A Cornered Rat Reponds

 

Last week, the airwaves were full of media praise for Nancy Pelosi to cover for a meltdown seemly aimed at reporter James Rosen but I feel was much more a vent toward a plan going very badly. The media certainly came with both barrels. Chris Mathews and selected Hardball panelists agreed that it may well have been her “finest hour.” That tower of truth Lawrence O’Donnell celebrated her “crushing” of Rosen. Andrea Mitchell attested to Pelosi’s “deep faith” and her sincerity in citing her status as a properly raised Catholic. And the ever-so conservative of convenience David Brooks, no doubt more impressed by the crisp crease of her pantsuit than her substance, called it a “beautiful moment.”

When I bothered to watch the clip of the press conference (actually just a tight, measured statement to the reporters) and her turning on Rosen as she was leaving, my first impression was of a cornered rat striking out and releasing the frustration with its predicament. It might have been quite a bit of her own doing, but Pelosi has been cornered into calling for the bills of impeachment after losing all of the battles needed to make the measure favor her party and her ends.

A person who knows they have control of the situation does not meltdown like that. In her case, I believe she was on-board for an impeachment from the beginning but intended to play it for the full political benefit. And certainly, the present timing would be great for influencing the upcoming elections (seems to be a theme the Dems can’t escape from) if events were in their favor.

The heavy-handed committee meetings with such apparent lack of fairness (not mention evidence of any real kind) have been an across-the-board bust. The more they do, the easier it is to see they have no real case except a distaste for the president and anyone who voted for him. The parade of “witnesses” has been little more than a collection of career swamp dwellers unhappy with the rejection of their great policy insight who had no first-hand knowledge of anything and a selected set of snarky left-wing academics – all of whom appeared to talk down to everyone else without a D in front of their name or not holding a media card. One of the self-important, bow-tied professors even began by instructing us on his “conclusions” before even addressing any points of law and constitutionality.

The bottom line is that the more that the media and House Democrats have thrown out, the more support for Trump has grown. The more the whole thing is too easily seen through, regardless of one’s personal opinion of the president. It is a dishonest sham that can only damage our system of laws.

I am sure that the internal poling that all politicos do is even more telling than what reaches the public. And that it looks bad enough for Speaker Pelosi.

And a Senate trial, which will be more widely watched any of these terrible committee hearing, will allow Republicans (if they have the backbone) to call witnesses who will certainly open up more to the public eye than is comfortable in an election year. There are a few reasonable voices that doubt that it will be allowed to get to the Senate because of that. I am not that insightful.

But I do believe that each of these missteps have made it harder and harder for the House to avoid sending it to the Senate.

But even that poling which is allowed to reach the public eye shows the president gaining ground, not just across-the-board but in so-called battleground states and districts. And the crowning touch was data which suggested his approval among minorities was well over 30 percent. That is indeed a panic signal for the party of dependency.

For several reasons, in that flash of time when Madame Speaker wheeled on Rosen, I didn’t see a devout Catholic defending her love for all mankind (except, of course, for those in their first, second, or third trimester – or maybe a few minutes past), I saw a scheming rat cornered and angered she couldn’t find the next turn in the maze.

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  1. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    She doesn’t really have a good option here, and she didn’t want to answer the question because she knows she doesn’t, so she pulled the religion card,  which is very seldomly used by Democrats nowadays because of the questions that inevitably brings up (abortion and Nancy’s Catholicism being the most obvious one here). I think if Pelosi had her way, the party never would have done the impeachment, but she’s so desperate to maintain her speakership until 2022, she didn’t want to risk angering the already-angry parts of her caucus by refusing to give into their impeachment lust.

    What she mostly likely would have preferred was a repeat of the Democrats’ 2007-08 strategy, which was basically to allow their newly-elected swing district representatives to lay low for two years, because getting them to vote on overtly partisan/progressive measures now could cost them their seats in 2020. But if they don’t vote on in now, Nancy could face a leadership challenge, and those same swing district reps could face primary challenges from the left, where the Democrats’ voter pool is also well to the left of those district’s overall pool of registered voters.

