Speaker Pelosi On Obama's Role In Stimulus

CBS Evening News Exclusive: House Speaker On Whether Dems Respected GOPs In Negotiations

(CBS)  One of the key players in getting the stimulus deal approved is the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. CBS News anchor Katie Couric talked to her Wednesday afternoon as Senate negotiators were announcing the agreement. Couric asked her if she was surprised that President Obama was so intimately involved in the process.

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Couric: Are you surprised how intimately involved he is in the whole process?

Pelosi: Quite frankly, yes. I said, "Mr. President, neither of us has time for this conversation, especially you," because we really, we understand each other. We know where we need to go.

Couric: Can you tell us anything he said to you, like get cracking?

Pelosi: No, never that. We're always cracking. But it was really a moment for us to have an appreciation that in just a little while, maybe a couple of days, we will have passed legislation that will take the country in a new direction, which will begin us down the road of recovery.

Couric: Is the devil in the details?

Pelosi: I hope the angels are, because what is in the details are how we will create those jobs, how we do it in a transparent way for the world to see, with accountability to the public, again to build jobs, build confidence, and stabilize the economy.

The bill that we passed one day, one week and one day after the president's speech, honoring the promises he made in that speech, 90 percent of that bill is contained in the Senate bill.

Couric: Is there anything in the Senate version that you think shouldn't be in the package?

Pelosi: I would like to see more of an emphasis on job creation. I don't think there's any doubt that the House bill created more jobs. But this bill will create 3.5 million jobs and three weeks ago we weren't even on this path.

Always say to my members respect it for what it does, rather than judge it for what it does not do … because this does an enormous amount. And in order for it to instill the confidence into the American people that is part of our goal, I think we have to believe in what we are doing and we believe in what we are doing.

Couric: When do you think this will come to a vote?

Pelosi: I'm hoping that it, the House will be able to vote for it Thursday or Friday, but I'm hoping for Thursday.

Couric: What about the Senate? Any idea?

Pelosi: Then we'll send it to the Senate. They have different rules as to how they bring legislation up, but very soon certainly meeting the goal of having the bill signed into law before Presidents Day.

When asked if she had been too partisan during the process, the speaker defended the House version of the stimulus package that passed without one Republican vote.

Pelosi: We had an election and it was about a direction for our country. We have strong philosophical difference in the Congress. This isn't inner-party bickering; this is major difference of opinion on philosophy, on how our country should go forward.

We reject the failed Bush Administration economic policies, which got us where we are today. The proposals that the Republicans put forth were more of the same. We will not go back.

[intek85]

CBS should take this political activist (Katie Couric, who disguises herself as a journalist) off the air and put a REAL journalist on the air. The media is supposed to be a watchdog on government not a Public Relations Agency or in Katie''s case President of the Obama''s Fan Club.

[dakotase]

What a joke Pelosi is.
Why didn''t Katie throw some tough questions at her. Like why do taxpayers have to foot the bill(over 5 million annually)so she can fly back and forth between DC and Calif. on a 200 seat private jet that doesn''t have to refuel. Also, why she got American Samoa an exemption from the new minimum wage guidelines. You don''t think it could be because of Dole Pineapple who is owned by Starkist of which Pelosi''s husband owns $13million in shares.

[likeitis5050]

Oooh, do I sense more than a little "Presidential Envy" here? LOL


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Posted by briannorwood

No but it''s clear you''re drunk as he11 on his fumes. Get your head out of his azz and you can actually think for yourself.

[likeitis5050]

You Everlasting GOP Stoppers love to bang on Nancy Pelosi. But guess what? We Democrats don''''''''t really care. The Republican party is nothing more than an afterthought in the House of Representatives. And in 2010, they will be the same in the Senate!

Posted by briannorwood


We sent a resounding message to Republicans in 2006...and the Democrats are too stupid to understand the same message goes for them...2010. You just can not leave a politician to do any thing with out 100% supervision...they are worse than toddlers. But this bunch doesn''t even think they have to listen to anyone any more...now that''s stuuuuuuuupid....Princess Pelosi and Court Jester Reid....coming for your gavels....

[likeitis5050]

We reject the failed Bush Administration economic policies, which got us where we are today. The proposals that the Republicans put forth were more of the same. We will not go back.


She''s such a good little parrot, isn''t she? Funny how she just can''t seem to bring up the fact she had such a vital role in those failed policies...but then that''s who she is...a liar and coward. 2010 can not get here fast enough to send a message straight to her heart....****!!!

[whosaid1]

You Everlasting GOP Stoppers love to bang on Nancy Pelosi. But guess what? We Democrats don''''t really care. The Republican party is nothing more than an afterthought in the House of Representatives. And in 2010, they will be the same in the Senate!

