Pelosi won't allow convention fight

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will step in if necessary to make sure the presidential nomination fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama does not reach the Democratic national convention - though she believes it could be resolved as early as next week.

Pelosi predicted Wednesday that a presidential nominee will emerge in the week after the final Democratic primaries on June 3, but she said "I will step in" if there is no resolution by late June regarding the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan, the two states that defied party rules by holding early primaries.

"Because we cannot take this fight to the convention," she said. "It must be over before then."

Pelosi made the comments during a wide-ranging, hour-long session before The Chronicle's editorial board. She talked about the prospects for the election of a Democratic president this fall, the legacy of President Bush and the California Supreme Court's ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/28/MNQE10V1UL.DTL&tsp=1

[Mme. Defarge]

1. God willin' and the creek don't rise! n/t

[dubeskin]

2. IMO all her power left when she decided not to IMPEACH

Granted, Obama is the nominee. But I no longer see her as a Party Leader.

[mac2]

16. How dare she control our election and negate our voices

and vote at the convention.

[tabatha]

32. Because if it is not resolved soon, McCain will be the next president.

By the way, those who supported Obama by voting uncommitted in MI - are they to be disenfranchised as Clinton wants?

[bjobotts]

46. Bullshit. Quit saying that because it won't happen. Pelosi has taken the election "off the table"

[tabatha]

87. I was talking about Clinton NOT Pelosi.

She is insisting in taking all of MI delegates.
Don't you read?

[struggle4progress]

25. Any of the 435 in the House could introduce an impeachment bill. It's easy: just

walk up to the front of the chamber and drop the signed bill in the hopper. Looks to me like just about everybody concluded that with the Senate so closely divided, the whole thing would be a pointless exercise

[The Stranger]

61. The Senate doesn't impeach.

So "everybody" who "concluded that with the Senate so closely divided, the whole thing would be a pointless exercise" are morons.

[struggle4progress]

69. Reread the Constitution: the Senate conducts the trial. So composition of the Senate matters

even though the House under the Constitution begins the removal process with impeachment

Pragmatic political considerations arise from the fact that the Senate is closely divided, with essentially half of its members uncompromising * loyalists. It seems just about everyone on the Democratic side of the aisle in the House -- who attempted to calculate the political consequences of a trial that did not even come close to removing * -- reached the same conclusion

For you, "moron" apparently means anyone, who reaches a conclusion you don't like. Good luck with that!

[mac2]

77. Delete

[mac2]

78. Right

Both house of Congress has a say about impeachment. Senate members act like they aren't responsible. Silence makes them part of the problem.

[The Stranger]

80. The House impeaches, the Senate convicts.

Once it gets to the Senate, the President has already been impeached.

[struggle4progress]

84. Not necessarily: the House might impeach and the Senate might not convict

That might have happened once or twice

[The Stranger]

85. Regardless, the President was still impeached.

Ergo, the Senate does not impeach.

[struggle4progress]

86. Any of the 435 in the House could introduce an impeachment bill. It's easy

[Zhade]

3. HA! Take THAT, clinton, you fucking lying loser!

POOF! And all the clintbots' desperate wishful thinking went up in smoke...

[Heather MC]

40. GIRL FIGHT!!!!!

[Double T]

4. Speaker Pelosi needs to step aside.

I am looking forward to the 'cage match' between HRC and BO at the CO Convention.


http://www.letsrumble.com/main.html

[movonne]

7. You might think it is entainment... but I'm sure most of us don't..only

someone who doesn't want a dems to win wants it to go to the convention...

[Double T]

10. If a DEM means BO, YOU are correct, his nomination would be a disaster.

If the nomination goes to HRC, SHE will assuredly WIN the election.

[countmyvote4real]

19. You might be confusing martyrs with saints.

Neither candidate fits either definition, but the Clinton brand has a long history of negatives. I honestly don't think Lady MacBeth can beat McSame. But she will go down with her martyr script in hand, ready for her final close-up.

[tabatha]

33. Really, with all the republicans motivated to vote against her.

[SeattleGirl]

45. Pray tell, how exactly will he be a disaster?

:shrug:

[Double T]

47. Won't be able to win.

The latest national polls tell the story.

