Thread: Pelosi, Murtha, she's something!!!

Pelosi pulls out the stops for Murtha
By Josephine Hearn

Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is imploring her colleagues to support Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for majority leader, multiple House Democrats said yesterday, dealing an unexpected but not necessarily fatal blow to Murtha’s opponent, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

It had been unclear until yesterday whether Pelosi would use her clout to turn votes to Murtha. She endorsed him in a letter Sunday, but some dismissed it as a nod to personal loyalty rather than a statement of her intentions.

But by yesterday, her intent was clear, several lawmakers said; she hopes to oust her onetime rival Hoyer from the leadership.


“She’s committed. If they thought she was just going to endorse his candidacy, they were mistaken,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), a Murtha ally. “She didn’t have to do this. It’s called courage.”

By throwing her full weight behind Murtha, Pelosi risks suffering an early setback with her colleagues if Hoyer wins; however, a Murtha victory would cement her total control.

Pelosi called incoming Ways and Means Committee chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) yesterday morning just hours after he had told the New York Sun, “I think Steny has done his job. I cannot think of any reason why this is happening,” prompting the paper to run the headline “Rangel Backs Hoyer for Leader.”

“I don’t know what article she had seen, but she had thought it was an endorsement of Steny,” Rangel said.

Rangel told her it was not an endorsement but reiterated his earlier statement that “nobody had given me any reason not to support Steny.”

Rangel would not discuss the details of his conversation with Pelosi, but he said that that statement remained true even after their conversation. “I’m not supporting anyone right now,” he said.

Yet nine other incoming full committee chairmen are supporting Hoyer. Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), John Spratt (D-S.C.), Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) signed a letter yesterday backing Hoyer.

“There simply is no question: Nancy and Steny have been a terrific team … we believe that Nancy and Steny not only deserve great credit for bringing us to this point, but also will be the best team to lead our caucus as we move forward in the majority,” they wrote.

Murtha and Pelosi were working the crowd together Monday night at Murtha’s reception at the Library of Congress.

The two of them spoke to Rep.-elect Tim Walz (D-Minn.), who said afterward that he was “still undecided” but appeared to be leaning toward Murtha.

“To be honest, I was waiting for the Speaker,” Walz said. “When the Speaker speaks, you listen. I take that into heavy consideration.”

Still other freshmen remained steadfast in their support of Hoyer despite intense lobbying by Murtha’s allies. Reps.-elect Ron Klein (D-Fla.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Phil Hare (D-Ill.) were vigorously supporting Hoyer yesterday.

Klein said the new members were ready to have the issue decided.

“I think most of the freshman class [supports bringing] this forward. Get this done and let’s get on to business,” he said.

Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) said he hoped Pelosi’s endorsement would have an effect, “especially on freshmen.”

The intense lobbying has put some freshmen in uncomfortable situations. The Murtha camp was infuriated Friday when Rep.-elect Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) signed a letter with other freshmen supporting Hoyer, charging that Hodes had told them he would remain uncommitted.

“I really can’t comment on what anybody else thought,” Hodes said yesterday. “I consider my word as my bond and I am continuing to support Congressman Hoyer.”

Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a Murtha supporter, said Monday night that Pelosi is playing for keeps.
“She will ensure that they [the Murtha camp] wins. This is hardball politics … We are entering an era where when the Speaker instructs you what to do, you do it,” he said. “Yes, she’s making calls to people. She is contacting people and letting them know that it’s an unequivocal letter.”

Hoyer’s camp was aware of the calls, said one lawmaker supporting the Democratic whip.

“She’s making calls, so don’t be shocked,” the lawmaker said.

Another House Democrat supporting Hoyer was incensed that Pelosi was exerting her influence in the caucus, asserting that it will further divide House Democrats.

“It’s an incredible display of hubris,” the member said, using a phrase Pelosi herself sometimes employs. “It’s incredibly egotistical. We all got us here. We all got us to the promised land and Steny’s not going to the promised land?”

The member said regardless of who ultimately wins the Thursday election, the effect of Pelosi actively getting involved in the race would reverberate for some time.

“Either way, it’s damaging,” the member said. “She will have a tremendous road to hoe to repair the damage she’s done.”
http://www.wnd.com/redir/r.asp?http://t ... elosi.html



Ok what's going on here? Just who died and made her a Queen? Nothing is going to change in Washington till we vote them all out! Thank God I didn't have the option to vote for them....I voted for Geoff Davis that was a strong supporter of closing the borders.

Oh, and wasn't it Dems calling Reps they were into "cronyism"?