From the Washington Post, ‘Princess Nancy’ Pelosi calls Cain ‘clueless’:
… You can disagree with the House minority leader, of course, or spend at least $65 million running 161,203 ads against her, as Republicans did in the past election cycle. But she hasn’t been slowed or trivialized. Even out of power now and with approval ratings that suggest those ads portraying her as the Wicked Witch found an audience, Pelosi has worked overtime to take back the House — attending 311 fundraising events nationwide and bringing home $26 million for Democrats.
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Last week, the California congresswoman hit five cities in five days, barnstorming for money to try to win the 25 more seats it would take to regain control. And if that happens — or when, according to her — at the top of her to-do list, she says, will be “doing for child care what we did for health-care reform” — pushing comprehensive change.
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There’s a bit of symmetry to that: Amid allegations that he has been disrespectful to women, Cain refers to the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history as a princess. And when Pelosi takes a shot based on gender, she’s not afraid to mention that next on her agenda is the mother of all women’s issues: child care. Under fire for health-care legislation that conservatives consider a big-government power grab, she’s happy to promise more of the same.
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Of the need for child-care legislation, she says, “I could never get a babysitter — have five kids in six years and no one wants to come to your house. . . . And everywhere I go, women say the same thing” about how hard it is to find the kind of reliable care that would make their family lives calmer and work lives more productive. When it comes to “unleashing women” in a way that would boost the economy, she says, “this is a missing link.”
And then there’s this, from Joe Coscarelli at NYMag‘s Daily Intel:
Rick Perry challenged the minority leader to a debate next week, but Nancy Pelosi already won.
Punchy
I couldnt figgy the Pelosi debate thing until I realized that “Pelosi” is a top-five wingnut head-essplosion term, and Perry knew he’d be the talk of Limppaw and Beck and Boortz just by using her name…
rikyrah
I was thinking about the Secret Service for Minstrel Cain. I hate to be cynical, but don’t you think part of it was to ensure that he DOESN’T get out of the race? With his clown ass ego, he’s loving it…being im-PO-tent enough to get Secret Service protection. He’s NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOW…..LOL
gnomedad
@Punchy:
Good point. I think you’ve identified an important mechanism here.
PurpleGirl
@rikyrah: Remember that the rethugs made a small thing out of Candidate Obama getting Secret Service protection because of the number of threats being made. So is Candidate Cain saying “I’m getting threats” too? Is it a race thing? Is he trying to claim that there are people who don’t like him because he’s AA and are threatening him? (Because as we know, a presidential candidate is entitled to Secret Service protection. Is this an “entitlement” that the republicans want to cut?)
Johannes
Love Pelosi’s riposte–but a debate between the two of them would be epically comic, a Bugs Bunny-Yosemite Sam confrontation in real life.
Southern Beale
Donald Rumsfeld was in Nashville last night at a Heritage Foundation fundraiser. Four Occupy Nashville protesters were given tickets to the closed event by a Vietnam war veteran. They got thrown out — but not before charging Rumsfeld with being a war criminal and torturer. Video over at my place.
The Other Bob
Can anyone tell me why a link to NY Mag should be considered “adult content” by my employers internet blocking software?
Hal
Why would you want to debate someone you’re not actually running against?
Kirbster
@Hal: Well, Gary Johnson “debated” an Obama impersonator a while back.
Nah, I don’t get it either. It smells like desperation to me.
Comrade Javamanphil
@Hal: Because you are a cynical cowardly bully who knew the opponent you selected would say no and then you could be all tough and manly saying “See, they’s a scared to debate me.” Next time I hear he’s going to demand a game of dodgeball against Sasha and Malia. He’s rugged that way.
Suffern ACE
@Hal: So that she’d turn him down and he could say that he’s a candidate thw ‘vile’ Pelosi is scared of.
Or maybe it’s like Manny Pacquiao moving up weight classes so he can win every belt. Perry is bored with the flyweight title that no one cares about and wants to work his way to heavyweight.
Athenae
She’s such a fucking epic badass.
NANCY SMASH!
A.
Woodrowfan
but we don’t have universal healthcare so she’s no different from Boehner! /firebagger
JCT
@Comrade Javamanphil:
He might not be that brave, he’d likely lose to them.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
Adult Swim mentioned this last night: Cainthology an album to “support” the Cain presidency that the Cain campaign told him – screamed according to AS – they didn’t want made.
Schlemizel
@PurpleGirl:
NO, NO, NO – Cain is getting threats because he is a strong conservative black man. Liberals are the real threat.
Please try to keep up with the wingnut bullshit :)
Hurling Dervish
I think Pelosi’s making a mistake. She’d destroy Perry in a debate and show how ridiculous Republican arguments are.
handsmile
@The Other Bob: (#7)
A glossy weekly, “New York” magazine is primarily a lifestyle and entertainment publication for New York City. The cover of its current issue features Miss Piggy in a Santa suit; the issue is devoted to ideas for Christmas gifts. Think of it as a print version of “Sex and the City.” It’s fun to flip through while waiting in a doctor’s office.
