David Ignatius (WaPo) on Nancy Pelosi: "SHAME ON HER!"

[Julius Civitatus]

I still can not believe I am reading this. Of course, coming from the pro-GOP, beltway insider Washington Post... well, I shouldn't be surprised. Still, it's shocking in its partisanship:

The new House speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, had a disastrous post-election week in which her first priority seemed to be settling scores rather than solving these big problems. Shame on her!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601362.html

What a fucking wanker!
First of all, Pelosi is NOT the House speaker yet. Hastert is. Pelosi won't be the speaker until January.

Second, Ignatius has been one of the more reliable acolytes of Karl Rove in the Washington Post, carrying water for the porcine Machiavelli and the GOP for years. It has barely been a week since the election and Ignatius is already condemning her. His outrageous "Shame on her!" in his article is disgusting. Ignatius is transparent in his allegiances to the GOP.

Fuck the DC beltway good ol' boys! They are all a bunch of Republican sycophants.

BTW, you can contact Ignatius here:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/david+ignatius/

[Julius Civitatus]

1. Kick!

Really, pass it along.
This is the most outrageous attack of the beltway boys on Pelosi to date (not counting Fox News).

[cali]

2. Look, I'd be really surprised

if the dems haven't figured out that they'd be criticized in the MSM.

[Julius Civitatus]

3. The MSM is certainly not their friend, and they should know by now

You are right in that sense. I think the media should be priority number 1 for the Dems, stopping these monstrous mergers from taking place and bringing back the Fairness Doctrine.

Furthermore, the Dems should have learned the lessons of the Clinton years, and be aware that while they held on criticizing Bush and kissed GOP ass for 6 years, they always get vicious on Dems. Pelosi should institute a media task team to fight back on the spot, like Karl Rove does every time someone publishes anything he doesn't like.

Thinking the media is "fair" and unbiased is the biggest mistake the Democrats could make.

[opihimoimoi]

4. The Nasty Hateful Pubiclicans are doing all they can to sow discord

and denigrate the Dems...hoping to prevent/stifle success.

They are out to muddy the water, poison the well, ruin the soup with all the resources they can muster...

They have FEAR of DEMs SUCCESS for Obvious reasons..the GOP will have a harder time making a rebound to their former days of Power and Gluttony...

The GOP is reduced to Sniping and Whining...Rush did this for 8 years while the Clintons were in the WH...a true demagogue

The Dems cannot rest in their quest for Best...

[OHdem10]

5. The real truth is Pelosis and Murtha are being punished

by the Media(who always support Republicans)for being
ANTI-WAR.

It is more about their Anti War Position. Most of the
Media are working like horses to help Bush Stay The
Course. Murtha and Pelosi are seen as those who would
not fear confronting Bush. The real attack is to
intended to shut them up.

Found it most interesting that nothing was mentioned re
Boehner"s passing out money (from Tobacco Interests)
(Checks, that is to members who had helped the Tobacco
Interests.

They complained about Murtha taking pork projects for
votes from the Rebulicans. I can name 9 DLCers in Senate
who took Pork Projects from Republicans for their vote
On that horrible Medicare Bill.

The Amount of Pork given to Republicans by Rep. Leaders
for votes is not measureable.

It is only wrong if Murtha does it.

Folks , they are trying to marginalize Nancy and Murtha
so Bush will not be confronted. They(Media and Republican) see DLCers and Blue Dogs as easy to control and get their
votes. They have a history and laying down and rolling
over.

[On the Road]

6. I Don't Doubt Your Basic Premise

that there is an anti-Democratic bias regarding Pelosi and Murtha. But from what I understand about the situation, what Murtha was charged with is beyond the usual issue of taking money from lobbyists.

Every member of Congress, even Dennis Kucinich, accepts campaign contributions from business interests. Sometimes those contributions sway the votes, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the congressman would have voted with the money any way out of personal belief, party discipline, or constituent contacts. It's difficult to prove influence, which is why it's so common.

Congressmen are also noted for getting pork barrel projects for their own districts. This is not necessarily considered illegal, especially if the money had to be spent somewhere. The bridge to nowhere in Alaska is the most egregious example because it should never have been built. But LBJ got the NASA control center in Houston rather than the more natural location near Cape Canaveral. This is business as usual.

What Murtha was accused of doing went well beyond that. He earmarked spending in specific bills so it could only be spent with his brother's contracting company. AFAIK, It cannot be shown that he directly profited.

Now Murtha is not the only person to do this sort of thing. Bob Dole, for example, was infamous for writing into legislation financial favors to specific companies in his district. But if the theme of the next congress is going to be anti-corruption, I don't know how you can do it while electing a Majority leader who is famous for earmarking. And it's difficult to argue press bias if the issue is raised.