NY Times Editorial Says Pelosi Tempts Disaster

[dazzleman]

I don't usually agree with the New York Times editorial page, but this one was interesting.
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November 17, 2006
Editorial
Speaker Pelosi Tempts Disaster
Nancy Pelosi has managed to severely scar her leadership even before taking up the gavel as the new speaker of the House. First, she played politics with the leadership of the House Intelligence Committee to settle an old score and a new debt. And then she put herself in a lose-lose position by trying to force a badly tarnished ally, Representative John Murtha, on the incoming Democratic Congress as majority leader. The party caucus put a decisive end to that gambit yesterday, giving the No. 2 job to Steny Hoyer, a longtime Pelosi rival.

But Ms. Pelosi’s damage to herself was already done. The well-known shortcomings of Mr. Murtha were broadcast for all to see — from his quid-pro-quo addiction to moneyed lobbyists to the grainy government tape of his involvement in the Abscam scandal a generation ago. The resurrected tape — feasted upon by Pelosi enemies — shows how Mr. Murtha narrowly survived as an unindicted co-conspirator, admittedly tempted but finally rebuffing a bribe offer: “I’m not interested — at this point.”

Mr. Murtha would have been a farcical presence in a leadership promising the cleanest Congress in history. Ms. Pelosi should have been first to realize this, having made such a fiery campaign sword of her vows to end Capitol corruption. Instead, she acted like some old-time precinct boss and lost the first test before her peers.

As incoming speaker, Ms. Pelosi will be dogged by skepticism — from within the party and without — about her political smarts and her ability to deliver a galvanized agenda.

It was a no-brainer for the caucus to end the misguided fight for Mr. Murtha, who belittled the need for reform. Now the pressure is even greater for Speaker-elect Pelosi to recover by leading the House to something actually worth fighting for — starting with credible anticorruption strictures. For this she needs gaffe-wary advisers, among them Mr. Hoyer, who has his own questionable record of flourishing in big-money politics. The new majority — led by a presumably wiser speaker — must realize by now that intramural vendetta is hardly a substitute for productive government.

[Joe Republic]

As much as I personally dislike the woman, I honestly think this whole Majority Leader election debacle has been way overblown.  Not that Hoyer is all that much better of the two, but the important thing is that Murtha is well and truly out of the picture for the foreseeable future.  Whether this was a personal defeat for Pelosi or not is irrelevant to me.

[Keystone Phil]

I can't wait to see who wins the House battles between Pelosi and Boehner. I think both are way too inept.

[NewFederalist]

I think both are way too inept.

As someone who clearly dislikes both major parties I can agree with that statement!

[dazzleman]

As much as I personally dislike the woman, I honestly think this whole Majority Leader election debacle has been way overblown.  Not that Hoyer is all that much better of the two, but the important thing is that Murtha is well and truly out of the picture for the foreseeable future.  Whether this was a personal defeat for Pelosi or not is irrelevant to me.

Coupled with the fact that she has vetoed Jane Harman for the Intelligence Committee, in favor of a man even she voted to impeach from a federal judgeship, I think there's a pattern on Pelosi's part of allowing pettiness, vindictiveness, and her own personal baggage to interfere with what is the best choice for the party and the country.  I can't say I'm surprised.

[Virginian87]

I think both are way too inept.

^^^^^

[Alcon]

This was dumb of Pelosi, but two years away from any meaningful election that Pelosi will really affect, this is way overblown.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Gingrich's choice for Majority Leader in 1994 lost. The so called media didn't give a crap about that. It's only news when it can be used to hurt a Democrat.

[dazzleman]

This was dumb of Pelosi, but two years away from any meaningful election that Pelosi will really affect, this is way overblown.

It won't be a big deal if she learns from her mistake.  But if it's indicative of the way she intends to run things, it could be very significant.

[bullmoose88]

Gingrich's choice for Majority Leader in 1994 lost. The so called media didn't give a crap about that. It's only news when it can be used to hurt a Democrat.

The NY Times is the propaganda arm of the Republican Party? Since when?