Lemme get this straight ... Pelosi was unanimously elected Speaker, but she 'suffered a deafeat'?

[Stinky The Clown]

That seems to be the news today. She was elected Speaker, essentially by acclaim. That sure doesn't sound like a defeat to me.

She backed Jack Murtha for Leader, but Steny Hoyer was elected by about a 3:2 margin. That sounds like a divided vote. And with Hoyer having worked his ass and his checkbook off during the campaigns (not to say Murtha didn't) and with him having four years of leadership under his belt, I'd say it was a Hoyer win, not a Murtha/Pelosi loss.

Of course, the media needs a controversy. So they created one. "Pelosi's loss" is how they're framing it.

Since I had no horse in the Leader race, I don't much give a shit which one of them won. They both have plusses and they both have minuses. While its true that Murtha gave our party a pair of brass ones with respect to the war, Hoyer knows how to herd cats. And frankly, a cat herder is who we need to keep our side in line.

The only way this 'loss' meme stays alive is if the shills on teevee (like that shrill little ratfucker, Tucker The Snark) keep it alive.

Hey ... didja see those Abscam tapes?

Sheeesh ........

[BOSSHOG]

1. and the resolute bush got a great victory when his good friend

and confidant trent lott was elected senate whip?!?

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. Seems like America is the big winner in this one!

The media make me sick. You won't hear anyone pointing out that Nancy Pelosi made it clear that she is Speaker of the "House" and not Speaker of the Democrats. I was rooting for Murtha, but in a sense Hoyer prevailing gives the illusion that Nancy will be independent. I don't see Steny doing anything to test her leadership. *saying a prayer*

[Virginia Dare]

4. Agree...

it's not a bad thing if two different factions within the Democratic Leadership are keeping each other in check is it? That was one of the biggest problems with the 'pubs, DeLay had such a tight reign, there was no room for dissension at all. One man or woman never has all the answers. Complete and total lockstep is not a virtue in my opinion. We're off to a good start!!!

[Why Syzygy]

12. in check?

good start, my ass. No not. She deserved to be speaker, but I guess wimped out.
Leadership requires Courage.

[Virginia Dare]

19. How did she wimp out?

I'm not getting your point? She publicly chose her man, he lost out in a secret ballot, overwhelmingly. If anything, she showed a lot of courage for picking a dog in the fight at all. She didn't have to do that.

Say what you will about Nancy Pelosi, but she is NOT a wimp. She never will be.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. "She deserved to be speaker, but I guess wimped out. "

Hate to break it to you .... but .... she *was* elected speaker.

Its been in all the papers. I'm surprised you missed it. :shrug:

[Stinky The Clown]

5. A little back story on both Pelosi and Hoyer .... they cut their teeth in Maryland politics ......

Maryland has essentially been a one party state since forever. Every now and again we test some Republic Party brew, spit it out, and go back to the Democrats. In view of this, the hard, bloody, to-the-death poltical battles are essentially internecine, not interparty. Far, far more Democrats have been beaten to bloody pulps by other democrats than every Maryland Repepublic in history, combined, ever thought about doing.

But at the end of the death matches, the Dems KNOW how to keep a united, amicable, cumbaya public face.

I don't think the Pelosi/Hoyer thing was anything even close to a death match and I don't think there will be much in the way of public discord for people to latch onto.

[Why Syzygy]

13. I don't live in Maryland

so excuse me for being just a southern red neck. Even though I'm blue. wtf?
This defeats WOMEN. She was supposed to be a symbol. It is 1930 all over again.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Why the rancor?

And why direct it at me?

[Why Syzygy]

18. guess you didn't hear me?

No rancor. And what do you have to do with the equation?

My sentiment was that Nancy got bounced. Care to comment on that?

[Stinky The Clown]

20. "My sentiment was that Nancy got bounced"

What news were you watching? She is the new Speaker of the House and was elected by unanimous vote?

From what did she get bounced?

[Der Blaue Engel]

17. What are you talking about?

:wtf: indeed.

[aquart]

6. Yes. Democrats are using democratic process.

I can understand why it feels strange and unfamiliar to many.

[Virginia Dare]

22. Good point...

I guess there are some out there who felt Nancy should have gone around breaking some kneecaps or something...:shrug:

[aquart]

27. Or using those photos from the party picnic.

You know, where they all took turns with the pet goat?

Oh, wait. That was the Republican Party picnic.

[underpants]

3. Of those who actually hear this line of BS most will laugh at it

the media is in real danger of just sounding like complete whackjobs at this point. No one from either side trusts them anyway but the all important middle ;-) will see/hear this and just tune them out completely.

BTW- the "middle" has internet access and they get their news as they like it not from CNN or Fox per se.

[redqueen]

7. spin! spin! spin!

they're spinning themselves blue trying to keep the dem wave under wraps.

screw 'em. the results will speak for themselves.

[Bitwit1234]

8. If MSM had done their job

bush might now have been able to steal the 2004 election. Every single negative and reprehensible act he performed was ignored by the newsreaders. And he was praised to the hilt.

It has always been the news media's job to keep the public informed. And before the republicans bought up all the newspapers, network and cable TV they did their job. But since then all we hear is manufactured and republican lies.

[Not Me]

9. She will not be deterred

And this is not a defeat.

[Why Syzygy]

10. I literally

threw up at the news.

Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, predicted there would no lasting fallout from the leadership battle.

Not if you don't count me THROWING UP!

Oh, Nancy. yet another turncoat?

[Virginia Dare]

23. I'm not going to count you throwing up...

as lasting fallout from the leadership battle. I don't understand why the violent reaction to something so relatively inconsequential. We got the majority back, that's a good thing. The Dems chose Nancy Pelosi as their Speaker, and Steny Hoyer as their Leader..they all presumably accept that and are moving on, we should all do the same.

[Sparkly]

26. "turncoat?" It wasn't her choice.

Is there a misunderstanding about the process?

[Kagemusha]

11. Pelosi volunteered to put her credibility on the line.

Her credibility's been bruised.

And that's it.

But don't give me that she didn't make this an issue of her own credibility. She's a volunteer in this, not a draftee.

Edit: People saying this isn't a defeat. Baloney. It's just a MINOR one, not deserving of the hype being assigned to it, that's all...

[bullimiami]

15. i dont know much about hoyer but murtha became antiwar only

after it became obvious that it was a disaster.

he didnt oppose it originally and in fact was a big cheerleader for war. i still dont like him.

[grizmaster]

16. and the repubs had a leadership post settled by one vote

and they're in complete lock-step with each other.

boy that liberal media will get you every time. :sarcasm:

[baby_mouse]

24. Failed to lose election, silly nt

[hijinx87]

25. I don't think it was a "defeat", per se

but I do think she gets a D- for media management on her first
day as speaker-elect. on a day when the story should have been
the progressive legislative agenda moving forward, the MSM is bogged
completely down with this silly "pelosi is defeated" story.

she stepped on her own message.