by Naftali Bendavid
Amid polls showing scant public approval for Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is significantly stepping up her public appearances, visiting Sunday talk shows, holding regular press conferences, appearing on ABC’s colorful “The View”-and lunching with reporters Tuesday to boast of the Democrats’ “terrific legislative progress.”
This spate of appearances, expected to continue and even increase, comes after months in which Pelosi kept a relatively low profile following her historic ascent to the speakership. She now seems eager to push the message that the Democrats have accomplished a great deal since their takeover last November and to preempt Republican efforts to decry a “do-nothing Congress” as next year’s election approaches.
Meeting several dozen reporters Tuesday at a Washington hotel, Pelosi any number of times declared herself “proud” of the Democratic Congress, citing achievements including an increase in veterans’ benefits, a minimum wage hike, a college affordability law, an energy bill-and passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), now at the center of a veto fight with President Bush.
“We have drained the swamp,” Pelosi said. “We have passed historic legislation.”
Democrats have always been divided about Pelosi as a high-profile leader. Some fear her image as a “San Francisco liberal” hurts the party, while other appreciate her charisma as the first woman to lead a major party in Congress.
Pelosi denied Tuesday that her new publicity campaign stems from low poll numbers or political strategy, saying she had to concentrate at first on passing the Democrats’ agenda and only lately has become free to publicize those achievements.
Pelosi became most animated Tuesday when talking about the Iraq war, acknowledging that it has “eclipsed everything” and that Democrats have not been as successful as they hoped in ending it. Pelosi herself has come under considerable fire, including in her own district, for not doing more to conclude the war.
“It is not just the opinion of the base of the Democratic Party that this war should end, it’s the opinion of the American people, largely across-the-board,” Pelosi said. “Democrats, Independents, and a reasonable chunk of the Republican Party as well. They want the war to end. They don’t want to hear about 60 votes in the Senate-‘Just do it!’ ”
Pelosi has been buffeted by the anger and passion of liberal activists war, with whom she appears to sympathize even thought she cannot grant their wish. The speaker Tuesday appeared to feel caught between those activists and her role as a government leader.
“We have to make responsible decisions in the Congress that are not driven by the dissatisfaction of anybody who wants the war to end tomorrow,” Pelosi said. “God bless them for their passion on this issue. I believe that mostly they are right. But I do believe that we are responsible for the responsible, safe redeployment of our troops out of Iraq, and that is what we will continue to fight for.”
Pelosi then launched into a surprisingly personal description of the protesters camped outside her house: “I’ve had, for four or five months, people sitting outside my home, going into my garden in San Francisco, angering my neighbors, hanging their clothes from the trees, building all kinds of things-Buddhas, I don’t know what they are-couches, sofas, permanent living facilities on my front sidewalk. You can imagine my neighbors’ reaction to all of this. And if they were poor and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they would be arrested for loitering. But because they have 'Impeach Bush' across their chest, it’s the First Amendment, four or five months into that. So I’m well aware of the unhappiness of the base.”
More immediately, Pelosi and the Democrats are engaged in a battle with President Bush over a $35 billion expansion of the children’s health program, which easily passed Congress but which Bush has vetoed. Democrats are trying to persuade about 13 House Republicans to switch sides and help override the veto, but that appears unlikely.
Pelosi was clearly prepared for a question about Graeme Frost, a 12-year-old boy who has spoken out in favor of expanding SCHIP on behalf of the Democrats. Conservative bloggers have questioned whether Frost actually belongs to the sort of economically struggling family SCHIP is designed to help.
“I think that the attack on this family is just breaking new ground and stooping to new lows in terms of what happens in Washington, D.C.,” Pelosi said. “I think it’s a sad statement about how bankrupt some of these people are in their arguments against SCHIP that they attack a 12-year-old.”
The only time Pelosi appeared off-stride Tuesday was when a reporter asked her to name the biggest mistake she and the Democrats had made since taking power. Without acknowledging that it was a mistake, Pelosi confessed she initially thought the Democrats could make more headway in ending the war.
“For a long time we had confidence that we could get bipartisan support to end the war and also do so with strong bicameral initiatives,” Pelosi said-but then the Senate defeated a measure to ensure that the troops got as much time at home as deployed. “When they rejected that, it sent a clear message to me that we had placed our hopes in a place that wasn’t going to come through.”
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Comments
I can hardly wait to hear the pouring of hate from the religious right on this thread.
Posted by: bill r. | October 9, 2007 5:12 PM
That Pelosi, always telling jokes. Her H of R has passed "historic legislation." What? A resolution recognizing the petunia as the official flower of Uzghanistan? They did abandon their More-On.Org friends to continue funding of our troops, so they aren't totally worthless. Maybe their poll ratings will rise out of the teens now.
Posted by: Polk | October 9, 2007 5:16 PM
Here come the right wingnuts. That anyone would question improved benefits for our veterans, guarnateed health care for ALL our children. Investing in America instead of war (read Corporate America).
Standing up to a president set on creating a dictatorship?
That is well worth respecting.
Posted by: jon | October 9, 2007 6:27 PM
economically struggling family's children, are never well. They insist upon an Ambulance, taking kid(s) to Emergency Room, over hangnails. Why shouldn't they? Taxpayers, pay all bills. Veto, Childrens Health Care Plan. Should think about paying those kinds of future bills BEFORE she gets pregnant. Democratic President, gets elected? Lay-Offs, are inevitable.
Posted by: Mark | October 9, 2007 6:34 PM
You've been drained?
