Nancy Pelosi succeeded where Richard Gephardt failed.

[RandySF]

So why does she get crapped on in ways he did not?

[elleng]

1. She was very successful as leader.

Many complain about her 'negative' attitude about things like 'impeachment.' I think it's strategic on her part, but many complain.

OK with me, it takes all kinds.

[shraby]

2. That's her one big failing. She needs to understand that impeachment is necessary sometimes.

When serious laws have been broken they need a serious remedy.

[shenmue]

4. Ha

[George II]

5. Attempting impeachment without a majority is futile.

[oasis]

9. Pelosi has the political instincts to know not to put the public

through a long, drawn out, traumatic spectacle. She wasn't about to signal her intententions of doing so.

[NewJeffCT]

3. I thought taking impeachment off the table in 2006

was a mistake. Even if she had zero intention to impeach, you can leave it out there as a negotiating tactic... "Ok, we won't start an impeachment investigation if you support X, Y and Z and get us a 2/3 majority or more in both houses..."

[CBHagman]

7. We're all just sitting here posting things on the Internet. She actually has to count the votes.

For a decade and more I've seen a wish list of things that ought to have been done, but I have seen no signs of A) the necessary number of votes and B) a workable strategy.

In the end, the progressive dreams, however one conceives them, aren't going to come true unless people do the distinctly unsexy work of creating the alliances and conditions that bring them about. And the work involved includes the distinct possibility of failure.

There are people who have spent their lives working for rights -- to vote, to obtain health care, to receive equal treatment and opportunity -- currently at risk. They know they can sacrifice for decades and still see everything they've built crumble. It's the nature of work.

[elleng]

8. Right, that's one of the issues that has gotten her some negatives, imo.

[Dennis Donovan]

6. Dick Gephardt wasn't speaker...