[DeSwiss]

57. Another fine graduate from the Hillary School of Mathematics!!!

[roseBudd]

58. And Dukakais was up by 13% at this point, how did that work out?

[Tesha]

59. I am *SO* looking forward to next week on DU... (NT)

[psychopomp]

66. That makes at least two of us!

O8)

[uppityperson]

79. Me too. Actually I'm looking forward to in 2wks

Give it a wk after announcing the candidate, and once the agonizing has slowed down.

[AndyTiedye]

71. Neither of them Have Much of a Chance if it Goes to the Convention

If it does go to the convention, they'll have to do something completely different, like DRAFT GORE!
Our current candidates would be too badly damaged to stand a chance by then.

[Andy823]

15. So is

McCain, Bush, Cheney, Rove, Limbaugh, Bill O. and every republican in the country! It would be the worst thing in the world for the party!

[mac2]

17. That's where it belongs.

[Zhade]

44. It's not that exciting, since there's no way clinton's getting the nom.

NT!

[Javaman]

5. just like how she won't support more funding for the war, right? I'm soo holding my breath...

:eyes:

[mac2]

18. Who won't support the war is more the question?

Obama and Hillary will saying they have different reasons. But it will go on and on as long as the DC people profit.

[Javaman]

68. exactly. war is a racket. nt

[lordsummerisle]

6. "I will step in..."

or step in it

[xchrom]

8. right -- you can't impeach bush but you

magically pull this out of your ass, nancy?

[dweller]

13. she'll use the spoon,

that was beside the fork you, that was beside the knife she stuck in our back from the place setting she took off the table.

dp

[mac2]

21. She has stabbed us in the back by meeting with Busn in

secret, won't impeach Bush or Cheney, called the 2004 election for him when all the votes weren't counted and recounted, funds the lie of a war, now this MI and FL vote stealing.

She's a Republican after all. She gave good speeches too.

[Stardust]

27. !

[netgui68]

9. Thank you Speaker Pelosi...about time to hear

someone standing up to say they will end this non-sense

[Kermit77]

11. Thank you Speaker Pelosi and she has cover - she is female

So if Pelosi puts a kibosh on a Clinton kamikaze mission she can't be criticized for being sexist since she is female. We need some other females to step forward and stop this. Anyone heard from Madeline Albright. She has been very quiet lately.

[saltpoint]

12. It would be interesting to speak off-record with Speaker Pelosi's staff,

and get their take on how many super-delegates' careers are thought to be tethered to their legisltative agendas in the 111th Congress, and thereby, how many of them would dare to bolt-and-defy Nancy Pelosi if she says the 2008 nomination process is at its terminus.

My guess is not too damn many.

Go, Nancy. Yes.

[KSinTX]

14. All over but the singing

[gateley]

20. How could she stop it?

She would "step in" - what does that mean?

[mac2]

22. Just like she did the 2004 election....

She stopped it at the right point so Bush could win.

[gateley]

28. Thanks. I'll wait until somebody without an agenda answers my question --

in the same vein I asked it.

[mac2]

29. An agenda to continue the democratic process?

What's your agenda? To stop it?

[gateley]

35. Damn! Busted! Am I that transparent?

Yes, I want to stop the democratic process. You are just too sharp for the likes of me.

[EFerrari]

43. What a ridiculous statement. n/t

[Inuca]

64. You reply for the pure pleasure

of typing, aren't you? What silliness...

[Canuckistanian]

23. What a brave, decisive and courageous statement

And how uncharacteristic.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. There have been a couple of times I disagreed with Nancy, but...

in this instance, she is totally correct. A convention floor fight would be just the rightwing is salivating for. They have a weak candidate, and growing weaker with every new revelation about his ties to big business and questionable religious leaders. The GOP has a vested interest in keeping the divisions going, which is why Fox News has rolled out the red carpet for the Clintons.

[gateley]

38. Could YOU maybe tell me what she can do to stop it?

What "stepping in" means?

I sincerely want to know IF something can be done, and I'm not in the mood for all the Pelosi snarks, warranted as though they may be. I'm just looking for information.

