Pelosi Butts Heads With Obama

Politico: House Speaker Distances Herself From President On Iraq, Taxes And Prosecution Of Bush Officials

(The Politico)  This story was written by John Bresnahan.

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Nancy Pelosi repeatedly stood to applaud Barack Obama when he addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. But in the days since, the speaker of the House has been standing up for herself -distancing herself from the president on Iraq, on tax cuts and on the prosecution of former Bush administration officials.

Pelosi’s aides say the speaker was comfortable playing the role of Obama’s shield during the stimulus fight-Republicans teed off on her rather than on the immensely popular new president-and that she remains strongly supportive of the administration on health care, energy and education reform.

But on Iraq and other high-profile issues that matter to her, aides say Pelosi has no intention of holding her tongue when she thinks Obama is wrong.

And she’s not alone.

While Newt Gingrich complained that Tuesday’s night's unofficial State of the Union looked like a “Democratic pep rally,” the aftermath has looked more like a sibling rivalry.

On Wednesday morning, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)-the longest-serving member of the Senate-accused Obama of trying to steal power from Congress by appointing White House “czars” to handle issues that would otherwise be handled by departments subject to congressional oversight.

On Wednesday night, Pelosi made it clear to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that she wasn’t happy with Obama’s plan to leave 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and that, unlike Obama, she “absolutely” favors criminal prosecutions for any Bush administration officials involved in torture or other excesses in the fight against terrorism.

On Thursday, Pelosi said she’d move “faster” than Obama is to roll back Bush-era tax cuts. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Chuck Schumer joined Pelosi’s critique of Obama’s plan to leave. Reid urged Obama not to push too hard to eliminate congressional earmarks. And Democratic Rep. Gene Taylor of Mississippi took a shot at Obama’s budget, saying “change is not running up even bigger deficits that George Bush did.”

Congressional Democrats are hardly in open revolt. But Obama apparently took the criticisms of his Iraq plan seriously enough that he summoned Democratic and Republican leaders to the White House to brief them on the plan Thursday evening in advance of his roll-out Friday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

A senior Pelosi aide said Thursday that the president and the speaker share “the same vision” and “the same goals” overall.

“She is totally supportive of him on most things,” the aide said. “But as with anything, there are going to be disagreements.”

Pelosi's public disagreements with Obama reflect her strongly held personal views - as well as the views of the majority of her caucus, which is liberal/progressive. Pelosi is always cognizant that her most important constituency is her base among House Democrats.

As she respects and protects that base, pushing back against the president has its advantages. Democratic aides have talked over the past few weeks of Pelosi's need to sometimes "triangulate" against Obama with Reid-to deliver a don't-tread-on-me-message to the White House and to keep Reid and Obama from establishing a permanent political double-team.

The end-game of the stimulus-during which Pelosi was forced to grapple with a final Obama-Reid deal -reinforced those motives.

"We can't let the Senate always push us around by shouting, 'We need 6O!" a House Democratic aide said a week ago.

Some of the disagreements between Pelosi and Obama are substantive; some of them are about turf.

Even before Obama took office, Pelosi told his soon-to-be chief of staff, former Rep. Rahm Emanuel, to butt out of House Democratic affairs.

In a recent private meeting, Democrtic insiders say Pelosi and Obama butted heads over his desire to cut down in earmarks in annual apending bills.

The earmarks are popular punching bags-the Obama administration vowed that there’d be none in the stimulus package-but they’re also popular with a lot of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Pelosi, aware of that reality, told Obama that she’d help to cut back on earmarks, but not as quickly as he might like, insiders said.

“We are reducing them, but members still want them,” a Democratic insider said Pelosi told the president.

Pelosi, of course, remains a strong Obama supporter.

On Thursday, she called his 2010 budget proposal “a message of realism, but . . . also a message of optimism and hope.” And she expressed support for Obama’s proposal to set aside $634 billion as a down payment toward health care reform. Pelosi argued that the country must make changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs in order to put its financial house in order, and she chided Republicans by arguing that Obama’s plan represents the “entitlement reform” for which they often clamor.

“If we are ever going to address the fiscal challenge that we face - and that includes all of our spending, but sometimes more frequently described through the entitlements - we must have health care reform,” Pelosi said.

