Pelosi Calls Bush "A Total Failure"

House Speaker Makes Rare Personal Attack On The President

(AP)  President Bush has been a "total failure" in everything from the economy to the war to energy policy, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

In an interview on CNN, the California Democrat was asked to respond to video of the president criticizing the Democratic-led Congress for heading into the final 26 days of the legislative session without having passed a single government spending bill.

Pelosi shot back in unusually personal terms.

"You know, God bless him, bless his heart, president of the United States, a total failure, losing all credibility with the American people on the economy, on the war, on energy, you name the subject," Pelosi replied. She then tsk-tsked Bush for "challenging Congress when we are trying to sweep up after his mess over and over and over again."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino defended Bush.

"What the president said is a fact - this is the longest a Congress has gone in 20 years without passing a single spending bill, so it's clear that the speaker is feeling some frustration at their inability to do so."

Pelosi's outburst was a departure. Her usual practice in public has been to call Bush's policies a failure - not his presidency or him, personally. Pelosi's remarks are the latest evidence of the Democrats' throw-caution-to-the-wind approach to Bush in the waning days of a presidency weighed down by an unpopular war and soaring gasoline prices.

Election Day, after all, is just over four months away; Bush's successor takes his seat on Jan. 20.

Pelosi's counterpart in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, long ago took off the rhetorical gloves. Last month, he ridiculed Republicans who sided with Bush on a Medicare bill.

"Who would be afraid of him?" Reid, D-Nev., said as many senators looked on. "He's got a 29 percent approval rating."

The public's view of Congress is even worse. Its approval rating has hit a new low of just 18 percent, down from 23 percent last month, according to a new AP-Ipsos poll. Bush's approval is at 28 percent, about even with the 29 percent rating last month.

Only 16 percent of those surveyed thought the country was moving in the right direction, a new low as well, although statistically the same as last month's 17 percent.

Last week Reid and other Democrats dropped any pretense of trying to fight the president on battles they were likely to lose - even on the most important part of their jobs, which is passing spending bills that keep the government running.

Of the 12 annual appropriations bills, Congress is likely to pass one or two and send Bush a temporary spending fix for the rest. That would have to suffice until a new president takes office, Reid told reporters.

Privately, Democrats have said that either candidate for president - Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain - would be easier to make laws with than Bush. But Reid made clear which he'd prefer.

"I would hope that before we would leave here this year that we would do a continuing resolution that would get us (through) until after Senator Obama becomes president," he said.

[undrmyboot3]

I never knew Pelosi could be so generous to Bush. "Complete and abject failure" would be more accurate. "Bumbling fool with a power complex" would fill out the picture.

[chimpyout]

Some will say you understated the case. I say you nailed it, Ms Speaker. Thank you for expressing the view held by millions.

[smurfcrusher]

No kidding! I never trusted Bush, and my worst fears were realized. He''s a dry drunk with poor judgment and a feeble intellect.

His mistakes and lies have cost more to the world since Hitler. The precedents he has set will haunt this country.

Generations will pay for the debt he has accumulated, and for the environment he has degraded.

Anyone that opposes his ill-advised policies is OK by me.

[rowdywicca]

Pelosi calls Bush "A Total Failure"....

Kinda the POT calling the KETTLE black, isn''t it?

[mcvet]

Kinda the POT calling the KETTLE black, isn''''t it?

Posted by RowdyWicca at 09:12 PM : Jul 17, 2008

How''s that? He told the TRUTH Sparky!! WHO said it isn''t the issue here. George Bush has NO right to get on ANYONE in Congress. They do what the PEOPLE sent them there to do IF not for Bush and the Republican Party, PERIOD! It''s called reality and until we as a nation stop this "Don''t believe them if they aren''t in the Party Mentality. The people of HER district should be the judge of HER job. Now let''s stand... Let the Fuhrer know you losers are still out here...licking those boots!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

[joe1022joe]

Pelosi talks! The MoveOn.org/Marin County, CA liberal nimcompoop. When the Decocratic Party made this silly woman the Speaker, I knew the Dems were going to the dogs - the yellow dogs, as it happens.

