I almost never write in the first person in political posts, but I have a confession to make.
Last year, despite my long-time admiration for the tremendous legislative achievements of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, I was wavering. I was wavering because we faced a grim future of total Republican control of our federal government, combined with nearly total appeasement by that Republican establishment of an authoritarian-minded ‘President’. This ‘President’, while very likely to be found, with the tincture of time, to be illegitimate by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, or by history, was still ascendant politically.
It seemed last year that Pelosi’s best days might have been in the past, with the Republicans’ decades-long smear campaign against her appearing to be an irredeemable success. I, like many, was finding it hard to imagine sticking with Pelosi out of sheer loyalty based on her past achievements, if that loyalty risked an unthinkable failure to take back the House.
I also had been a Bernie supporter, and was very concerned about the savaging of Bernie supporters on social media by some of my closest allies, and Pelosi seemed to be from that wing of the party (even though she largely kept her counsel on Bernie). Watching the Russian intelligence manipulation of a very small segment of Bernie supporters that many of us saw early on and were later proven right about, also had the counter-effect of causing many Bernie supporters like me to more easily support Hillary in the final, but it still created some additional suspicion of Pelosi for a time.
I also admired, and continue to admire, Congressman Seth Moulton, and I could see the logic in moving on, and I agreed with his implication that no politician “deserves” to be Speaker. It is a question of the best means to achieving political goals to benefit others, and is simply a matter of political utility. (Despite Moulton not being an ally of Pelosi, in the end he will likely not vote against her on the floor, when we sorely need a united front against our ‘President’.)
Yet by earlier this year, I was involved with another brilliant female candidate, Alexandra Chandler, and I felt personal loyalty to her campaign manager, Fred Rich LaRiccia. (Fred had managed my run for office two decades ago, and Fred managed Katherine Clark’s first campaign. I knew they all fiercely supported Pelosi.) I had long known Clark personally through Fred, and I had seen Clark not only excel in Congress, but also show extraordinary character in many personal matters, including quietly taking the time to attend the very small and very private memorial service of Fred’s partner.
I met Pelosi in 1986 when I was an intern in the House with Detroit Democrat John Conyers, Jr., and I myself felt loyalty toward her, because she had been the leader in the House on human rights issues dear to me both domestically, and internationally – particularly with regard to China.
So I kept my misgivings to myself.
In sum, had it not been for my cross-cutting ties, I was so concerned at that time about continuing with Pelosi, I might have jumped ship. That is my confession.
But here’s the real story. While some of us were engaged in all of this hand-wringing, Congresswoman Katherine Clark of Melrose was in action. Katherine Clark was working day and night on behalf of Nancy Pelosi as the head of Pelosi’s effort to recruit the best possible candidates in an unprecedented effort to mount viable campaigns in as many of the 435 House districts as possible.
Look at where we are today.
We are not out of the populist, Know-Nothing, proto-authoritarian woods, but it is now a brighter day. And we are seeing this new day in no small part due to the quiet, unsung (until recently) hard work of people like Nancy Pelosi and Katherine Clark to harness the energy of the decent left and center of this nation to flip the House.
And we did flip the House. We won. Big.
This puts Pelosi allies like my congressman Richard Neal as head of the Ways and Means Committee (the only committee in all of Congress with the legal authority to demand the ‘President’s’ tax returns), and Worcester’s Rep. Jim McGovern as head of the Rules Committee, with the power to advance or kill legislation.
There is something we can all do to reward all of this good work in the trenches by Katherine Clark. Katherine Clark is currently running to be the vice-chair of the Democratic House Caucus. I urge BMG’ers to call their member of congress to urge their support for Katherine Clark’s present candidacy for this position, the fifth most powerful political post in the House. She surely earned it this year.
I learned a lesson. Sometimes loyalty is not something that is pursued for its own sake. Sometimes the wisdom of the broader community, including our elders, is something to respect – not for the sake of adhering to conservative cultural shibboleths, but because sometimes our elders and those who work to advance their judgment, actually know what they are doing, and best advance progress.
Experience is never something to be glibly disregarded. Nancy Pelosi is not a creature of the past. Nancy Pelosi and her allies have responsibly and skillfully nurtured this blue wave. We are all very fortunate that Nancy Pelosi is standing between us and this malignant aberration in the White House. Today. Nancy Pelosi, Katherine Clark, Richard Neal, and Jim McGovern know what they are doing. Now, more than ever, we need everyone, including experienced people who know what they are doing, to be an effective check on this ‘President’.
I didn’t realize Clark was running for caucus vice-chair. I thought she would make a good DCCC chair.
If elected as Democratic Caucus Vice-Chair, Katherine Clark would be the first Massachusetts woman to move up into the leadership of the House of Representatives.
“If you win the World Series, you open the Champagne and the manager doesn’t get fired. And it’s the same thing here.” Rep. Brad Sherman (D) California quoted on CNN on why he supports Leader Pelosi for Speaker.
Correlation is not causation, which everyone in politics forgets as a matter of habit, often on purpose.
Pelosi as Speaker; Dems lose. Can her!
Pelosi as Minority Leader: Dems win in 2018. Hero!
Maybe she’s not the cause, one way or the other. And maybe just maybe, Republicans will demonize any progressive woman — like, say, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Maxine Waters, or whomever. It’ll be Katherine Clark, Kamala Harris, or Amy Klobuchar someday. Doesn’t matter. And some Dems (leftists, liberals, and centrists alike) fall into that trap, giving the GOP veto power over our own leadership. OMG they’re running against her!
