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Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump - A Study in Contrasts: Saturday's GNR [1]
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Date: 2022-11-19
In the last few days, the people who led the Democratic and Republican party for the last six years both made headlines. There is no starker lesson for us in the differences between Democrats and Republicans than the behavior, this week, of those two people.
Nancy Pelosi announced that she is stepping down from her leadership position. Here she is on her way into the chamber to make the announcement. Notice the love she receives.
x Standing ovation.pic.twitter.com/nrjVkzAsbe — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) November 17, 2022
She is not retiring — she will stay in the House so that she can be there to help the next generation of leaders as they guide our party and country.
She spoke with grace and poise and heart.
And the love came right back to her.
Nancy Pelosi was the most consequential speaker of our time
Nancy D’Alesandro is still the daughter of a ward-heeling, old-school Baltimore mayor who taught her to practice politics by counting votes and twisting arms. Along with thick skin and a wicked sense of humor, these skills helped make Pelosi by far the most consequential speaker of our time. Her legislative triumphs, spanning four presidencies, are monumental. They begin with the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s most important achievement. Pelosi had to bring along a caucus that wanted more comprehensive legislation that would cover all uninsured Americans rather than just many of them. She persuaded House Democrats to accept the best possible bill that the Senate would also pass, rather than demand ideal legislation that had no chance of becoming law. She got the House to pass the $787 billion 2008 stimulus bill; the Dodd-Frank legislation reforming Wall Street in the wake of the financial crisis; the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act attacking pay discrimination against women; and the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that discriminated against LGBTQ service members.
Nancy Pelosi retires her gavel, cementing legend status Nancy Pelosi loves America, loves her family, and loves her Democratic colleagues. Her speech to the House was inspiring and full of patriotic quotes from the Constitution she swore to uphold, and she did. Nancy Pelosi, Badass History, being reductive, will remember Ms. Pelosi as the first woman to rise to the exalted post of speaker, just two steps away from the presidency. Those who have watched her work in the House for so many years will remember her as something arguably just as notable: a total badass. By that term, I don’t mean that Ms. Pelosi is some swaggering, performative tough guy. Quite the opposite. In her two decades atop the House Democratic caucus, whether in the majority or the minority, she has been a strikingly effective leader in part because she doesn’t much give a flip about her public image. What matters to her is getting stuff done — be it passing legislation, thwarting the opposition’s agenda or protecting her members come election time. She is brutally pragmatic (too much so for some in her caucus) and has a shrewd sense of the political pressure points of allies and opponents alike. She doesn’t hog the credit for her clever ideas, nor does she waste time publicly rationalizing or blaming others for her bad ones. No one outworks her, and aides and allies have happily cultivated the legend of her endless energy. (Key points: Doesn’t need sleep. Runs on chocolate.) Nancy Pelosi is a legend Nancy Pelosi endured in a troubled era over 20 long years of abuse, harassment, pettiness, cruelty, name-calling and all manner of degradations. John Kennedy had a lack of imagination in 1961 that by 2022 it would be an American woman from Baltimore, elected from San Francisco, who would so brilliantly meet the test during a crisis of faith and patriotism among America’s most powerful leaders. Nancy Pelosi Is the Greatest Speaker in History Nancy Pelosi has been simply the best speaker of the House of the modern era. She is probably the best speaker in US history. It was time for her to step down from her leadership role, but it likely will be a long time before we see someone of either party master the job as well as she did. Her four terms as speaker, two during unified Democratic government and two under Republican presidents and divided government, were unusually productive. During President Barack Obama’s first term, when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, she steered the Affordable Care Act into law. When her party operated with a fragile majority over the last two years, she somehow again found ways to pass liberal priorities, sometimes on party-line votes and sometimes with bipartisan support. Nancy Pelosi will be remembered as a political star The daughter of the late-Baltimore mayor and congressman Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., she has the heart of an idealist, the moxie of a ward boss and the indefatigable determination of a woman energized by the mission of politics. In early 2010, when it appeared the health care bill that was the signature of the Obama agenda was 20 votes short of passage in the House, Pelosi went to work – probing every one of the holdouts about what they would need and what they would accept to get to yes; quietly forging difficult compromises, inch-by-inch; assembling the coalition to pass the historic reform. Her refusal to give in, her determination to see it through, made the difference. Pelosi knows how to play the game of politics as well as anyone who has ever led in Congress, experience that may benefit her successor as she transitions to the role of consigliere. But she also always understood its purpose, and the combination of mastery of the process and reverence for its meaning has made her great.