[mcvet]

Congress has the lowest rating in history and she knows this. Who does she think she''''s fooling? She obviously is saying this to offset her own low ratings. Total gossipy scum.

Posted by fervan at 09:09 PM : Jul 17, 2008

Now you have to EXPLAIN this one to me! You Fascist have VERY weird minds!! SHE is the ENTIRE Congress... She is the REASON not as much as should have been done wasn''t?? What did the Speaker say that wasn''t 100% CORRECT and what does YOUR opinion of HER job have to do with it? Either she is right or she isn''t... it''s that simple. Now stand! You want to win the Confederate Flag Pin at the next rally don''t you??? Gotta sing it out now!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!!!

[smurfcrusher]

"Pelosi calls Bush "A Total Failure"....

Kinda the POT calling the KETTLE black, isn''''t it?"

Posted by RowdyWicca

Not at all. Pelosi hasn''t called our Constitution a
"God- Da mned piece of paper".

Pelosi hasn''t lied into a war of choice.

Pelosi didn''t hand a $10Billion tax break to Big Oil.

Pelosi didn''t show contempt of the law through signing statements.

Pelosi didn''t out a secret agent for revenge against an honest government worker who revealed the lie of Niger uranium.

Pelosi didn''t torture.

Pelosi didn''t corrupt science for political ends.
(arsenic in drinking water, political appointees overriding scientific reports)

...I could go on...

Worst president ever.

[irliberal]

I never knew Pelosi could be so generous to Bush. "Complete and abject failure" would be more accurate. "Bumbling fool with a power complex" would fill out the picture.

Perfect.

[whitemale08]

Tell us something new.

We''ve been saying this for years since his selection as President back in 2000.

And you''re just now realizing this?

Aren''t you a little late?

[mcvet]

Pelosi talks! The MoveOn.org/Marin County, CA liberal nimcompoop. When the Decocratic Party made this silly woman the Speaker, I knew the Dems were going to the dogs - the yellow dogs, as it happens.

Posted by joe1022joe at 09:18 PM : Jul 17, 2008

So let me see here because you, a knuckle dragging Trailer Dweller, thinks the Speaker is a Silly Woman, she isn''t telling us the Truth?? I''ve got a 6 year old Grandson who KNOWS she''s telling the truth, her beliefs have nothing to do with it. Now let''s sing it out just like you did at the Cross Burning last weekend!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! Dumb as a box of rocks!!

[joan1v]

I would like to know what Pelosi and the other Democratic leadership has to hide, since they are so unwilling to impeach Bush. As I said before no one in Congress or Senate or the Bush Administration has clean hands. VOTE THEM ALL OUT. If they are not up for election this time wait and vote them out when there term is up. Also Term limits.

[mcvet]

With Congress having the lowest rating in history she is one to talk as the top leader in the House. Is her leadership "total failure"?

Posted by StLouisMan3 at 09:21 PM : Jul 17, 2008

The WHOLE point of her COUNTER ATTACK against the WORST PRESIDENT IN OUR HISTORY is the ISSUE here Swastika Breath. The Representative from CA is NOT the issue here... SHE is not the entire Congress, that disgusting piece of human trash she directed her comments IS!! If she is telling us a LIE point it OUT but attacking the Messenger like you fascist always do, is how we got the WORST to begin with!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

[mcvet]

I would like to know what Pelosi and the other Democratic leadership has to hide, since they are so unwilling to impeach Bush. As I said before no one in Congress or Senate or the Bush Administration has clean hands. VOTE THEM ALL OUT. If they are not up for election this time wait and vote them out when there term is up. Also Term limits.

