It's A Speaker! It's A Plane! It's A…Scandal?
The "Evening News" was the only nightly newscast to cover the Pelosi plane dustup last night. You can watch the story by clicking in the video box at left.
It's hard to get a sense yet of how big the story will turn out to be. The gist is this: House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi is being criticized for requesting an airplane larger and fancier than that used by her predecessor, Dennis Hastert. Pelosi says that she only wants an airplane that can fly between her home state of California and the District of Columbia without refueling, and that the size of the plane doesn't matter. Here's ABC's Jake Tapper's fairly comprehensive rundown of the issues at hand.
The story has been pushed hard by the conservative Washington Times, which got it through leaks from officials within the Bush administration, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It has slowly worked its way into the mainstream media: It got some play on the morning shows today, and it made the front page of the Los Angeles Times this morning.
National Review Online's David Frum writes that he has "an uneasy feeling that the conservative press may have overhyped this story about Nancy Pelosi's airplane request."
The problem, he writes, is that we don't yet know what Pelosi requested. "If she really and truly did ask for her own personal Boeing 757, as many stories and much radio commentary have implied, well yes obviously that would be a huge scandal. But I keep being struck by the exact phrase in these articles: that she asked for 'access' to a transcontinental plane. If she asked only that she get similar transport to that which was provided to Speaker Hastert, but with larger fuel capacity that could take her nonstop across the continent…then that's a very different matter."
Interestingly, White House spokesman Tony Snow had this to say: “This is a silly story and I think it’s been unfair to the speaker.” Pelosi told Fox News that the Department of Defense is distorting the story to get back at her for her opposition to the war and her criticism of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. She also said that she would fly commercial if necessary.
Regardless of how the story plays out, the damage to Pelosi's reputation may already be done. On "Good Morning America," Chris Cuomo said this to Tapper: "Jake, is this about security or ego? Sounds like a case of jet envy."
And here's Matt Lauer's comment to David Gregory on the "Today" show:
"Hey David, before I let you go, let's talk about the, the size of the plane that Nancy Pelosi has requested from the Pentagon. Depending on the spin you want to believe here. Either, either the Speaker says it's to travel efficiently back and forth to her home district. The Republicans are saying it's an abuse of power. Either way does it just look bad from a PR standpoint?"
Gregory responded that he did think it was "a problem."
Video: It's hard to get a sense yet of how big the story will turn out to be. The gist is this: House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi is being criticized for requesting an airplane larger and fancier than that used by her predecessor, Dennis Hastert. Pelosi says that she only wants an airplane that can fly between her home state of California and the District of Columbia without refueling, and that the size of the plane doesn't matter. Here's ABC's Jake Tapper's fairly comprehensive rundown of the issues at hand.
The story has been pushed hard by the conservative Washington Times, which got it through leaks from officials within the Bush administration, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It has slowly worked its way into the mainstream media: It got some play on the morning shows today, and it made the front page of the Los Angeles Times this morning.
National Review Online's David Frum writes that he has "an uneasy feeling that the conservative press may have overhyped this story about Nancy Pelosi's airplane request."
The problem, he writes, is that we don't yet know what Pelosi requested. "If she really and truly did ask for her own personal Boeing 757, as many stories and much radio commentary have implied, well yes obviously that would be a huge scandal. But I keep being struck by the exact phrase in these articles: that she asked for 'access' to a transcontinental plane. If she asked only that she get similar transport to that which was provided to Speaker Hastert, but with larger fuel capacity that could take her nonstop across the continent…then that's a very different matter."
Interestingly, White House spokesman Tony Snow had this to say: “This is a silly story and I think it’s been unfair to the speaker.” Pelosi told Fox News that the Department of Defense is distorting the story to get back at her for her opposition to the war and her criticism of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. She also said that she would fly commercial if necessary.
Regardless of how the story plays out, the damage to Pelosi's reputation may already be done. On "Good Morning America," Chris Cuomo said this to Tapper: "Jake, is this about security or ego? Sounds like a case of jet envy."
