Pelosi Angry Over White House Midterm Prediction

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Democrats ,; Campaign 2010 ,; Obama Administration

(Credit: AP)

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Tuesday walked back earlier statements that Republicans could "no doubt" win control of the House this November, but that wasn't enough to placate House Democrats angry about the remarks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats took aim at the White House in a closed-door meeting Tuesday night, according to reports, arguing that Gibbs' comments will hurt the party's campaign efforts in an already-challenging midterm election year.

"How could [Gibbs] know what is going on in our districts?" Pelosi said to other Democrats Tuesday night, Politico reports. "Some may weigh his words more than others. We have made our disagreement known to the White House."

Pelosi reportedly grilled White House staffer Dan Turton, the top White House aide at the meeting, about the impact of Gibbs' comments. Such pessimistic remarks, the thinking goes, could dampen enthusiasm among Democratic fundraisers. (Of course, it could be argued that such comments could actually encourage donors by stoking concerns about a Republican takeover.)

Gibbs initially said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that "there's no doubt there are enough seats in play that could cause Republicans to gain control." Asked about his remarks at a press briefing Tuesday, Gibbs said he simply "stated the obvious" but added that he still believes the Democrats will maintain their majority in the House.

"I think we'll retain the House," he said.

Senior staff from Pelosi's office had contacted the White House Monday about Gibbs' remarks on "Meet the Press," Fox News reports, and Democrats were not satisfied with Gibbs' follow up statement that he was stating the "obvious."

House leaders have been publicly pushing back against Gibbs' analysis. "I don't think we will lose the House," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D - Maryland) said Tuesday.

"I think we'll probably have some net losses," House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) suggested. "But we aren't planning to lose anything."

President Obama is scheduled to meet with House Democratic leaders in the Oval Office this afternoon.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

30 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 30 Comments


by MildlyRelevant July 15, 2010 4:03 PM EDT: Miss Pelosi seems to be fighting reality with ever delusional bone within the Democratic Party.

Mildly Relevant News: http://mildlyrelevantthoughts.com/2010/07/nancy-pelosi-goes-after-gibbs-white-house-iroquois-lacrosse-team-gets-screwed/; Reply to this comment


by usairbloom July 14, 2010 5:17 PM EDT: Are you serious. She tries to act like she is doing something important and yet she does diddly squat. Nancy, you just have to blame it on someone. It's all of you liberal, socialist, communist's fault. And yes, you will loose this November and there is nothing you can do about it. The people will take back their country.; Reply to this comment


by stormerF3 July 14, 2010 3:18 PM EDT: All this wrath from Pelosi,One who said we have to pass this bill(Obamacare) to find out what is in it? Then Un-employment benefits create jobs? I am sure San Fran is impressed with this Nitwit they keep electing.; Reply to this comment


by stn_sage July 14, 2010 3:08 PM EDT: A rare moment of common sense for Nancy Pelosi!

She should be angry about what Gibbs said, but on the other hand, he's probably correct at this point, if Dems don't start working for the public instead of special interests!; Reply to this comment

by starving1968-3 July 14, 2010 2:29 PM EDT

by _One_American____ July 14, 2010 1:54 PM EDT

Read more about Barack Obama and the Democrat's evil lying and deception here:

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/69384

Speaking of "lying and deception":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNSNews.com

The CNSNews.com (or Cybercast News Service), formerly called the Conservative News Service, is an American news website owned by the Media Research Center.

CNSNews.com's motto is "The Right News. Right now."[4]

CNSNews.com's editor from 1998-2005 was Scott Hogenson, who also worked as the chief of radio operations for the Republican National Committee in 2004.

Terence P. Jeffrey became editor-in-chief in September 2007. Jeffrey was and remains an editor-at-large for the conservative weekly newspaper Human Events. He wrote editorials for The Washington Times from 1987-1991 and was research director for the presidential campaign of Patrick J. Buchanan in 1992. Jeffrey was Buchanan's national campaign manager in his 1996 campaign.

Yeah, that's a real "fair and balanced" website!!

Reply to this comment


by Lifeson2112 July 14, 2010 2:34 PM EDT: But did you read the article?


by endurorob_5 July 14, 2010 2:40 PM EDT: So what is your opinion of MSNBC?


by robbbieboy July 14, 2010 2:27 PM EDT: Obama & his thugs are communists, nazis, liars, socialists, jihadists, pink-liberals, black-panthers, fascists, one-worlders, terrorists, totalitarians, anti-freedomists, dictators, UN-lovers, anti-democratic, homophobic, islamists, anti-semite, atheists ...; Reply to this comment

by Lifeson2112 July 14, 2010 2:25 PM EDT

Okay, just out of curiosity is anyone else having trouble getting their posts to show up on here? Hopefully this one shows up!

Reply to this comment


by Lifeson2112 July 14, 2010 2:26 PM EDT: Wow, it worked!


by alien_view July 14, 2010 2:07 PM EDT: Maybe Robert Gibbs is finially pulling his head out of Obamas #!@@ and seeing the light. How long can he go supporting lies and passing those lies on. He too will be held accountable to the public at large for his actions.; Reply to this comment


by alien_view July 14, 2010 2:03 PM EDT: Nancy is the next to be voted out of office. Then she will have to face the public that she has screwed with her actions. Can't be soon enough. Hope my tax dollars are not paying for her face jobs.; Reply to this comment


by newsterI July 14, 2010 1:37 PM EDT: by rightbehind
by patocc123
I agree totally on property taxes. Where I live its the revenue coming in for the property taxes are a large chunk of the money for our states education funding.

Whenever people talk about cutting or removing property taxes the fanatics start claiming that the people wanting to cut them hate children or want to take away the school lunch programs."

TOO BAD, I think the PARENTS should be paying the entire costs for THEIR kids and not foisting it off on the rest of us. Cant afford to pay for the bus pass? DRIVE your brats to school and pick them up, buy them BIKES or good walking shoes, but quit expecting the rest of us to foot your bills for $3 a gallon diesel fuel to run yellow limos because you are too dam lazy to drive your kid 5 blocks, or make them walk 3 blocks to get to school!

People should not live under THREATS of having their homes seized for property taxes thay cant pay if they are disabled, in the hospital, out of the job or elderly on SS.; Reply to this comment