]

39. It's innapropriate to make this personal.

My opinion is simply that.
There is NO REASON for you to bring
MY character into question.
Stick to the issues, m'kay?

As to her taking the press corps to the woodshed...
pfft, really?
Boy, she sure showed them which ways up.
She took offense, spouted some words, that's it.
She didn't even offer a "strong rebuke".
Maybe she'll pen a strongly worded letter to the media.
No wait, no sense looking back... lets move forward.

Look, She was correct to take offense, as should we all.
But NOTHING IS CHANGED.
It WILL happen again, and again, and again...
Until Democratic representatives actually FIGHT BACK.
She is a lightweight, in a heavyweight fight.

We, Dems just got our asses beat red in the election.
And all we get from our representatives is, words.

Elizabeth Warren takes the fight to the opposition.
Pelosi could learn a thing or two from her.

[MADem]

42. YOU characterized her justified complaint as "whining." I would say that you "made it personal."

When a woman complains about discrimination, I don't call it "whining." I call it making a justifiable point.

I have the feeling you didn't even see the video of her comments--she was quite firm in her rebuke and her comments were entirely appropriate.

I don't think you saw Warren in debate for her seat, either. She barely stayed upright against a moron.

If you think Pelosi is "a lightweight in a heavyweight fight" you know nothing about our team.

The reason she keeps getting elected to leadership is because she's good. And even if you don't understand it, her caucus does.

Way to stick with "we dems" but whatever.

[awoke_in_2003]

44. She never said Mitch was too old...

she objects to the fact that no one ever asks him the things they ask her.

[murielm99]

25. I thought it was assholery.

Of course that is not a word either, but there are no words to describe the new repub majority and its pet media.

[madokie]

2. That question is offensive to me too Nancy

I say you go girl and keep on going as long as you feel like you can. Lets let you make that decision not some asshole male dude whatever we do

[shenmue]

12. Amen

[RebelOne]

38. From this Nancy who is 75 years old to Nancy Pelosi,

I am on your side. Yes, you go, girl as long as you can.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Yes, it is offensive.

[jillan]

4. Let's see more of this - standing up to the media. Enough of their rw spin.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

5. To be fair, turtles live a long time.

[eppur_se_muova]

15. *snarf* nt

[Curmudgeoness]

6. She is right to be critical.

I am so sick of all the bullshit aimed at women but not men. What they wear is scrutinized. Their hair styles are targets. When they get wrinkles and if they have gray hair, they are subjects of ridicule. When they are young, they are said to be too emotional because of the hormone level changes. When they hit middle age, they are unstable because of menopause. When they get older, they are supposed to become invisible.

I am sick of it.

[Android3.14]

7. Her age is only one of the reasons she should step down

This isn't a gender issue.

We truly need new leadership, need to retire these feeble men and women, and walk away from the pathetic excuse of Democratic Party leadership.

Same thing for Harry Reid.

[LanternWaste]

18. What then, is the precise age one should remove themselves from politics?

"Her age is only one of the reasons she should step down..."

What then, is the precise age one should remove themselves from politics, and on what measure is that number based?

[Android3.14]

20. "Precise age"

I just want you to know that I am flattered at the confidence that you have in my ability to determine the precise age at which a politician should remove himself or herself from a position of authority. Unfortunately, even I am incapable of satisfying your desire for a specific age. Should such a number reveal itself, you can rest assured that as a newly minted senior citizen I will pass it on to you.

In more general terms, especially as they apply to our current leadership, an aging politician should step down when he or she is incapable of leading, behaves with ineffectual petulance at criticism and has apparently forgotten what it means to be a Democrat. Nancy, Harry and their ilk are staying up way past their bedtime.

While I know this isn't the number you were seeking, I certainly hope this helps.

[LuvNewcastle]

9. She should have asked Luke Russert if he felt that

he really had enough experience to do his job.

[Hekate]

23. Oh, snap

[bigwillq]

10. Age isn't an issue with me.

Both I feel both Nancy P and Mitch McC should retire. I've had enough of both of them.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. I agree.

Age isn't nearly as important in government as getting the proper results, same as any other job.

[Hissyspit]

13. ...as if Saint Ronald Reagan wasn't ancient.

[Cali_Democrat]

14. Unfortunately there appear to be a number of self-proclaimed "liberals"

esposuing the belief that she's too old and should step aside..."liberals" right here on DU.

[MADem]

30. And you know what I say to that? "Consider the source."

And then maybe consider that those sources have an agenda.


It's not like that never happens on the internet.

They do us a favor when they 'out' themselves like that. We can see them coming.

[eppur_se_muova]

16. He's a ROWM*. They don't get asked that question.

*Rich Old White Man. As long as he has money, there's no need for him to hand over power, and every reporter knows it.

[snot]

17. Esp. since women live longer AND retain more brain mass longer.

[Peacetrain]

26. Heck there was a whole thread on it in here yesterday

just absolutely stupid..

[20score]

27. To be fair to the media, tortoises have been known to live over a hundred and eighty years.

And McConnell doesn't look a day over a hundred and twenty.

[tavernier]

35. The proof is in the pudding.

I recently (at age 70) took on a new job in a completely different line of work. I'm a retired nurse, and this job was offered to me as they couldn't fill the position ... too demanding, too detailed, etc. During my training period I was asked, amongst other things: Can you really see the fine print? Should I get help for you to lift this box? Can you remember the steps I've laid out?

This week I was promoted... "At a faster pace than any of the previous applicants"... and rewarded with the fact that I'm no longer asked any of these dumb questions, and am accepted by my peers on an equal footing.

I met Nancy Pelosi several years ago, and although she may not be your cup of tea, believe me, she is as sharp as a tack. And if appearance is your criteria to intelligence, she looks incredible.

[jwirr]

36. Good point.

[blkmusclmachine]

41. "Impeachment is off the table." "We have to kill Social Security, in order to save it."

[heaven05]

43. she has been weak, as a minority

leader and without a lot of kinds words or feeling of duty toward our POTUS for the last SIX years as far as I can see. In fact the whole of Party 'leadership' has shown incredible weakness in the face of the RW onslaught that culminated on Nov. 4 2014. Now get ready for the steamroller. We'll see how Pelosi and Reid handle that. FACT. You are never too old...I'm 66 and believe a person is too old when either he/she is getting cremated or lowered into the ground for the final time.

[Old Nick]

46. She's right

The Tortoise looks like...well, a tortoise!

[belzabubba333]

47. i heard this and the person doing the questioning didnt say anything about age - that was something

she threw out to distract from the question. she threw out that age strawman and she should go.