Nancy Pelosi - Speaker of the House - Her Aide says "no comment"

[truedelphi]

I think that many of us spent yesterday in turmoil, feeling betrayed and outraged
about the total lack of leadership and gumption shown by the passing of the new Iraq War Funding bill.
No timelines - no bench marks - no nothing.

I keep thinking that there is something that I am missing. Some crucial piece of
evidence that would allow me to think - if even for a moment - that the new
Democratic majority in the House has not just sold us out.

In this situation, calling and asking for the facts from the horse's mouth can often offer
insight. So I called Pelosi's office in Washington DC.

But the aide could only say that he was not allowed to make any comment or explanation.

[Fridays Child]

1. I'd like to think that there's some clever Democratic strategy playing out, here.

But I'm not confident. :(

[LanternWaste]

8. I am (confident, that is).

I am (confident, that is).

I have a feeling that the are some SERIOUS (HUGHLY SERIES!!!) back-room plays going on by the Dem leadership. However, if we knew what they are, that would mean the Republics know what they are too. Although things haven't been moving as fast as I like, I do receive consolation knowing that we've only been back in power for six months.

[partylessinOhio]

2. Does that aide represent Madame Squeaker? Does Madame

realize who she works for? She is NOT self-employed at Congress.

She does owe the voters an explanation. I hope her district fires her.

[The Magistrate]

4. Speaker Pelosi, Ma'am, Has Stated She Will Not Vote for This 'Compromise' Herself

It has been widely reported, and would be pretty hard to back down off of. It is also hard to image a brighter signal that the Congressional leadership of the Party has no particular interest in seeing this pass....

[frylock]

5. no. she said “I’m not likely to vote for something that doesn’t have a timetable or a goal"

which is a far cry from stating she will NOT vote for the compromise.

[The Magistrate]

7. The 'Compromise' Lacks These Things, Sir

That is precisely why there is such up-roar over it.

[snappyturtle]

3. Maybe the aide didn't know.

Or, the aide knew and chose not to disclose under orders from Pelosi.

[some guy]

6. One thing you're missing

no legislation has been passed, or yet voted on WRT Iraq this week.

So far it's all just widely reported rumor.

[truedelphi]

10. Well, that is not the thing that I am missing Not that!

I very well know it has to come to a vote.

But ever since the days of Three Mile Island (was that 1978, 79?), I have been feeling out leadership in COngress and the WH about various matters. (Clinton's WH actually blocked my home phone numbers - Bush's WH has not done that yet.)

And one of the things I have learned is that one measure of your leadership is the person answering the phone.

WHo has impressed me the most in all these years in terms of how my queries are answered?

In the old days, Charles Percy (Senator from Illinois) and currently Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts. Their office aides were/are exceptional.

Who has gotten the bigggest "F" in my book. Senator Feinstein, who had a six month bout where the only thing that her aides would ask was "What Corporation are you representing?" And you got put on hold for a very long time if you were only representing yourself, a constituent. (Consequently, I do not vote for her being my representative. It is clear that MS. 27-million-earned-for-my-husband's contracts in Iraq could care less about me.)

I will be finagling a bit - perhaops it is time to see if Karl Rove is hanging out in the Chief of Staff office and present myself as an up-cand-coming Ann Coulter. (One often finds things out by using honey rather than vinegar -w hich has had me calling the head of Monsanto to praise the firm for its products - products that I hate as much as anyone ever hated napalm!) I certainly am not finding anything out by calling Pelosi.

[Supersedeas]

9. sad excuse for leadership