And here's Matt Lauer's comment to David Gregory on the "Today" show:
"Hey David, before I let you go, let's talk about the, the size of the plane that Nancy Pelosi has requested from the Pentagon. Depending on the spin you want to believe here. Either, either the Speaker says it's to travel efficiently back and forth to her home district. The Republicans are saying it's an abuse of power. Either way does it just look bad from a PR standpoint?"
Gregory responded that he did think it was "a problem."
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
I think you just don't care because Pelosi is a liberal Democrat.
That make everything OK, right?
The end justifies ANY MEANS, right?
Posted by One_American at 06:27 PM : Feb 09, 2007
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No, I really don't care if Denny Hastert was assinged his own aircraft and,if it they decide to force that same requirment on Nancy Pelosi it won't make any difference. The fact is appearent the Nancy Pelosi isn't a right wing tool seems to have heated this situation.
My personal opinion is that Bush and Cheney should be impeached from office for lying America into war with Iraq and Nancy Pelosi should be then assigned Air Force One.
Now, that's a real issue.
I think you just don't care because Pelosi is a liberal Democrat.
That make everything OK, right?
The end justifies ANY MEANS, right?
It's YOU PEOPLE! on the right that are making the mountain out of this issue, how about the $2 billion going into the pockets of private contractors unaccounted for in Iraq?
do they have biodiesal planes?
This is FOUR TIMES THE COST OF THE SMALLER PLANE THAT DENNIS HASTERT USED PREVIOUSLY.
It's simple math, liberals.
Are you for getting rid of government waste, or did you suddenly change your minds, now that their is a Democrat holding the gavel?
Just like a liberal to change their principals, when it's one of their own abusing the system.
What a remarkable hypocrite you turned out to be.
Pelosi didn't initiate this request, the sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives brought forward the new travel options set forth (by congress) after the 911 WTC attack. Nancy has always been a Plane down to earth person!
Can we endure this abdication of responsibility?
One, she did not request the 757. She requested a plane that could fly nonstop from Washington to San Francisco.
Two, if they refused to provide that, she would be happy to fly commercial.
Three, the requirement for a personal plane was mandated for security reasons after 9/11 for the person second in line for the Presidency.
I know you people would love to report a Democratic scandal but how about doing something different, and just reporting the truth?
How true it is. Now read this:
For Immediate Release
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/012357.php
February 8, 2007
As the Sergeant at Arms, I have the responsibility to ensure the security of the members of the House of Representatives, to include the Speaker of the House. The Speaker requires additional precautions due to her responsibilities as the leader of the House and her Constitutional position as second in the line of succession to the presidency.
In a post 9/11 threat environment, it is reasonable and prudent to provide military aircraft to the Speaker for official travel between Washington and her district. The practice began with Speaker Hastert and I have recommended that it continue with Speaker Pelosi. The fact that Speaker Pelosi lives in California compelled me to request an aircraft that is capable of making non-stop flights for security purposes, unless such an aircraft is unavailable. This will ensure communications capabilities and also enhance security. I made the recommendation to use military aircraft based upon the need to provide necessary levels of security for ranking national leaders, such as the Speaker. I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue.
****
As you say, damage done. Mission accomplished. The only network to undermine our democracy.
Shills.
Swift Boat Vet II. The right-wing smear machine is still alive and well, and it wouldn't have been possible without their enablers at CBS. Glad those blowhards had Rather to keep you in line. If they didn't have Rathergate, they would have had to invent it.
Are Democrats really so clean that you have to make stuff up to get a scandal to even out the few token abuses of power that manage to find there way out from under the rug they've been swept under?
- by bo234 February 8, 2007 6:53 PM EST
- The anatomy of a smear in two easy steps:
- Reply to this comment
See all 15 Comments1. A right wing rag like Drudge or the Washington Times manufactures a scandal that does not exists.
2. The so-called liberal media like CBS breathlessy parrot the right-wing talking points without bothering to see if there's any story there.