Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

babylonsister

(171,074 posts)
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 04:14 PM Mar 2018

Some Dems Want to Dump Nancy Pelosi. Are They Nuts?



Opinion: Some Dems Want to Dump Nancy Pelosi. Are They Nuts?
Democratic leader a tough act to follow
Posted Mar 22, 2018 5:02 AM
Patricia Murphy


I have often believed that Nancy Pelosi is the only real man in Washington.

She’s got skin thicker than a rhinoceros. She raises money like a hedge fund chairman. Her personal ambitions are as obvious as they are legendary and, unlike the male congressional leaders before her and around her, she never, never, never gives up.


I vividly remember a day in 2009 when it seemed like the Affordable Care Act might not get across the finish line. Harry Reid was running into roadblocks in the Senate and President Barack Obama wasn’t exactly signaling confidence from the White House.

But Pelosi insisted health care reform was happening. “If the gate’s closed, we’ll go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we’ll pole vault in. If that doesn’t work, we’ll use a parachute. We’re going to get health care passed.”

Around that time, I asked Pelosi about something a female senator had said — that for a woman to be in politics, she needs to know how to take a punch. Pelosi added with a smile, “And you have to know how to throw a punch, too.”

Ask any Democrat in her caucus. This is no Disney princess.

more...

http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/opinion-dems-want-dump-nancy-pelosi-nuts
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Some Dems Want to Dump Nancy Pelosi. Are They Nuts? (Original Post) babylonsister Mar 2018 OP
I skimmed the article for Democrat names SHRED Mar 2018 #1
Good questions. KPN Mar 2018 #2
You're not aware Pelosi has faced criticism from Dems? babylonsister Mar 2018 #6
Lots of criticism here too mcar Mar 2018 #10
Yes, and there is that. Thanks. nt babylonsister Mar 2018 #13
Being compared to a man is a compliment? And made by a woman irisblue Mar 2018 #3
Yeah, me too RandomAccess Mar 2018 #16
In one word... YES!!! Thekaspervote Mar 2018 #4
The GOP wants the Democrats to dump Pelosi because she is effective Gothmog Mar 2018 #5
I'm waiting for Pelosi to put impeachment on the table. Tatiana Mar 2018 #7
Two questions and a comment EffieBlack Mar 2018 #12
Two answers to your questions. Tatiana Mar 2018 #15
As a man myself(perhaps not a real man, heh) I think the "real man" comment is JCanete Mar 2018 #8
The answer to the OP's question is NastyRiffraff Mar 2018 #9
K&R! mcar Mar 2018 #11
Thats a polite way of putting it EffieBlack Mar 2018 #14
No, just sexist and ageist. Probably more sexist, since she and Bernie are peers. nt pnwmom Mar 2018 #17
Russian trolls want her dumped too Generic Brad Mar 2018 #18

irisblue

(32,982 posts)
3. Being compared to a man is a compliment? And made by a woman
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 05:06 PM
Mar 2018

" I have often believed that Nancy Pelosi is the only real man in Washington. "
The hell?

Gothmog

(145,344 posts)
5. The GOP wants the Democrats to dump Pelosi because she is effective
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 05:24 PM
Mar 2018

Why should we do what the GOP wants?

Tatiana

(14,167 posts)
7. I'm waiting for Pelosi to put impeachment on the table.
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 05:29 PM
Mar 2018

If she refuses to, then I would support Schiff for Speaker when we win back the House.

 

EffieBlack

(14,249 posts)
12. Two questions and a comment
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 05:52 PM
Mar 2018

1. Does Schiff want to be Speaker?
2. Does Schiff support Pelosi for Speaker

And you don’t have any say over who the Speaker is. That’s solely up to the Members. So, who you - or I or anyone else - supports doesn’t really matter.

Tatiana

(14,167 posts)
15. Two answers to your questions.
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 06:08 PM
Mar 2018

1. He's coy about it. He says (publicly, at least) that if Pelosi wants it, he will support her. But he seems to leave the impression that if she steps down from leadership, he'd like a shot at it.

2. Yes.

And we don't have a direct say over who the Speaker is. But we do have a direct say over the members that vote for the Speaker... every 2 years. So these members that vote for the Speaker have a lot less insulation and/or protection from voters than Senators do.

Tom Foley made that mistake when he didn't realize how important the issue of term limits was to his constituents.

 

JCanete

(5,272 posts)
8. As a man myself(perhaps not a real man, heh) I think the "real man" comment is
Fri Mar 23, 2018, 05:38 PM
Mar 2018

or should be archaic at this point, since there is nothing aside from a mix of both carefully and lazily constructed mythology over the centuries that has established this idea that being a man is being strong and being a woman is being weak.

I get that it is still an effective insult, especially if you are talking to a bunch of people with that misogynistic view of the world, who will be most shamed or offended by being called less of a man, so I may be kind of torn...but the language still perpetuates the toxic mythology.

As to Pelosi, she's good at fundraising. Her rhetoric is okay. I like her. Her record as speaker...well I have no idea how you judge that - being effective at fundraising cannot mean in this day and age that the sources of that fundraising don't affect what policies actually get fought for or caved on...not that it even has to buy votes...it could simply be a case of propelling candidates with ideologies that naturally align to these interests to the top of the heap. Being successful in pulling in the big bucks then, is not necessarily the badge of honor people always want it to be. Granted, not being successful in this area would mean we would have seen another speaker some time ago, so in the sense that it does fund elections, and it does keep her in her title, that is a measure of success I guess.
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Some Dems Want to Dump Na...