    So no real way out without putting the swing district Dems in danger, or risking her own loss of power. And since she’s still not sure how she’s going to play this, Nancy opted to answer Rosen’s question by not answering Rosen’s question, and then got praise from others in the media who were irked at Rosen for putting Pelosi on the spot in the first place.

    • #1
  2. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    I enjoyed the David Brooks / Mark Shields vaudeville act more when they pretended to be opposed. Brooks was such a good straight man that he kept Shields’ one trick evergreen – switching between the policy substance and the horse race as necessary. They’re kind of boring now that Brooks no longer pretends to be a conservative.

    Brooks’ paean to Pelosi that Ole mentions is at 4:25 in the linked clip.

    • #2
  3. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    I heard Ms Pelosi’s attack on Rosen on a podcast.  It had all the sincerity of a used car salesman’s pitch.  “I’m a good Catholic girl (or something like that)”, “I pray for the President every day”, all this from the nation’s leading advocate of abortion for all, yeah, right.

    Ole, you’ve nailed it.  Thanks for posting.

    • #3
  4. OkieSailor Member
    OkieSailor
    @OkieSailor

    Desperate people do desperate things, like hold extended hearings trying to find something, anything, that can possibly be spun as impeachment worthy. They are grasping at straws and the straws keep disappearing so they inevitably look increasingly foolish. So when Queen Nancy gets a hard question from an actual reporter she predictably panics and tries to land a knock out punch. She missed badly leading to more desperation by the Dem compliant Media to spin it as a win. Are there still enough thinking voters who are paying enough attention to see through this charade? We will only know in November.

    • #4
  5. philo Member
    philo
    @philo

    Ole Summers: The bottom line is that the more that the media and House Democrats have thrown out, the more support for Trump has grown.

    Political anti-fragility. A condition unknowingly cultivated by the very people it now frustrates. Second term Trump is going to be interesting…to say the least.

    • #5
  6. Muleskinner, Weasel Wrangler Member
    Muleskinner, Weasel Wrangler
    @Muleskinner

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):
    A person who knows they have control of the situation does not melt down like that. In her case, I believe she was on-board for an impeachment from the beginning but intended to play it for the full political benefit. And certainly the present timing would be great for influencing the upcoming elections (seems to a theme the Dems can’t escape from) IF events were in their favor.

    After watching her performance, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Miranda warning requires some updating (in italics). I’m not an attorney, but I’ve been binge watching Law and Order reruns.

    You have the right to remain silent. But, anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. Remaining silent is evidence of guilt, and may also be used against you in a court of law.

    You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning. Be advised that the authorities may intercept any or all communications with your attorney, and may seize any evidence provided to your attorney. 

    If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. Remember, “Only the guilty need legal representation.”

    Do you understand (what remains of) your rights as I have explained them to you?

    • #6
  7. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    I love the Democrats that wrap themselves in their “faith” when it’s convenient.

    Pelosi now, the Uber Catholic who supports infanticide.  Bill Clinton carrying his Bible around when the Monica stuff hit the fan are the first that come to mind.  Buttigieg is up there too.

    • #7
  8. PHCheese Inactive
    PHCheese
    @PHCheese

     Nance just wants her big plane back for the non stop trip between DC and California.

    • #8
  9. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Ole Summers: It might have been quite a bit of her own doing, but Pelosi has been cornered into calling for the bills of impeachment after losing all of the battles needed to make the measure favor her party and her ends.

    I agree.  I think Pelosi had a plan, but things have gotten out of hand.  Schiff and Nadler are the ones in charge of impeachment, and for her to discipline them now would cast her and their party in a bad light.  It would also signal the public the whole show was a nothingburger

    At some point she has to go into damage control mode, because at best she’ll lose a few seats but retain control of the House, but at worst she lose the House altogether.

    • #9
  10. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Stad (View Comment):

    Ole Summers: It might have been quite a bit of her own doing, but Pelosi has been cornered into calling for the bills of impeachment after losing all of the battles needed to make the measure favor her party and her ends.