x Remember this photo? This is exactly why Nancy Pelosi is absolute boss. In a room of men who try to bring her down, she not only stands her ground, but she stands up to them. Nancy is a true leader. pic.twitter.com/0H5wqMCeMX — Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) November 17, 2022
x We don’t say it enough — Nancy Pelosi has been one of the best speakers of the House in American history. pic.twitter.com/aHGdjO8PKa — Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) November 17, 2022
x Nancy Pelosi has been the greatest, most effective Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in American history. Thank you @SpeakerPelosi for your dedicated service and leadership. — Al Gore (@algore) November 17, 2022
x When I think of Nancy Pelosi, I think of dignity.
History will note her as the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in history – she is first, last, and always for the people. America owes her a debt of gratitude for her service, patriotism, and dignity. pic.twitter.com/U2xvEVC1E5 — President Biden (@POTUS) November 17, 2022
x Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the G.O.A.T.
Thank you for all that you have done for America. — Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) November 17, 2022
x There are people with positions and there are people that know how to use, wield and build power. Sp. Nancy Pelosi was comfortable in standing in her power AND using it. I think she is one of the most effective political leaders in our lifetime. Brilliant, clear and strategic. pic.twitter.com/q3DR00IlrH — LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown) November 18, 2022
x If I had to sum up Nancy Pelosi's genius in just one picture pic.twitter.com/ajvWpma9qV — Just To Be Clear... (@charleyw) November 18, 2022
Finally, my tribute to NDP. My eloquent article What I Yell When I am Drunk from February 2019:
Last night, my husband and I had friends over. We had a bunch of food and cocktails and we played games and those who play instruments did so. It was very fun. It is possible that I may have been over served (by me). This morning, my kids (who were upstairs during the party) were talking about all the potty words they overheard the adults yelling. They told me I used potty words and I was very nervous to learn what they heard me yell. Evidently, I yelled: “I LOVE NANCY FUCKING PELOSI SO MUCH. I FUCKING LOVE HER SO FUCKING MUCH I WANT TO TAKE DOWN EVERY FUCKING PICTURE IN MY HOUSE AND REPLACE THEM ALL WITH PICTURES OF NANCY FUCKING PELOSI. I WANT TO RENAME MY KIDS NANCY PELOSI. I WOULD EVEN HAVE ANOTHER FUCKING BABY JUST SO I COULD NAME HER NANCY PELOSI. I. FUCKING. LOVE. NANCY. FUCKING. PELOSI.” This has what the world has come to y’all. I used to talk about rock and roll and men and crazy times when I had a few too many. Now when I get drunk, I yell about my love for NDP. The shame is deep (as is the laughter).
Contrast: The Leader of the Rs for the last Six Years
And the leader of the Republicans for the last six years? He announced he was running for president. Instead of stepping away with grace and mentoring new leaders, he is thinking only about himself and his ability to raise money and shield himself from legal action.
It would be better for his party if he retired. But he don’t care.
The LAST thing Republicans want is this super loser attaching his idiot brand to their party and trashing their candidates.
But karma, my friends, is a sweet, sweet witch and that is exactly what they are getting.
and they are sad!
x Vanity Fair wins headline of the decade for sure. Yes, it's real.
The subheading is not too shabby either: The message to Trump from the Murdoch-owned New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and Fox News is clear: Pack your bags, bitch. You’re done. pic.twitter.com/fN1ai52h55 — Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) November 11, 2022
x How the New York Post covered Trump’s announcement pic.twitter.com/fquH6qw2m4 — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 16, 2022
x If you’re curious how done Rupert Murdoch is with Trump, his “big announcement” is buried on page 26 of the New York Post with these zingers👇🤣😭 pic.twitter.com/c04mBPvAQ1 — Kaylan_TX💙 (@Kaylan_TX) November 16, 2022
x It wasn’t his rapes, racism, or Russian collusion, nor his corruption, cruelty, or signs he is the antichrist that made evangelical leaders question their support of Trump.
It was his losing.