Nope. No thanks. She got the ACA, Dodd-Frank, and — AND — climate legislation passed. She’s all right.
Or it could be that she made mistakes in 2016 and learned from them. That is my position. She did not put herself out front as a public figure in this campaign cycle and it did a world of good. She focused on her strengths (fundraising, legislation, policy) and delegated the campaign arm to capable allies like Katherine Clark. I think that is a mark of good leadership which is why I support her continuation as speaker and the elevation of Katherine Clark to a higher post. Clark would make a fantastic Speaker someday, and I hope I am the first to say it here.
We have healthcare because Pelosi fights in a way that makes asses afraid of her foot.
As a proud member of Indivisible Somerville, I was happy to learn that national Indivisible endorsed Leader Pelosi for Speaker today : “Through fights like passing the ACA,@nancypelosi has shown to be a strong and progressive leader, and we shouldn’t let a small group of white , moderate men sabotage her. We support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House.”
Jconway, please enumerate what you call Pelosi’s mistakes, since I think they were inconsequential as to the results in the 2016 House elections. Please enumerate them, instead of whitewashing your opposition to this progressive lion and support for Mushy Moulton in 2016.
Of 13 current members on anti-Pelosi list, 2 are from MA – Seth Moulton and Stephen Lynch, 10 are to the right of Democratic caucus median and 11 are to the right of Pelosi.
These are all arguments that Speaker Deleo could use.
That’s why offering complaints like those against Ms. Pelosi is so pointless.
Effective arguments against Mr. DeLeo include:
1. He denies the urgent and immediate need for new tax revenue
2. He sabotages public transportation at every opportunity
3. He ignores the catastrophic condition of government-managed infrastructure
4. He passionately promotes regressive tax policies that exploit the suffering of our state’s least fortunate residents (such as promoting state-sponsored gambling because of promised tax revenue)
If Ms. Pelosi’s critics made similarly substantive criticisms of policies she has promoted and passed, those critics would have more traction. Instead, the criticisms are often little more than regurgitated Trumpist talking points.
I thought you were through with me.
Pelosi is an obstacle to single payer, and an obstacle to reducing the influence of big donors.
I appreciate that you “fully support ” getting the money out of politics but you seem to express your support by questioning the motives of anyone who brings up the issue.
I responded to the following comment from you:
I don’t see single-payer or big-donor influence in the arguments of the thread-starter. Those two objections are legitimate. I disagree that those are enough to block her from resuming her role as Speaker.
I’m attempting to maintain civil discourse with you.
Neal and Pelosi are now pushing an idea that is incredibly dumb. And potentially catastrophic. They want to require a 3/5ths majority in the House to pass anything that raises the income tax on the bottom 80% of wage earners. It’s not quite as dumb as a balanced budget amendment, but it’s that idea’s awful child. The sentiment is fine, but if they really commit to a rule like that it means that we can’t do anything meaningful on health care, and especially not anything on climate. Same goes for PAYGO, which Pelosi says the House will return to, but has not yet been put out as an official rule for the new House.
The best arguments for new leadership are from the left. People like Seth Moulton and the centrists are fighting the wrong battle.
The left just endorsed Pelosi who has backpedaled on PayGo.
Apparently Hoyer and Clyburn are ready to challenge Pelosi if she fails to secure a majority at the internal caucus vote. My advice to her would be to encourage Fudge or another challenger to take on her disloyal Whips and set up a transition plan.
MoveOn.org endorses Pelosi : “We strongly support and call on all members of the Democratic caucus to support @Nancy Pelosi for speaker. Were it not for her skilled and effective leadership the ACA would not be law today. Dems must reject attempts to defeat her and move caucus to the right.”
Jconway, this is a truly hideous idea, urging an internal war at the top of the newly majoritarian Democrats. There would be no peace, no unity for at least the next two year term. Clyburn is a great Member who deserves re-election. Hoyer is nowhere near that and if Fudge wants to run for leadership, she should take him on (I think that would be a great effort and might put an African American in-line to be the next Speaker) but it is NOT the job of the likely Speaker to hire a political assassin to take him on. Anyone who wants to run for leadership needs to have a fire in the belly, not be a reluctant warrior.
I can’t imagine her not getting a majority of the caucus, and if there is only one other candidate then one of them gets a majority and this point is moot.
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) just announced she is backing Leader Pelosi as “the most progressive” candidate noting that “all of the rebellion for the speakership are challenges to her right.”
“A man (Schumer) loses and keeps his place; a woman (Pelosi) wins and gets booted? Go figure.” Martina Navratilova
“I am confident that we will now move forward together and that the 116th Congress will be a Congress we can all be proud of. I now join my colleagues in the leadership team of Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn.” Elections Chair -Elect, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge
Former POTUS Obama praised Leader Pelosi tonight as “one of the most effective legislative leaders that this country’s ever seen… and an extraordinary partner” in helping pass the Affordable Care Act, the Dodd-Frank financial bill and economic stimulus legislation.
Moulton putsch falters. as 3 more allies jump ship —Brian Higgins(NY), Sharice Davids (KS) and Stephen Lynch (MA) who said Sunday : ” If it becomes a choice between a Republican and Nancy Pelosi, I’ll obviously support Pelosi.”
Wasn’t it Shakespeare who said if you attempt to bring down a king you damn well better be sure to kill him.
Dems win 39th House seat in New Mexico 2nd district as Xochictl Torres Small defeats Republican Yvette Herrell.
Are we tired of winning yet? Hell NO!