    I agree. I think Pelosi had a plan, but things have gotten out of hand. Schiff and Nadler are the ones in charge of impeachment, and for her to discipline them now would cast her and their party in a bad light. It would also signal the public the whole show was a nothingburger

    At some point she has to go into damage control mode, because at best she’ll lose a few seats but retain control of the House, but at worst she lose the House altogether.

    Byron York was saying on his podcast on Friday that some of the purple district Democrats were asking Pelosi to present a couple of impeachment charges they could vote against, as a way to split the difference, by being able to tell primary voters they did vote for Trump’s impeachment on 1-2 charges, while telling swing voters next November they didn’t vote for Trump’s impeachment on 1-2 charges. Seems a little too clever by half, but Nancy also still has enough leeway to where she could permit the 10 or so most vulnerable Democrats to “vote their conscience” — i.e., save their skin 11 months from now, by voting against all impeachment measures, while still allowing it to pass overall (that could still open those reps up to primary challenges from the left, but the filing deadline has or is about to end in a few states, where any endangered House members there don’t have to sweat a challenge from angry progressive Trump haters).

    • #10
  11. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Ole,

    A scheming rat. Yep, that sums it up.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #11
  12. DonG (skeptic) Coolidge
    DonG (skeptic)
    @DonG

    Ole Summers: David Brooks, no doubt more impressed by the crisp crease of her pant suit than her substance

    David Byrne had a similar suit to Nancy’s.

     

    • #12
  13. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    I think her demeanor definitely changed in that moment.

    • #13
  14. Hugh Member
    Hugh
    @Hugh

    I agree with this post.

    One other point:  This is her legacy, how she will be remembered if Trump wins re-election.  She knows the risk that has been taken and she has no control.  The roller coaster is done climbing and on the way down.

    Gravity all the way, baby!

    • #14
  15. Hustler46060 Inactive
    Hustler46060
    @Hustler46060

    Seems like Democrats like waving their finger at somebody when asked a question that gets to the point.

     

     

    • #15
  16. Cow Girl Thatcher
    Cow Girl
    @CowGirl

    OkieSailor (View Comment):
    They are grasping at straws and the straws keep disappearing so they inevitably look increasingly foolish.

    See? Those stupid paper straws are worthless…if they hadn’t banned those sturdy plastic straws this whole thing might be easier for Nancy Pants.

    • #16
  17. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    I’m glad she referred to her Catholicism as we need more politicians to recognize there is a God since our Constitution was founded on that belief. That said, she is a hard-core Dem operative of the first order who will stop at nothing to bring down the president. Those who believe she’s only going through with impeachment to placate the left wing of her party haven’t been paying attention to her over the years. 

    • #17
  18. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    I’m glad she referred to her Catholicism as we need more politicians to recognize there is a God since our Constitution was founded on that belief. That said, she is a hard-core Dem operative of the first order who will stop at nothing to bring down the president. Those who believe she’s only going through with impeachment to placate the left wing of her party haven’t been paying attention to her over the years.

    She is not a Catholic in communion with Christ given her strident and vocal support of abortion. She constantly assumes the moral high ground and invokes her Catholicism often. I’m just not familiar with a version of Catholicism that endorses and embraces the dismemberment and murder of the unborn like the Speaker does.

    • #18
  19. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):

    I’m glad she referred to her Catholicism as we need more politicians to recognize there is a God since our Constitution was founded on that belief. That said, she is a hard-core Dem operative of the first order who will stop at nothing to bring down the president. Those who believe she’s only going through with impeachment to placate the left wing of her party haven’t been paying attention to her over the years.

    She is not a Catholic in communion with Christ given her strident and vocal support of abortion. She constantly assumes the moral high ground and invokes her Catholicism often. I’m just not familiar with a version of Catholicism that endorses and embraces the dismemberment and murder of the unborn like the Speaker does.

    Brian & Goldwaterwoman,

    I think that Pelosi’s religious feeling is about equal to her commitment to constitutional law. It sounds good at the moment so she’ll make some noise about it. However, without the immediate incentive, she’d throw the constitution in the toilet and worship Baal.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #19
  20. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    James Gawron (View Comment):
    I think that Pelosi’s religious feeling is about equal to her commitment to constitutional law.