Top Pelosi aides downplayed the differences she has with the president, and note that she supports “95 percent” of his agenda.

They also point out that Pelosi has stated repeatedly that her role is not to simply execute the president’s wishes - a lapdog role she repeatedly accused former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) of playing when the GOP controlled the House during the Bush years.

“She has a difference of opinion” with Obama on some issues, a senior Democratic staffer acknowledged. “But unlike recent Republican speakers, she’s not going to be a rubber stamp for the president.”

Glenn Thrush contributed to this report.

[williamsjustin21]

I think it would be a mistake, especially considering the fragility of our country, to prosecute former heads of state. Right now we need allies in the world and bringing forward misdeeds would dampen morale and ostracize the new administration. I think that the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was trying to gain public favor by pushing the prosecution, and it would behoove us all to wait ten to fifteen years for an unbiased review if we want justice. As far as pulling out of Iraq is concerned, it can't happen too soon. The funds that go to supporting this war should be reallocated to educating our youth and rebuilding Iraq. We, as citizens of the United States, should make it our political platform in the campaign to stabilize the Middle East. Rebuild relations, foster hope and maintain a moral high-ground. ANY COMMENTS???

[wholetruth]

I honestly had hope for Obama. God knows we need help. Obama doesn't need 100 days to put his best foot forward. He's already been held in hig esteem by some to have accomplished more in less time than just about any other president. But what real good has he done? What do his actions mean for America? We're told now that we'll have to wait and see. What kind of leadership is 'wait and see'? Don't the people deserve a concensus from economists outside of government? Soon,we'll all learn a little history lesson. Economics always trumps politics. Times vary, but always. If politics compromises wealth creation, then that nation's greatness suffers to that extent. It's what Ayn Rand meant when she expressed that 'there are no contradictions'. Truth trumps as well as it triumphs. And we are politically contesting with our own potential end. If Obama's heart is socialist, he'll just stupidly force our economy down into consequences he'll learn he cannot control. He will pass a threshold WE will not easily recover from. His solution is NOT going to create wealth. His 'stimulus' will stimulate our economic destruction! WE will soon send more money overseas for energy than we did under Bush. Obama has a chance to keep that money here while creating all the new jobs he wants. We will have to keep troops in the middle east just to ensure our access to foreign oil. That is also where our enemies are. Also we are not shrinking government to build our economy. We are expanding it RIGHT NOW! Is this really what liberals want?

[wvu74621]

Obamas plan for withdrawal from I raq is a solid one, I have much expeirience in this area having deployed and redeployed on numerous occassions during a 21 year military career. It is time to drawdown and bring most of the troops home. I agree with leaving a training and reactionary contingent in Iraq. It is time for Iraq to yake care of its self. Also he is correct in not backing the Pelosi on the prosecution of Bush officials. I do not often agree with Obamas policy and still believe that the way he is handling the economic situation will lead us to deeper debt and repression. But I have to give hime credit for not backing down to that ding bat.

[wholetruth]

Is something wrong with Nancy Pelosi? Am I the only one seeing that something doesn't seem quite right here? Why does she look as if she were emotionally overloaded? She looks like she's headed for a nervous break-down! How else can you describe that never-ending, yet skewed simle? It's so out of place. Something is terribly wrong. Isn't she third in line for the presidency? I'm honestly concerned.

[johnhkennedy]

Obama said,"no one is above the law?
SO Congress must demand & the Justice Dept must appoint a Special Prosecutor with Subpoena Powers & authority to indict all found to have violated Federal Laws, Constitution or Geneva Convention on Torture. The State of Limitations starts to run out in March. Prosecution will stop unnecessary wars & damage to our economy caused by presidential lies & Abuse Of Power. Bush & Cheney confessed that they ordered torture. Sen. Leahy & Rep. John Conyers' "commissions" will be nothing but a white wash and a burial for all time of the true facts.

