Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

White supremacy is terrorism.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

Finding joy where we can, and muddling through where we can’t.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

“woke” is the new caravan.

The press swings at every pitch, we don’t have to.

Not loving this new fraud based economy.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

Radicalized white males who support Trump are pitching a tent in the abyss.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

The words do not have to be perfect.

Let there be snark.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / A Man Becomes Preeminent

A Man Becomes Preeminent

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I went to Politico this morning to see what the savvy were saying about Pelosi’s delightful, delicious, de-lovely crushing of Josh Gottheimer and his merry group of centrists. Since Politico is out to shit on Democrats in power (that’s the DC way), they try to portray Gottheimer’s time under Nancy’s heel as a qualified win. Here’s the “win”: Pelosi praised them for their “enthusiasm”.

She also said that she’d try to get the bill passed by September 27. That’s it. Remember, Gottheimer’s demand was to pass the bi-partisan bill first, then reconciliation. He got fucking nothing on that, and here’s his best face on it:

“Not everybody loves you every day, but when you sit and work with both sides, you tend to take body blows from both sides,” Gottheimer said in an interview about his tactics. “If it’s for the good of the country, making progress and doing what’s right for the people we represent, that’s my job.”

Politico as usual buried the lede, but Ilhan Omar knows the score:

“I don’t consider them concessions,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said of the demands granted to the centrists.

“The fact that they’re gonna end up supporting what they said they wouldn’t without actually getting what they wanted, I think sets them up for failure in negotiations in the future,” she added.

I realize this isn’t that big a story but, every so often a man has to ask “What draws my admiration? What is it that gives me joy?” and in this case, it’s Pelosi crushing Democrats who are trying to tank the only path to Democrats winning another election.

By the way, same goes for Seth Moulton and his Dora the Explorer trip to Afghanistan. I hope he gets some kind of comeuppance for that.

Reader Interactions

78Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    It was a dumb move that was probably designed to fail. They had no leverage with their murder-suicide threat. But they got some press out of it, I guess.

  2. 2.

    MattF

    Re: Moulton… he will pay a price. Pelosi may not make a public announcement, but the trophy room will have a new mounted head.

  3. 3.

    dr. bloor

    “I don’t consider them concessions,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said of the demands granted to the centrists.

    “The fact that they’re gonna end up supporting what they said they wouldn’t without actually getting what they wanted, I think sets them up for failure in negotiations in the future,” she added.

    Wherein Omar is determined to prove that she can be every bit as ham-handed as conservative Democrats.

  4. 4.

    MontyTheClipArtMongoose

    Always nice when the Squad doesn’t join the lamestream media (POLITICO, etc.), blue dogs (Moulton, Tim Ryan, et. al.), & fauxgressive left (Jacobin, intercept, etc.) in shittingonPelosi. Always rare, too, alas.

  6. 6.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Baud:

    I am beyond disappointed that my Rep., Carolyn Bourdeaux (D GA-07), aligned herself with the Gang of Nine. Really upset by this.

  7. 7.

    Nicole

    I remember… maybe it was on TPM, but I’m not sure… an excellent piece about Pelosi’s first meeting with Trump after she got her gavel back, despite the weak attempt by a few House Dems to go for someone else, and at one point the writer said that Trump started sweating and Pelosi, “gently handed him Seth Moulton to wipe his forehead.”

    For as long as she is Speaker, the Dems will never be in disarray.

  8. 8.

    Splitting Image

    Pelosi is the greatest Speaker the U.S. has ever had, and I don’t think it’s only because she stands out so sharply next to all of the adulterers, pedophiles, and fall-down drunks who’ve held the office in recent years.

  9. 9.

    ...now I try to be amused

    Do US Congressional party leaders use the “three line whip” as the UK House of Commons does? Just wondering.

  10. 10.

    HinTN

    @Nicole:

    Trump started sweating and Pelosi, “gently handed him Seth Moulton to wipe his forehead.”

    Mercy – Had not been privy to that story. It’s perfect, thanks!

  11. 11.

    Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix

    @dr. bloor:  The backstory here is that Gottheimer has been leading the charge against Omar about her anti-Israel comments.  Gottheimer has been anything but subtle.

  18. 18.

    Gin & Tonic

    Thought-provoking thread here

    Germany simply isn’t a serious foreign policy actor. As a country, it doesn’t appreciate the importance of military power and almost every political debate is dominated by morality. Interests are rarely mentioned and when they are, it’s mostly to label their pursuit as evil
    — Marcel Dirsus (@marceldirsus) August 25, 2021

  20. 20.