If you can - if you know - thanks. And even if you don't, thanks for your reasonable post.

[Yukari Yakumo]

54. Easy.

Her club probably has more members than we actually know about.

Pelosi will give HRC a couple of days to concede after the 3rd. With Obama a mouse's whisker away from the nom, Pelosi and allies will probably put him over the top no matter what happens on the 31st and HRH HRC can do nothing about it.

[gateley]

74. By "put over the top" do you mean

giving him 2209 (is that her current claim of needed delegates?), or the number the Rules committee decides on Saturday?

I ask because I don't think she'll agree with the number the Rules Committee designates. I feel the only way she'll quit is if he is able to reach "her" number of delegates before she does.

Thanks -- it's really been frustrating trying to get a straight answer to this. I just don't want to get my hopes up. Again. :pals:

[LiberalFighter]

26. The last I knew Pelosi is not the DNC chair. Dean is the DNC Chair and that is his function.

She was only elected to be House Speaker.

Now she could negotiate or advise the parties involved.

[mac2]

30. And the delegates.

[BlueStater]

31. Who cares what this wimp has to say?

Go off and lick Bush's ass, Pelosi.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

34. What the HELL does SHE have to do with any of it???

This is a woman with VERY mixed up priorities.

[EFerrari]

42. She's the Convention Chair. n/t

[Raster]

36. "Pelosi won't allow"??? I don't believe she has that authority.

This is the DNC, not the House of Representatives. And quite frankly, the leadership she has already displayed in the House is questionable.

[Heather MC]

37. Ha! Take that HillBilly Rotten Clintianic....

Only another older white woman can end this thing, and Hillbilly, can cry sexism if it's Pelosi pulling the plug. this great news!!!

Well Played Pelosi Well played.

[lark]

72. Hanging the outcome on lil Nancy is very risky

She's the person who took impeachment off the table. She's been the biggest disappointment, and I think this is just more of her self serving hot air.

[Heather MC]

75. Well, if she does the right thing, SHE is the only one who can do it

with the backlash of Clinton's attack machine claiming sexism.

Cna you imagine how stupid, Howard and Terry will sound if they try to claim that on MTP and CNN

"Nancy Pelosi is sexist, she stopped our chances because of sexism"
that would make milk come out my nose I would laugh so hard
and I don't drink milk!

[Seabiscuit]

39. Who the fuck does she think she is? A dictator? She has no power at all to prevent

this race from going to the Convention. What a useless windbag.

Guess who she wishes she could coronate.

[w4rma]

50. Her power is her position as convention chair and, more importantly, her influence with other supers

There are a whole bunch of super delegates who will lockstep put Obama over if Hillary tries to take this to the convention after next week.

[Seabiscuit]

63. The convention chair has no power to stop the race from going to the convention.

And neither, for that matter, does the DNC chair, Howard Dean.

If you imagine that piddling Nancy Pelosi can actually persuade super delegates to do anything in lockstep, well, that isn't saying anything about the power of her position, it's merely your opinion that her personality is so compelling that she could sell anyone the Brooklyn Bridge. I demur.

Remember also that the ONLY thing that can stop this race in its tracks is if someone voluntarily drops out. Short of that, nothing counts and nothing matters until the final votes of all delegates are cast at the convention.

If Nancypoo actually thinks this kind of arrogant hot air is going to convince Hillary to drop out, she's even stupider than I thought. Hillary has stood up to far more powerful and influential people than Pelosi.

[w4rma]

76. You hillbots are a nasty bunch aren't you? So much scorn and sarcasm in your words and tone.

piddling lockstep Nancypoo arrogant hot air stupider, etc.

[Seabiscuit]

82. Hillbot? Why do Obamanoids always assume that anyone that disagrees with them is a

Hillbot?

I'm not supporting either of the remaining candidates. My guy was pushed out by these same Pelosi-type bullies just before Super Tuesday and I'm still disgusted (Obama might even want to call me "bitter" - they didn't want him interfering with their "historic" contest ballyhoo because he wasn't black and he wasn't a woman). But I will fevently support and defend our nominee, whoever it may be, against "Bushista" McSame in the GE.