The magazine has an extensive “Personals” section and has in the past (I don’t know its current policy) accepted advertisements for a variety of “adult services.” That could explain the internet blocking.
While very occasionally publishing an insightful article (e.g., a recent one on Peter Orszag), its political coverage is mostly insipid and gossip-oriented. The magazine itself is regarded as inconsequential within city political/journalistic circles. You are missing exactly nothing by not being able to read it.
Cacti
Would she like her new internets sent to her home or work address?
geg6
@Cacti:
That was exactly my thought.
redshirt
@Hurling Dervish: You’re using regular human logic. It does not apply here. No matter what reasonable people think would be the outcome of such a debate, the Wingnut Wurlitzer will spin it to whatever outcome they wish.
Also too, wrestling with pigs…. etc.
Comrade Javamanphil
@JCT: Considering he challenged Pelosi to a debate, I would say picking losing contests is his forte.
Trakker
@Hurling Dervish: I think she realizes they don’t speak the same language. He speaks Texas wingnut and she speaks sanity. No interpreters yet exist to my knowledge.
handsmile
@Trakker: (#23)
Well, at least not since the inestimable Molly Ivins went to her greater reward. Though I would suggest that Jim Hightower, former Texas agricultural commissioner and now progressive journalist, does a pretty god job parsing “Texas wingnut”:
http://www.alternet.org/story/152316/how_rick_perry_has_been_on_the_public_dole_his_whole_life/
Trakker
@handsmile: Thanks for reminding me how much I miss Molly. You’re right, she understood Texas wingnut and let us in on the jokes. RIP.
300baud
@Hurling Dervish:
Writing from Pelosi’s district, I’d say she has nothing to gain. Locally, she’s well liked. Anybody who would enjoy seeing Perry demolished in a debate already knows he’s a dolt, so best case is she gets a minor popularity boost. Worst case, she flubs something and people start wondering if Pelosi still has what it takes. And either way, nationally she signals Perry is worth paying attention to. A proposition I’m sure she doubts.
I doubt debating is Pelosi’s strength. She’s a politician’s politician, the daughter and sister of politicians. She didn’t end up majority leader for her oratorical skills; she knows how to herd cats, and to get things done.
harlana
It’s just not a good idea to mess with Nancy. It’s just not going to end well.
(Perry may seem dumb as a rock, but I’m guessing he knew he would be rebuked, so he doesn’t have to risk looking like a complete numbnut by actually debating her, but it’s nice red meat for the base for them to say “she’s scared of his fabulous debating skills” (ok, we know they don’t get irony, i’m just saying) — we’ll be hearing that for a couple of days.)
feebog
Perry was just gearing up for his next big thing; running for congress in Marin County.
Waterballoon
Not that many people have noticed, but the Democrats have been leading on Realclearpolitics’ generic congressional vote average for a few weeks now. It’s only by a couple of points, but considering that this time two years ago they were trailing by ten is a good sign that at the very least they’ll be picking up several seats next year.
gene108
@Hurling Dervish:
It’s actually a no win situation. Right-wingers in this country have been hard-wired to feel that Nancy Pelosi has inherited Hillary Clinton’s Pant-Suits of Evil.
She is the incarnation of all that is wicked. Who knows, maybe Hillary and Nancy planned Vince Fosters murder together?
I digress…
There’s nothing to be gained by a debate with Perry.
The Left will agree with Pelosi.
The Right will continue to demonize her.
Those without strong opinions aren’t going to start paying attention, because of this debate.
trollhattan
@gene108:
Pretty much this.
Public perception of Perry’s “debating” skilz can’t sink any lower than they already are, so he’d get Kewhl Kid points in Konservative Klown circles for entering the ring with the antichrist. He has everything to gain while she’d have nothing to gain.
Anyway, as has been noted she already won–game, set, match.
Steve
@Cacti: You can just load them on a truck.
gnomedad
@The Other Bob:
Well, it does involve reading.
grandpa john
@Hurling Dervish:
I expect she is following the time proven advice “Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk”
Groucho48
She was the most effective Speaker of our time. Hopefully, she will be again.
Matt Mangels
I’m genuinely surprised by how many of you are Pelosi lovers. Ever since she called for Weiner to resign I’ve had nothing but contempt for her. It reminds of a post on here a while back about how Democrats love to attack each other. There’s too much fucked up stuff going on all around for you to take time out of your day to call for a member of your party’s resignation for doing something that is completely unrelated to his duties as a US congressman.
brettvk
@gene108:
Lovely. I’ll be stealing this.
Now that I think about it, it does seem that the wingers need a designated Evil Female to hate on since women have begun moving into positions of power — it’s been a long gray time since Eleanor. They’ve tried to do this to Michelle but it doesn’t seem to be sticking. I think to an extent the demonization of Pelosi fails because so much of the audience is fuzzy on congressional functions and really can’t grasp what a Speaker or Minority Leader does. I’ll bet the attacks on Hillary have lessened because dittoheads largely don’t understand the State Department.
Samara Morgan
its the Heckman Equation.
this administration totally rawks.