Thou shall not lose is their commandment. The rest is negotiable
https://t.co/bKjt0dMaPT — Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) November 18, 2022
and people are making fun of him all over. Here are folks guessing at his 2024 slogan:
x Dude is 76 and a fart away from a heart attack. I assume it would just be an ambulance sound 🤷♀️#Trumps2024Slogan — wtfLisaTarot (@wtfLisaTarot) November 17, 2022
x #Trumps2024Slogan Float like a butterfly, sting like a Ye pic.twitter.com/Npre8wowSl — FTJ (@fairytalejedi) November 17, 2022
x Does this truck make my dick look small? #Trumps2024Slogan pic.twitter.com/Rg4prA4mxu — Jen (@JenTusch) November 17, 2022
x More losing than any American has ever seen since Vietnam! Great War, but I had bone spurs. #Trumps2024Slogan pic.twitter.com/2XXeOPsJCV — Yo Adrian! (@Shaka4Kahn) November 17, 2022
and he can’t even cheat right:
Trump’s picks to oversee elections in key 2024 battlegrounds all lost
Trump endorsed four Republicans for secretary of state positions in the general election, boosting candidates who have cast doubt on the legitimacy of U.S. elections in some of the most closely divided states. Every single one of them lost.
Trump Is Weak, but the G.O.P. Is Weaker
After their party’s disappointing performance in the midterms, Republican elites seem to have decided that Donald Trump is their big problem. The Murdoch media empire has been trashing the former president. Many donors and operatives are reportedly rallying around Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. But Trump, who is widely expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign on Tuesday, won’t go quietly. Will Trump secure the nomination despite elite qualms? If he doesn’t, will a man who has never shown any loyalty to his party or, for that matter, anyone but himself, sabotage the G.O.P. out of spite? I don’t know more than anyone else who follows the news Republican elites trying to distance themselves from Trump spent years fluffing his image. Until a few days ago Fox News, the main source of political information for much of the G.O.P. base, gave Trump the kind of hagiographic coverage you’d expect from state media in a dictatorship. And Republican politicians, many of whom knew Trump for what he was, spent years praising him in language reminiscent of Politburo members praising the party chairman. Now those same elites want to push Trump out of the picture. But while they may be able to deny him the nomination, they probably won’t be able to avoid paying a heavy price for their past cowardice.
Donald Trump IS the GOP. They don’t want him to be, but he is. Irrelevant. Hateful. Losing. Pathetic. Selfish
Nancy Pelosi IS the Democratic Party. And we are lucky she is. Caring. Smart. Nurturing the future. Brave. Amazing.
I was going to stop right there for this week, but then this whole special prosecutor thing happened and I see people freaking out that this means that Garland has given up or wimped out and nothing will happen and….. I don’t think so. IMHO, this is the right move.
some other people who agree with me:
x My hot take: No need for Garland to appoint a special counsel unless you're going to indict.
https://t.co/oVIao1oygf — Katie S. Phang (@KatiePhang) November 18, 2022
and this:
Norman Eisen, who served as co-counsel to the House impeachment managers during Trump’s first impeachment, agrees. “I have no concern that a special counsel will shy away from charging, and Jack Smith has outstanding experience,” he tells me. Eisen also thinks the move will not cause much of a delay. He observes: “Mr. Smith should move with alacrity. Here, where any other American who had removed the even one classified document would be subject to likely prosecution, and where the former president took dozens, the rule of law demands fast action.”
x If a special counsel was to be appointed, I can think of no-one better suited than Jack Smith. Vast experience prosecuting public corruption cases, treacherous national security violations, and crimes against humanity. Absorbs complex facts instantly. Perfect for Donald Trump. — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) November 18, 2022
So that is it for today. There was more good news this week — feel free to share some in the comments! — but I really wanted to focus on NDP. Plus we had a lot of snow :-)
On the Lighter Side
Want to help us keep our democracy? Remember:
x If Sen. Raphael Warnock beats Herschel Walker, Senate committees would no longer be evenly split. There would be Democratic control of committees — meaning no nominees or bills being deadlocked.
That could quicken the pace of judicial nominations. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 17, 2022
If you are looking for a way to help, we started a fundraiser for Senator Warnock’s very important run-off election.
You can donate here:
Thanks!
I am so lucky, and so proud, to be in this with all of you 🧡💜💚💛✊🏾✊🏽✊🏻💛💚💜🧡
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/11/19/2137053/-Nancy-Pelosi-and-Donald-Trump-A-Study-in-Contrasts-Saturday-s-GNR
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