Sign the Petition To Prosecute at
http://IndictBushNow.org

Have your local progressive group Endorse this Letter to Attorney General Holder
http://ProsecuteBushCheney.org

Prosecute so our 30,000+ US Soldiers who were killed or maimed have not suffered in vain

[poeticaintit]

You know why you had the left wings and not the right wings cause right wing stink to the high ends for past eight years under the war criminal and alcoholic thug chimp bushy .....Isn't that a fact junk food man...lolololol
Posted by shahzad7


Ummmmm...I think A Sharpton has made it clear that using the term 'chimp' is racist. Or is this another case of 'it's only wrong is the liberals say it's wrong'?

[poeticaintit]

She looks nice to me. Take her any day over Palin.
Posted by hetup-2009


Hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....this is called cutting off your nose to spite your face. Pelosi is the fat girl at the party with Palin! But you can have her!!!

[singinrick09]

After the way plastic face Pelosi was bouncing up like a friggin' Jack in the Box at Obama's speech to Congress this past Tuesday, I find this article quite amuzing to say the least!

[hetup-2009]

She looks nice to me. Take her any day over Palin.

[tennartex]

This is the most two faced woman besides Senator Susan Collins and Senator Olympia Snow in the senate. She loads up a plane, flys several senators (this is to justify her actions) and her wealthy husband to Italy and then thumbs her nose at us taxpayers when we ask how much was spent. I really think this is just a ruse to throw us off the track and she and Obama are real buddy, buddy.

[azure13]

Pelosi sounds lost half the time. Dementia started to set in a long time ago.

[starleo146]

You know why you had the left wings and not the right wings cause right wing stink to the high ends for past eight years under the war criminal and alcoholic thug chimp bushy .....Isn't that a fact junk food man...lolololol
Posted by shahzad7 at 3:10 AM : Feb 28, 2009
+ report abuse + permalink

What a great answer good job shahzad

[mbievtea]

It's my opinion that too many politicians speak "for themselves" and their personal interest when -- in fact -- they should be speaking for their constituents ... Pelosi is an arrogant, self-centered politician who is always worried about everyone else and should be more worried about taking care of business. She -- personally -- hates Bush and wants to make that clear with her words and her actions. So, you see, there is nothing different in Washington afterall.

[starleo146]

Pelosi, honest to Pete this women with each passing day gets dumber and dumber. She runs to her lobbyist in California and they say No fight it, and here she goes again. She needs to go yesterday and take her buddy Harry Reid with her. put someone in there that knows how to fight for things we need not what the lobbyist want to fight.

[tucano2]

Pelosi obviously is a nut case the Democrats with a brain want gone. What Rx meds does she consume?

[hambonehd]

It's time for this woman to go.
Posted by renonv5 at 8:40 AM : Feb 28, 2009


AMEN! And wayyyy long overdue... don't know which one is more dangerous, her or OBL..!

[renonv5]

It's time for this woman to go.

[sabre1111]

Problems in LIBERAL paradise?

They finally have full controll and they can't make up their minds.
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Posted by wtlibs

Yep, because inclusive Dems are a broad range of people who have differing opnions on things. We represent a wide range of interests. We aren't an old, whitebred group who all look alike and goosestep in line with one agenda, like Repubs do.

[williamsjustin21]

I think it would be a mistake, especially considering the fragility of our country, to prosecute former heads of state. Right now we need allies in the world and bringing forward misdeeds would dampen morale and ostracize the new administration. I think that the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was trying to gain public favor by pushing the prosecution, and it would behoove us all to wait ten to fifteen years for an unbiased review if we want justice. As far as pulling out of Iraq is concerned, it can't happen too soon. The funds that go to supporting this war should be reallocated to educating our youth and rebuilding Iraq. We, as citizens of the United States, should make it our political platform in the campaign to stabilize the Middle East. Rebuild relations, foster hope and maintain a moral high-ground.

[dj292009]

Won't that be a step up from the dog ****** is was when Bush left office?
Posted by harbinger19

Yea well that had something to do with the democrats as well. A history lesson for you democrats, the Government is separated into three separate but EQUAL parts. The democrats had control of the Legislative Branch since 07!! Chris Dodd, you know they guy who threatened a filibusterer in 2005 when James Albright wanted to have regulations in the banking system, the same Chris Dodd that said the banking system was stable just weeks before it collapsed. Yea I know, it is still the Repubs fault. See you blame the GOP for not taking any blame, but at the same time you refuse to take any either