Posted by: Don Surber | October 9, 2007 7:08 PM
Nancy, darling, isn't William Jefferson still a congressman? How about that Mollohan from West Virginia?
And what exactly have you done other than lay down for Syria's Assad?
Posted by: John D | October 9, 2007 7:52 PM
Yep!
Drained the swamp to a 14% approval rating...nice job Nancy....
Oh, did anything happen yet with Whoopi and your husband...?
Just wondering...
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | October 10, 2007 1:43 AM
John D.
Your thinking is that of a nitwit.
What, pray tell, is so important about getting rid of William Jefferson. It is so typical for you reichwingers to carry on about matters that will, rightfully, be handled by the courts, instead of fixing some real problems.
Also look up once more what a "red herring" is.
Please try to find something your great leader has accomplished, other than the "mission accomplished" he was so quick to mention.
The "illegal" nightly passage of the drug bill disaster maybe?:(
The SS revision?
The dollar exchange rate maybe, which means that milk cost about as much as gasoline?
Veto-ing medical coverage for children, while asking for 200+ billion for a disastrously failed War?
Logical thinking will trump faith-based decision making ALL the time. Johnny-dearest
Posted by: bd | October 10, 2007 1:52 AM
Oh bd, thank you for showing once again that Demoncraps under investigation or under indictment is OK, but when it's a Republican, you low-lifes want them fried -- even before a trial. Just ask Tom DeLay.
Posted by: John D | October 10, 2007 9:04 AM
I'm confused. How is pointing out that the spokesboy for SCHIP is not underprivileged, but actually quite well off, an attack on the boy? The Democrats hold him up as a shining example of why the program needs funding, someone points out he's from a fairly well off family, and that's a vicious attack?
Very puzzling. Reminds me of those who said I was slandering Cindy Sheehan when I quoted her *in her own words.*
Posted by: DanInKansas | October 10, 2007 9:27 AM
John D-
This Congress passed the remaining measures recommended by the 9/11 commission that the previous Republican (soft on terrorists)Congress neglected to pass.
Oh, and don't forget, Larry Craig is still a srveing as a legislator. As is Ted Stevens.
But Pelosi is wrong on one thing. The Swamp hasn't been drained. You're still here.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 10, 2007 9:42 AM
Successes in the Democratic led House of Representatives this year:
http://www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0019
Posted by: BC | October 10, 2007 11:18 AM
Posted by: Anonymous | October 10, 2007 9:42 AM
Don't forget Sen. Vitter (Adulterer-LA) who demanded that Clinton step down from the presidency because of the Lewinsky affair, while at the same time Vitter was visiting a New Orleans prostitute.
It's 10 years later, and he's STILL cheating on his wife. Republic Party "family values"!
Posted by: BC | October 10, 2007 11:22 AM
Nancy Pelosi is a terrible Speaker picking fights with all Republicans and a do nothing 14 percent Congress. They passed minimum wage all rest of her 100 days was a waste with W's vetos and not enough votes.Pelosi says she prays that Bush will sign the $35 billion dollar giveaway for middle class children's health care giving people who make $83,000 a year a free pass and take everybodys' tax money to pay for the insurance. 08 will be a good year for the GOP. Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | October 10, 2007 1:29 PM
Impeach Bush!
Posted by: Bob Garon | October 10, 2007 1:40 PM
How about we vote in some people that will actually get something done?
Hillary/Obama/Rudy/Romney will not end the war. Some even want more (Iran) after that. End the madness.
Vote Ron Paul
www.ronpaul2008.com
Posted by: adrian | October 10, 2007 1:55 PM
WOW! The Pill-uzzi looking very JBF!
Posted by: C.Morris | October 10, 2007 6:07 PM
Ah yes, more political platitudes about "historic" legislation. When will big gov't heads like her get it that we cannot afford to spend yet more money? I don't think she has anything to be proud of. She and rest of the Republicrats are contributing to driving this country into bankruptcy.
Posted by: dooglio | October 10, 2007 10:33 PM
"Bless them for their passion" and "America should pray for peace." Hmmm, Nancy you are getting quite religious these days..I think we should show our passion and pray right in your office.
Heh, America! Come join us in the Cannon Building on Capitol HIll, room 235. Let's pray with all our passion that Nancy resigns!
Posted by: Fulana De Tal | October 11, 2007 3:41 AM
I hope you all realize now that the Democrats and the Republicans are really just two sides of the same Statist Party who view citizens as surfs that exist only to be exploited.
These people are unAmerican not just in their behavior but in their very thinking.
Please, please, please, vote for *any* 3rd party instead of these liars.
Posted by: Ugly American | October 11, 2007 3:44 PM
DanInKansas:
You actually believe the right-wing smears about Graeme Frost? They didn't check their information at all; they took the entire situation and glossed over the facts just so they could smear the spokesperson (typical for right-wing nutjobs, attack the messenger and not the message).
Here are the facts that the right-wing distorted in order to attack young Graeme:
1) Graeme has a scholarship to a private school. The school costs $15K a year, but the family only pays $500 a year.
2) His sister Gemma attends another private school to help her with the brain injuries that occurred due to her accident. The school costs $23,000 a year, but the state pays the entire cost.
3) They bought their “lavish house” sixteen years ago for $55,000 at a time when the neighborhood was less than safe.
4) Last year, the Frosts made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined.
5) The state of Maryland has found them eligible to participate in the CHIP program.
Posted by: RockLobster | October 11, 2007 4:00 PM