Posted by briannorwood

Oh, the arrogance and naivety of the liberal mind!! It%u2019s like you all took severe blows to the head as children and lost the ability to reason. Look, we all know the democrats won in Nov%u2026BUT, over 50 million American voted Republican%u2026.so, if you think the democrats will be in office forever you%u2019ve got a real problem! It will CYCLE like it always has, and the Republicans will be in control again before long. Hopefully, the next time it cycles, our Republican elected officials will remember how the Democrats %u201Cconducted business%u201D%u2026.payback just MAY be severe!

[whitemale09]

Nanci Pelosi is like the annoying nerd who won''t go away.

Nanci Pelosi needs to step down NOW!

[usclimey]

The rightists are for ever accusing liberals of being hateful and un-American. Just check out the last two pages of posts and tell me who''s hateful and un-American. BTW ubrew - great post about the Greatest Generation. In England, conservative, hawkish Winston Churchill was a great leader during WWII - when it came to rebuilding the country after the War, the conservatives were quickly out and the socialists came in.

[briannorwood]

"We get the message: Obama is wonderful no matter what."--ational4321

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Oooh, do I sense more than a little "Presidential Envy" here? LOL

[briannorwood]

Nancy Pelosi is without a doubt one of the biggest millstones around the neck of the Democratic party.--Posted by greeneyes222

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You Everlasting GOP Stoppers love to bang on Nancy Pelosi. But guess what? We Democrats don''t really care. The Republican party is nothing more than an afterthought in the House of Representatives. And in 2010, they will be the same in the Senate!

[shelker7]

If Pelosi was arepublican women she would be the greatest thing since gov palin------------so why don''t all you esperts buzz off.

[assemblyofso]

Pelosii is a disgrace to the position of Speaker. Obama is letting her, Barney, and Harry run the country. I thought he got elected President.

He seems to think he is still campaigning for office. Maybe he should leave Air Force One on the ground and do something in the White House other than cocktail parties and telling parents he stopped prosecution of the terrorist who killed their kids.

He also needs to send Geithner to some finance and public speaking courses.

[greeneyes222]

Nancy Pelosi is without a doubt one of the biggest millstones around the neck of the Democratic party.

[smf1957]

Who cares what Pelosi or her side kick Reid think. Maybe they should have done something when they got there in the first place.

[payasyougo]

"If she were a combative man, they''d have no problem with it."
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If she were a combative man, she''d be Barney Frank.

[ubrew12]

the Greatest Generation were all socialists. They saw no problem with taking the rich up the nose to pay for public services and infrastructure. They were extremely pro-union. They enjoyed and voted for a maximum marginal income tax bracket of 90% or more, for 30 years. With that, they defeated global fascism, sent the GI''s to college, rebuilt war-ravaged Europe and Japan, built the greatest economy on earth, with the best products, with the dollar its gold-standard, defeated global communism, fought a major war in SE asia and, the same decade, flew to the moon.

They were socialists, tried and true. You rightwingers didn''t like it. Enjoy your $11 trillion debt and crumbling infrastructure, compliments from non-socialists Reagan and Bush.

[ubrew12]

hbevis said: "I DON''T BELIEVE THAT FOR A SECOND.. Mrs. Pelosi is a liberal do-good''er that would like to have a Socialist government control every aspect of your lives.. "

You don''t believe that Pelosi is unfairly targeted for being an ''uppity woman''?

But that she wants government to control EVERY aspect of your life.... THAT you believe?

Remarkable.

[platteman]

the botox queen nancy. Wow, what a whack job she really is. Let the gitmo detainees go work for her. She loves them so much, let her show them some limo liberal love.

[elledee7-2009]

''We will not go back'' to Bush''s failed policies that supposedly got us into this mess? Nancy, Nancy, get your facts straight. You are but a clanging gong and I eagerly await your downfall.

[ncleland1-2009]

Katie Couric''s interview with Nancy Pelosi tonight was gagful! Katie and Pelosi are so full of themselves, and think they are fooling the American people into thinking what a great job we think Nancy is doing and how she is so excited to be talking to President Obama. They were just giddy with each other about talking to Obama! I could hardly bear to watch the two of them. Nancy needs to quite blaming George Bush for everything, she forgets she was part of Congress then too! Nancy Pelosi is doing exactly what she accused President Bush of doing, scare tactics. She and other Democrats including President Obama are getting all their special interest funding done in the bailout and making everyone hurry so they won''t have time to cut the silly projects. Pelosi and President Obama are going to bankrupt the United States. We will be in worse shape in four years then we ever were. They also are building up the fear so when the stimulus bill fails they can blame the situation and not their actions!