    Aimai

    @dr. bloor: I think that’s a very shrewd statement on her part. It says what everyone should say: if you come at the king you’d best not miss. And everyone should make fun of your absurd weakness and arrogance pour encourager les autres.

  22. 22.

    MattF

    @dr. bloor: Politics is not beanbag. Pelosi is not a nice person. When Dems think of crossing her they hear sirens and see red flashing lights.

  23. 23.

    Spanky

    @Aimai: Agreed, and why should Balloon Juice have all the fun of mocking their ridiculous defeat? Plenty of room for everyone.

  25. 25.

    Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix

    @dr. bloor:

    publicly rubbing the noses of nine iffy colleagues in their own defeat is poor politics.

    Two things:  First, there’s no reason that Omar needs to be bound to a double standard.  Gottheimer’s statements against her were strident and played to his base.  She should be able to do the same.

    Second, it’s not poor politics.  Omar and the squad have bound themselves to Pelosi in this fight, and this is a statement supporting her.

  27. 27.

    rikyrah

     

    Spandan @ Reclaim the Fight ?? ?️‍? ?? (@reclaimthefight) tweeted at 10:06 PM on Tue, Aug 24, 2021:
    The missing storyline for the elections of the next 18 months is going to be how hopping mad Democrats are at Republican politicians for playing politics with the pandemic and trying to overthrow the government. The polls are not registering this, but the ballots will.
    (twitter.com/reclaimthefight/status/1430365853518733324?s=03)

  28. 28.

    frosty

    @Gin & Tonic: ​
      … almost every political debate is dominated by morality.

    If this is really true for Germany, it’s a step up from 100 years ago. I’ll take it.

  30. 30.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Lord Fartdaddy (Formerly, Mumphrey, Smedley Darlington Mingobat, et al.): a good-looking young veteran who went to the right schools and can speak in platitudes, I think he could get elected to an open seat in most non-crazy districts. I don’t know if those platitudes and superficial appeal can get him to a higher seat, I hope not. Anne Laurie– who I believe is a local– said last night that in another political atmosphere, Moulton would be a Romney-Charlie Baker Republican.
    The O’Bros took a break from their Bernie-Curious impulses in 2019 to try to promote him– Leafy Boston Suburb-Bros assemble!– he sounded like he was reading, haltingly, from a script written by Carville-Begala wannabes from 1998.

  33. 33.

    dr. bloor

    @Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix:

    First, there’s no reason that Omar needs to be bound to a double standard.

    First, it’s a standard, not a double standard.  If your rule is “no harm in jumping in the mud with the pigs,” then we don’t really have anything to talk about.

    Second, take a look at Pelosi’s comments about the meeting and the outcome.  It was a “clarification,” not a conflict, it’s settled, what’s next on the agenda.  Simple, allows the balky members to save face, and no less effective.

  34. 34.

    dr. bloor

    @MattF:

    Which is precisely why you’re celebrating your “win” rather than progress when you rub their noses in it.  Everyone knew how this was going to turn out.

    @Spanky:

    why should Balloon Juice have all the fun of mocking their ridiculous defeat? Plenty of room for everyone.

    We don’t sit in the same caucus with them.  Pretty big difference, I’d say.

  36. 36.

    Michael Cain

    Perhaps I’m confused about what the two sides were demanding — happens more often, these days — but this looks like a simple compromise. The progressives’ position is, “We will not vote for the $1T infrastructure bill until there’s a $3.5T budget bill ready for a vote.” The moderate/conservative position was “Vote on the $1T now, then proceed to work on the budget bill.” The moderates have now agreed to let work on the budget bill begin — there’s now a joint budget resolution. The progressives have (presumably) agreed to let the infrastructure bill come to a vote in four weeks, whether or not the budget bill is done.  Critically, approved before the end of the fiscal year on Sep 30.

    Myself, I think the budget won’t be settled with the Senate before November or December, given that Sinema and Manchin have already said they won’t vote for the entire $3.5T that’s in the budget resolution.  So one or more continuing resolutions first, then eventually a budget, probably less than $3.5T.

  37. 37.

    Betty Cracker

    Annnnd the award for “worst timing in a rearguard action” goes to Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL 7th), who jumped aboard the Gottheimer Express seconds before it lurched off the track and plunged into the abyss. Hahahaha!

    Seriously, I like Murphy and think she’s probably a good fit for her district, but that was dumb!

  42. 42.

    Aimai

    @dr. bloor: man you really don’t speak bitch. Pelosi’s comment was like hacking their heads off and displaying it on pikes. She basically denied she had done other than tell them what the fuck time of day it was and where they fucking get off. That is what got clarified.

  45. 45.

