News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi has been an extremely effective speaker of the House for four years, shepherding hundreds of important bills toward passage and withstanding solid Republican opposition. Her work in passing health care reform and strong ethics oversight achieved what many thought was legislatively impossible. But is she really the best the Democrats can come up with as their leader as they slip into the minority?
Ms. Pelosi announced on Friday that she would seek the post of House minority leader. That job is not a good match for her abilities in maneuvering legislation and trading votes, since Democrats will no longer be passing bills in the House. What they need is what Ms. Pelosi has been unable to provide: a clear and convincing voice to help Americans understand that Democratic policies are not bankrupting the country, advancing socialism or destroying freedom.
If Ms. Pelosi had been a more persuasive communicator, she could have batted away the ludicrous caricature of her painted by Republicans across the country as some kind of fur-hatted commissar jamming her diktats down the public’s throat. Both Ms. Pelosi and Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, are inside players who seem to visibly shrink on camera when defending their policies, rarely connecting with the skeptical independent voters who raged so loudly on Tuesday.
With President Obama proving to be a surprisingly diffident salesman of his own work, Congressional Democrats need a new champion to stand against a tightly disciplined Republican insurgency.
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Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
As usual, nonsense from the NYTimes editorial page.
Pelosi and Reid never "shrank" from defending their policies. Good Lord, they were on television all the time. President Obama isn't a "diffident" salesman of his own work. He's an utterly aggressive and committed salesman of his own policies and legislation.
The trouble is, nobody was buying. Pelosi, Reid, and Obama did an energetic, combative, and frankly heroic job of trying to sell the American voter -- no, wait, let's be more specific: trying to sell the independent Obama voter -- on a bunch of policies that the American people didn't want.
It wasn't the salesmen. It was the product. Trust the NYTimes to miss that.
May '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
I used to complain when y'all linked to the New York Times. Now it's headlining on Ricochet like a contributor. I give up.
But can we at least add a mocking bio to its profile page? Please?
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Aaron Miller:
But can we at least add a mocking bio to its profile page? Please? · Nov 10 at 2:27pm
Go ahead and draft one up!
Aug '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Who let these jerks into our space? It's not like their voice is suppressed. Who's next-MSNBC?
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
One of the more delightful aspects of the current situation is that there is no way that Nancy Pelosi will give way. We should be grateful to her and to Harry Reid, Barack Obama, and Rahm Emanuel for unmasking the Democratic Party. I wish to announce my support for her candidacy.
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
And, Rob, you can trust the New York Times to write "shepherding hundreds of important bills towards passage" as an accomplishment. Think where we would be if those hundreds of bills hadn't passed.
To say nothing of the hundreds of minor ones.
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Charles Mark: Who let these jerks into our space? It's not like their voice is suppressed. Who's next-MSNBC? · Nov 10 at 3:09pm
Charles, this story is from Ricochet's "Headlines" page. If you go on over the the headlines tab, which is to the right of the "All Conversations" tab at the top of the page, you'll see a collection of news items from various sources. The editors move stories that contributors and members have commented on over to the main feed.
Aug '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Thanks for that Diane-I think I understand.But it still feels like finding mould in my sandwich!
Jun '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
"What they need is what Ms. Pelosi has been unable to provide: a clear and convincing voice to help Americans understand that Democratic policies are not bankrupting the country, advancing socialism or destroying freedom."
Well, I'm glad the NYT cleared that up for me. I'm beginning to see the light. I think I'll see the surgeon tomorrow about having that sixth finger on my left hand removed. >snort< >grunt<
Jul '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
When we attend the words of the pompous, they confound our amusement and derision for respect and envy. NYT gets it profoundly wrong is a dog bites man story.
May '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Damn you, David Brooks!
And surely this should be the NYT/headline logo (very short and tres suitable for work). EJ, work your magic. I'm callin you out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyKEOmA7MtI
Edited on Nov 10, 2010 at 4:05pmJun '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Rob,"It wasn't the salesmen. It was the product. Trust the NYTimes to miss that."
Beautifully stated, Rob. We can all pray that the Dems continue to live under the illusion that they are merely misunderstood. In reality the American people have been awakened to their end game, socialism and crony capitalism. After Obama won the Presidency, with Democrats in total control of both houses of Congress, no matter how deceitful their language, the end game became obvious and We reject it. But this is only the beginning. We must be ever vigilant. There are Republican legislators that are all too willing to continue the continuous and unsustainable march to the left. Now it is the unelected Federal Reserve that is pushing us into oblivion with Qe2. The battle never ends.
Jul '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
For years, I've been haunted by her blatant celebratory exclamation the morning after the 2006 election that made her speaker:
"Let's hear it for the POWER!"
I've always believed the will to power is creepy, but she redefines creepy.
Jul '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
I read the title to this post and thought, "No kidding, NYT has always been in bed with the Democrats."
Oct '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
If Ms. Pelosi had been a more persuasive communicator...
To the contrary, I think "Ms. Pelosi" was a very effective communicator. Her message came through loud and clear. Most voters got that she is some kind of fur-hatted commissar jamming her diktats down the public’s throat.
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
I'm with Greg: What the NYT describes as "ludicrous caricature"--that Ms. Pelosi is "some kind of fur-hatted commissar jamming her diktats down the public’s throat"--strikes me as impartial biography.
May '10
Re: News Item: NYT turns on Pelosi
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Aaron Miller:
But can we at least add a mocking bio to its profile page? Please? · Nov 10 at 2:27pm
Go ahead and draft one up! · Nov 10 at 2:48pm
I was certain Kenneth, among many others, would jump at the opportunity. How about a simple catchphrase?
"When reality just isn't good enough."