    I don’t know about all churches, but in my Episcopal church we collectively pray for the president of the US at every service. It was a bit tough to do when Obama was in office, but I did it. My feelings about Obama were strictly negative as far as his effectiveness as a president, but I did not wish him personal harm and justified my prayers on that basis. Some Catholics go to mass every day. If she is one who does, since she says she prays for him daily, then she probably prays for Trump on the same basis I did for Obama. Regardless, she and her party are doing grievous harm to the country, and the vitriol we hear from them on a daily basis must make the task of protecting the president by the Secret Service that much tougher. 

    • #20
  21. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Goldwaterwoman (View Comment):
    If she is one who does, since she says she prays for him daily, then she probably prays for Trump on the same basis I did for Obama.

    Gww,

    I am sure that you have been righteous even with the likes of Obama. However, I would require hard evidence before I would believe Pelosi has a religious bone in her body.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #21
  22. OmegaPaladin Moderator
    OmegaPaladin
    @OmegaPaladin

    Congratulations on the Instalanche, @olesummers

    Welcome Instapundit readers!  

    Ricochet is a group blog site dedicated to promoting the best content from our members.  We use a membership fee (only around a burger per month) and a Code of Conduct to help keep the place from becoming the standard comment section you see on the Internet.  Becoming a Ricochet member lets you read and up-vote posts on our member feed, as well as post comments.   There’s plenty where this came from, so sign up today!

    • #22
  23. MichaelKennedy Inactive
    MichaelKennedy
    @MichaelKennedy

    A couple of observations.  I am coming to the conclusion that the media and their allies are running the country and the Democrats are lesser members of the coalition.  During the “hearings” yesterday, I understand that the networks covered the session, superseding their normal programming but cut away once the Republicans began to question “witnesses.”

    Second, Lindsey Graham seems to have lost whatever enthusiasm he had for defending the president.  I understand that the Senate has to vote to call witnesses and there is probably not a majority for calling controversial witnesses such as Schiff, Hunter Biden or Ciamarelli, the alleged “whistleblower.”

    It is helpful to reread Codevillas’s “The Ruling Class” every few months.

    https://spectator.org/americas-ruling-class/

    That is not the original article but is good.

    • #23
  24. Ole Summers Member
    Ole Summers
    @OleSummers

    Ole Summers (View Comment):

    MichaelKennedy (View Comment):

    A couple of observations. I am coming to the conclusion that the media and their allies are running the country and the Democrats are lesser members of the coalition. During the “hearings” yesterday, I understand that the networks covered the session, superseding their normal programming but cut away once the Republicans began to question “witnesses.”

    Second, Lindsey Graham seems to have lost whatever enthusiasm he had for defending the president. I understand that the Senate has to vote to call witnesses and there is probably not a majority for calling controversial witnesses such as Schiff, Hunter Biden or Ciamarelli, the alleged “whistleblower.”

    It is helpful to reread Codevillas’s “The Ruling Class” every few months.

    https://spectator.org/americas-ruling-class/

    That is not the original article but is good.

     


    MichaelKennedy (View Comment)
    :

    A couple of observations. I am coming to the conclusion that the media and their allies are running the country and the Democrats are lesser members of the coalition. During the “hearings” yesterday, I understand that the networks covered the session, superseding their normal programming but cut away once the Republicans began to question “witnesses.”

    Second, Lindsey Graham seems to have lost whatever enthusiasm he had for defending the president. I understand that the Senate has to vote to call witnesses and there is probably not a majority for calling controversial witnesses such as Schiff, Hunter Biden or Ciamarelli, the alleged “whistleblower.”

    It is helpful to reread Codevillas’s “The Ruling Class” every few months.

    https://spectator.org/americas-ruling-class/

    That is not the original article but is good.

    Being all thumbs I hit too many buttons , lol But we are very much on the same page here  – am organizing some thoughts around “The Ruling Class ” article which I reread over the weekend  – and have been considering that it may well be the Dems pulling the wagon with the media holding the lines instead of the other way around

    • #24
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