Posted by Joan1v at 09:23 PM : Jul 17, 2008
+ report abuse

Let me see if I understand you, HER telling me what I KNOW to be true should be ignored because SHE made the judgement not to put the Country through and Impeachment?? Yeah right! YOU are a REALLY DUMB PERSON, do you know that?? I''m serious using YOUR small minded way of looking at things IF you say someone has something to hide we should IGNORE A LYING PIECE OF GARBAGE who has KILLED Thousands of our youngest and finest?? You really aren''t the sharpest tool in the old shed now are ya?? SIEG HEIL BUSH

[mcvet]

I''''m sure he''''s just as professional as she is. They''''re politicians they lie for a living. It''''s what they do.

Posted by maxify55 at 09:25 PM : Jul 17, 2008

I don''t know about ALL politician''s, some of them I know very little about, but THIS lady hit the Nail right on the head. No lies there in my view!! SIEG HEIL BUSH

[smurfcrusher]

Instead of the mindless ravings our conservative counterparts are fond of employing, let''s keep listing the many, many failures of this president.

Nothing disinfects like sunlight!

All the conservatives can do is weakly condemn the "liberals" knowing full well their party was in control these last several years and that they are to blame for the disastrous condition this country finds itself in.

Example:
"Bush Mandates Arsenic in Your Tap Water"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/arsenic.cfm

"Bush has admitted to authorizing the NSA, a secretive spy agency, to conduct warrantless wire taps on American citizens. The spying even extends to postal mail. The NSA has also been collecting phone records in an attempt to build a database of every phone call that is made."
http://www.impeachbush.tv/args/wiretaps.html

President George W. Bush''s infamous comment to FEMA chief Michael D. Brown while the latter was botching the federal response to Hurricane Katrina: "Brownie, you''re doing a heck of a job."
Michael Brown, Arabian Horse trader, political appointee.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1103003,00.html

Just the sort of person you want protecting the country when there''s a natural disaster!
"Heck of a job" to someone with this president''s judgment.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Pelosi Calls Bush "A Total Failure"


Wow.

Now that took guts.

What is her opinion on the
housing crisis?

How about her opinion on Hitler?

She is really going out on
a limb here folks.

[kansas1946]

Gosh, I knew if I lived long enough I would agree with Nancy about something. Bush is a total failure, but it really isn''t his fault, it is the American people''s fault for voting for him. He never was presidential material.

[smurfcrusher]

Contempt of Law by George W. Bush:
"July 2006
The American Bar Association %u201CBlue Ribbon Task Force%u201D voted and unanimously approved a resolution which found that the presidential assertions of constitutional authority within his signing statements %u201Cundermine the rule of law and our constitutional system of separation of powers.%u201D"

http://www.abanet.org/media/releases/news072406.html

[rayuk-2009]

The reason Congress has a low approval is because they rubber stamped Bush for 6 years. They had a Republican majority. Bush and Congress have about the same approval rate because for 6 years they were of the same mind set. Would you believe stupid?

[fstop100]

This is old news, the worst president & vice president n history, don''t leave out cheney!

[smurfcrusher]

"An examination of the Bush military files within the context of US Statutory Law, Department of Defense regulations, and Air Force policies and procedures of that era lead to a single conclusion: George W. Bush was considered a deserter by the United States Air Force."

http://www.glcq.com/bush_at_arpc1.htm

[shanev137]

Yea, and it''s pretty sad she''s too concerned about her own job and ego to do anything about it.

Politics first, the American people second.

[joan1v]

McVet: You don''t read very well do you.

[smurfcrusher]

"NTRODUCTION



For the eighteen months prior to his quitting the Texas Air National Guard (TXANG), George W. Bush had ignored his obligations to the US Military, statutory and regulatory US Law, and Air Force regulations and policies. And for as long as he was being %u201Csupervised%u201D by TXANG, he got away with it.