I used derisive words in my last post because I've lost all respect for Nancy "Impeachment Is Off The Table" Pelosi. And I am sick of people like her (as well as the blowhard Tweetys of the MSM) trying to interfere with our nominating process. I don't mind someone like McGovern coming out and saying they support one or the other candidate, but all this crap about declaring a nominee before either earns it at the convention has just got to stop. A lot of important developments could take place between now and then. And it could take at least that long to heal the wounds each side has inflicted on the other.

So no candidate ran away with the nomination early this year. So it's still a close race. So f'ing what. Get over it, people. We have a *Democratic* Convention to look forward to. That's what primaries are really about.

[bluestateguy]

41. After June 3, it's time for the BIg Names to endorse Obama

Pelosi, Reid, Clyburn and Al Gore

[orleans]

48. you mean pelosi is finally going to do something?

(i can't stand her anymore!)

[digidigido]

49. Miss Impeachment is off the Table actually grow a spine, don't make me laugh

[depakid]

51. So what's Pelosi going to do?

Aside from whinging and sounding self important?

[Trajan]

70. Exactly ....

Other than a bully pulpit (which she apparently only uses to promote her pet positions), she has ZERO power to force a resolution in this debacle ....

She has lost most of her credibility with the grass roots long ago .... I am sure the two candidates could give two shits about what she has to say ....

(How's it going down there JJ ? ..... We miss you in Portland ....)

[Oak2004]

83. Not true

She can use her position in Congress to marginalize those who insist on bringing the fight to the convention, and her influence to make sure a lot of their reelection funding dries up. Speakers are very powerful people, with a lot of very powerful connections (realize, Pelosi is almost certainly not speaking for herself here, but is operating as the public face of a party faction), and can all but sink the congressional career of someone within his/her own party. Influential members of the party not in Congress could discover their influence has disappeared (with any bills, earmarks, etc. they might have an interest in bottled up eternally in committee or simply never making it that far).

The full force of a Speaker is rarely used against members of her own party. A Speaker who routinely and casually went after her own would certainly be deposed. But avoiding a convention fight thought likely to endanger the party would be seen as a legitimate reason to apply the screws to problematic members. I think you'll see a great many superdelegates, some reluctantly, fall in line behind her.

[Norwood]

52. OMG Pelosi is such a sexist!!!!!!!!

:sarcasm:

[truthisfreedom]

53. I like her.

I like most Democrats, and no matter how DU feels, I'm voting for one. The one that gets nominated.

The one that's going to win against McCain by a landslide.

The Democratic President of These United States.

[skyounkin]

55. I tried really hard to like her

But the war is still going, bush is still getting blank checks from congress, nothing about INVESTIGATING the crimes and misdomeners of this criminal regime.....

She talks the talk but when it comes to action.......hah.

She has been entirely dissapointing, and I will support whom ever is running against her for her seat- be it a progressive.

My only hope sits with Howard Dean and the others to make Clinton more irrelevant than she has mnade herself.

[EstimatedProphet]

60. Nice to hear a voice of reason

[liberal N proud]

56. Why doesn't she use her power in Congress?

And let others tend to party politics.

[ToeBot]

62. Hear that? Convention infighting is "Off the table, Off The Table!!"

The Red Queen has spoken!

[truebrit71]

65. Thank you Madam Speaker.

Please make sure this "stays on the table"....

[mdmc]

67. exactly

[bdamomma]

73. oh nancy some strong words there, you will step in??

when are you going to set the table??? talk is cheap nancy.

[FREEWILL56]

81. She isn't doing the job she was elected for let alone volunteer herself

as a fucking referee that nobody asked her to do.
edit to add:
Isn't it strange as to what she allows and disallows that she deems to be actionable?

[tom_paine]

88. Such a tough talker to fellow Democrats, such a groveling toady to the Bushies

Sheesh!

[Rene]

89. why have a convention if pelosi thinks she can rule the roost.

someone tell her to shut the hell up. there are many of us who will not stand by and have the empty suit(obama) shoved down our throats.
Hillary's the best choice to be President of the United States.