    Villago Delenda Est

    The utterly worthless Villager scum of POLITICO, writing stories to set the narrative for other worthless Villager scum.

    Wipe them out. All of them.

  46. 46.

    sdhays

    @Michael Cain: The House isn’t going to vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill until the Senate passes the $3.5T budget resolution and any changes between the House version and the Senate version are reconciled and passed by both houses.

  48. 48.

    Mike E

    @rikyrah:

    The polls are not registering this, but the ballots will.

    The corporate media will do their darnedest to make sure it won’t register with voters, sadly.

  54. 54.

    Mike in NC

    I spent from 8 AM to 10 AM at the dentist getting a temporary crown where a molar lost part of a filling. He’s very personable and has a very funny and sexy blond assistant, so I had a very enjoyable time and left as high as a kite. The day can only go downhill from here, I suppose.

  59. 59.

    geg6

    @rikyrah: ​
     
    Ooooo, this is exactly what I’m hoping for. If we’d do that here, all the idiots who are unvaxxed would run to the nearest pharmacy for a jab.

  61. 61.

    burnspbesq

    NJ-05 was formerly represented by the odious Scott Garrett, so Gottheimer’s election represented real progress. But I think he’s starting to outlive his usefulness. George Conway lives in the district; if he would run as a Democrat I would support him in a primary against Gottheimer, because I don’t think anyone farther left can win there.

  63. 63.

    Aimai

    @geg6: hey geg! Long time no see! And you too Betty cracker! I’m avoiding setting up my private practice website so I’m back in the BJ comment thread after a long detour.

  64. 64.

    Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix

    @dr. bloor:

    First, it’s a standard, not a double standard.  If your rule is “no harm in jumping in the mud with the pigs,” then we don’t really have anything to talk about.

    My rule is that politics ain’t beanball, that if you decide you’re going to shit on a colleague in order to make a political point, be ready to be shit upon later, and that’s just how it works.  The double standard is that Ilhan Omar has to follow rules that others don’t, which is clearly obvious to me at least.

  65. 65.

    Betty Cracker

    @Aimai: Great to see you too! How exciting that you have a private practice (if not a website yet!)! I’m so old I remember when you decided to go back to school! :)

  66. 66.

    Aimai

    @Betty Cracker: IKR? It’s been a fast five years! I am sad to have had to leave community health but the agency was killing me and the pandemic made me not willing to submit to capricious MBA driven decisions about working from an office instead of teletherapy.

  69. 69.

    WendyBinFL

    As I commented after the previous post, Admiral Kirby mentioned Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer’s jolly joy ride in his press briefing at the Pentagon this morning. He said their presence in Kabul diverted time and attention from the evacuation effort.

  71. 71.

    J R in WV

    @Aimai: ​
     

    Good to see you, Aimai, after seeing you work the LGM threads. Hope you’re doing well.

    Wife in the kitchen is Owl Watching this morning, evidently something woke them up, so we have Barred Owls all around the south end of the house. Amazing to see them hanging out in broad daylight. Big shadows as they fly overhead.

  77. 77.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix:

    First, there’s no reason that Omar needs to be bound to a double standard.  Gottheimer’s statements against her were strident and played to his base.  She should be able to do the same.

    Yes. Everyone should learn subtlety, nuance and tact from Representative Omar, who is very good at politics.

    “Do you understand why some of your fellow House Democrats, especially Jews, find that language anti-Semitic?” Tapper asked.

    “I’ve welcomed, you know, anytime my colleagues have asked to have a conversation, to learn from them, for them to learn from me,” Omar responded. “I think it’s really important for these members to realize that they haven’t been partners in justice. They haven’t been, you know, equally engaging in seeking justice around the world.

    “And I think, you know, I will continue to do that,” she added. “It is important for me, as someone who knows what it feels like to experience injustice in ways that many of my colleagues don’t, to be a voice in finding accountability, asking for mechanisms for justice for those who are maligned, oppressed, and who have had injustice done to them.”

    She’s always willing to point out to other people how stupid and morally inferior they are. One gets the sense it’s one of the things she admires most about herself.

  78. 78.

    Chris Johnson

    @Four Seasons Total Landscaping mistermix:

    Second, it’s not poor politics. Omar and the squad have bound themselves to Pelosi in this fight, and this is a statement supporting her.

    And may I just say, I love love love it. I never knew I would become such a Pelosi stan. It warms my heart to see the serious progressives playing politics and aggressively supporting powerful Democrats toward our shared goals. That won’t be forgotten. It’s the antithesis of purity pony posturing.

    Who would have believed all this, back in 2015 or so?

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