Very little attention has been paid to the period of Bush%u2019s %u201Cservice%u201D after he left Texas and was assigned to the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) in Denver, Colorado. But it is during this period that Bush%u2019s dereliction of duty%u2014including his failure to participate in mandatory training, and his failure to maintain his flight status%u2014came home to roost.



Unlike TXANG, ARPC took America%u2019s national security%u2014and the role played by Guardsmen and Reservists in maintaining US security%u2014quite seriously.



The proof of this is the %u201CARF Retirement Credit Summary%u201D dated January 30, 1974, which shows that Bush was placed in an %u201CInactive Status%u201D effective September 15th, 1973. This document is the proverbial %u201Csmoking gun%u201D which proves that the Air Force considered George W. Bush to have been a deserter. "

see the link

http://www.glcq.com/bush_at_arpc1.htm

[elemmire]

This is pathetic. Nancy Pelosi is a member of the legislative branch of government. It is the legislature''s job to make laws. This group of people promised two years ago to make great, positive changes in the relationship between the environment and the economy. This is attack is merely an attempt to distract from her own failures. It is a largely successful tactic, too, thanks to the intellectual prowess of a certain segment of the political spectrum.

[rosesnpearls]

Headlines: Pot Calls Kettle Black.

[smurfcrusher]

Disregard for public health - insistence on calling high-level nuclear waste low level in defiance of court ruling

" WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Energy Department is threatening to withhold $350 million that was to pay for disposal of some of the most dangerous radioactive waste from Cold War bombmaking. First, it says, Congress and state officials must accept a cleanup plan already rejected in court.

The issue has pitted a half dozen states against the Bush administration -- raising concern that some of the millions of gallons of highly radioactive waste that are supposed to be solidified and buried by the government may, in fact, remain in place."

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20040408/ai_n11449486

[estabwary]

Thank You Nancy, for telling us what we already know.

You get overpaid to do exactly what again?

[whitemale08]

It''s too bad not enough Democrats were put in 2006 to override Bush''s idiotic policies so therefore things got worse.

Now look at us.

Republicans should join Democrats in throngs and denounce this President; reject Bush once and for all for failing America.

[smurfcrusher]

Bush''s Fiscal Irresponsibility

Complex analysis of debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio

http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2007/01/bushs_fiscal_ir.html

[joan1v]

rayuk: You are exactly right. When she took office and took impeachment off of the table. She gave them to do anything they wanted. Congress did not stop them and they are in the majority they could have. The American people pay the price. They have all lined their own pockets.

[markcfl1]

"Congress has authority over financial and budgetary matters, through the enumerated power to "lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States."

Madame Speaker, who is a total failure?

[bubbabear200]

This will be something to tell your grand children that you lived threw the 8 years that we had the worst president in the history of the United States.

[mycomment-2009]

Remember Ms. Pelosi''s smug smile when she was elected? Remember her famous 100 hrs speech? Talk about a complete and total failure....she is one. Oh, the dems were going to move mountains...they can''t even move an ant hill.

[sistatee-2009]

So the rumors about Bush and Pelosi having an affair are unfounded?

[smurfcrusher]

littlebuddyd - you''ve demonstrated that any fool can spout mindless gibberish.

Show me how Bush is a beloved, intelligent, or successful president, or how we are better off with him than before him.

Show your evidence. Someone with credibility. C''mon, it''s a big Internet... let''s compare our data.

Surely there must be -something- positive out there you can quote...

[stn_sage]

OH, PUH-LEEZE!

She calls him, ''a total failure''!? After doing NOTHING but watch him wage a phony war, shred the U.S.Constitution, illegally wiretap, withhold info from the public, suppress science, obstruct justice and shield witnesses, try to rewrite the law, have insurgents tortured and murdered, allow Katrina victims to needlessly die, and threaten and badger nations around the globe!?

My, my---what an eleventh hour relevation! Could it be that she''s discovered that the voters believe she needs to be replaced?! YEP, I bet that''s it!!

If Nancy wants to see ''a total failure'', she only has to look in the mirror!

