Pelosi: Newest GOP Ad "insults Our Intelligence"

DENVER- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came out swinging at the first official convention event on Sunday, calling Sen. John McCain “bankrupt” of ideas, after Republicans unveiled a new ad questioning why Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is not on the Democratic ticket.

On Saturday, Republicans unveiled a new ad insinuating that Sen. Barack Obama did not choose Clinton because the New York senator criticized him too harshly, an obvious attempt to drive a wedge between the Democratic Party.

“I think the American people are going to tire of that,” Pelosi said at a press briefing Sunday morning. “Please don’t insult our intelligence, they are saying to politicians. We want answers, we don’t want gimmicks”

Pelosi warned that the ad is “a sign of things to come,” arguing that since Democrats have the upper hand on “kitchen table” issues like health care and the economy, the McCain campaign will be forced to resort to “diversionary tactics."

When asked by a reporter if the Clinton ad was “below the belt,” Pelosi dismissed the ad with a smile, telling the Republicans “good try.”

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also dismissed any talk of a fractured Democratic Party heading into the convention.

“I think [Hillary Clinton] will make it very clear on Tuesday night who her candidate is for president of the United States,” she said in a brief interview.

Sen. Clinton is scheduled to speak on Tuesday night, while her husband former President Bill Clinton will address the crowd on Wednesday.

Sebelius, who was also on Obama’s short list of vice presidential candidates, said Sen. Joe Biden called her after Obama selected him. Sebelius declined to offer any details of their conversation, saying they spoke “ in the cone of silence.”