She knows what she needs to do, she needs to do her job, stand in opposition to Bush and others, and bring them to justice!

Short of that, SHE''LL go down in history as one of the worst Democratic majority leaders!

[markcfl1]

bubbabear200

I thought the President''s term was in four year increments?

[smurfcrusher]

The reason Pelosi did not allow impeachment to move forward is that it would give Republicans ammunition to claim Democrats were just playing politics.

This, even though impeachment is richly deserved.

Better to let him do as he will and further his record of failure. No need to get dirty scuttling his garbage scow of a ship.

[greatdrivew]

FROM THE STORY: "The public''s view of Congress is even worse. Its approval rating has hit a new low of just 18 percent, down from 23 percent last month, according to a new AP-Ipsos poll. Bush''s approval is at 28 percent, about even with the 29 percent rating last month."

*******************

ANALYSIS: The Democratic and Republican Parties are equally corrupt, fraudulant, scandalous and bought-off. Proof of that comes not only in the dismall approval ratings, but also in the continuous pandering and the stagnant cesspool that has become DC.

Nothing will change so long as we continue blindly supporting these parties. Think about it - do you actually feel connected to the party you intend to vote for? Or, do you feel like your party long ago abandoned you?

Do yourself, the country and the world a favor and vote for a third party candidate. Find one you think is honest, and vote you conscience.

[mycomment-2009]

Surely there must be -something- positive out there you can quote...
Posted by smurfcrusher at 09:56 PM : Jul 17, 2008

Why don''t you just hold that thought until (and if) the great and powerful oz gets in office. He will pull all the troops out of Iraq. Al queda will have a safe haven from which to train and equip terrorist and they just might find their way to YOUR neighborhood. Then your question can be answered...I guess he kept my sorry a** safe for eight years.

[jgg000]

oh yea, Nancy and Harry Reid are a braintrust.

[larrymiz137]

Pelosi is a big dummy like the rest of you stupid democrates. You think liberal means Give our country to the arabs.

[sociald63]

speak for yourself, nancy - if you dont like the way pres bush is running our country - then either shut the he-ll up or leave the US. you are spending way too much time whining

[jgg000]

whew, at least she doesn''t want to cut his nuts off

[fleura-2009]

Got to love the Democrats...Nancy Pelosi, tell them how it needs to be said. Go Pelosi, we love you.

[cfin5]

I can''t remember any of our Presidents "not" doing something wrong, especially the wrong things handed to President Bush by his predecessor that forced him to be a Janitor against radical Islamists. Talk about batting "clean up",...what an understatement!......Nancy Pelosi''s comment is not a fair judgment saying he is a "total" failure. What has she done in office to deserve credence of words for the American public to believe? The democrats have given nearly everything the President has wanted. If this is so bad, wouldn''t she be an accomplice to her own judgments? We Americans don''t like war as well as Muslims do, who by the way have been begging for a good thrashing for decades, squirmed out of every way out of preventing a contest. With a fiat based monetary system that we have during wartime, which the President did not start, what else could he have done? The only thing that I can think of with the help of "20/20 hindsight" would have been to demand the foreign oil issue at hand be dealt with correctly within a week of 9/11, or his executive order power would get it done. But it wasn''t and the opportunity spoiled out. Now instead of celebrating a relief in the tide of victory against terrorism, it is the "fear" of the speculators pushing oil past our ability to pay for it. Bad decisions always come back to find you out,....this is a big one for sure.

[rob416]

Pelosi calling Bush a total failure is one thing she is correct about. As for some other issues, I''m not sure. History will eventually show George W Bush to be one of the worst ever if not the worst. As for Pelosi she could down in history as being one of the leaders in a do nothing Congress. From the perspective of the American public both may be considered total failures.

[fleura-2009]

This is to tell the rest of you all hoping for a Republican lead White House in any near future, we need no more them out here on the east coast. Enough is enough!!!