It finally happened. Thursday during a press conference at the White House that was intended to allow President Trump the opportunity to spotlight a $16 billion federal bail-out for struggling farmers, Speaker Pelosi was anointed with a nickname. This was noteworthy because up until then the president had avoided calling her names.

Say hello to “Crazy Nancy”. President Trump is well-known for doling out nicknames to anyone who is standing in his way on any given issue or initiative. He has, however, steered clear of specifically ridiculing Nancy Pelosi. I assumed it was because she is the most powerful woman in Washington, D.C. or because the two are old acquaintances but whatever the reason, the pretense of civility between the two is long gone.

This was supposed to be Infrastructure Week, you know. President Trump invited Speaker Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over to the White House to talk about funding sweeping infrastructure legislation. As they look for ways to work together and actually get something productive done for the American people, infrastructure spending would be a natural move toward traditional bi-partisanship. Republicans and Democrats alike want to vote on spending money on repairing aging infrastructure and their constituents want them to do it.

As is a pattern during this administration, Infrastructure Week was short-lived. Just a short time before Pelosi and Schumer were scheduled to meet with President Trump and some of his staff Wednesday, the Speaker accused the President of participating in a cover-up. She is under enormous pressure from Democrats in the House to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump and she is beginning to show the effects of that stress. Pelosi hasn’t come right out and said that impeachment is on the agenda but instead usually hedges by saying that the investigations being conducted by various committees will produce answers that are needed in the process. Wednesday, though, she told reporters that she thinks President Trump is involved in a cover-up, despite the fact that the Mueller report absolves him of collusion with the Russians. The eleven charges of obstruction of justice in the second part of the Mueller report didn’t rise to the level of prosecution, according to Mueller. Mueller essentially kicked those charges over to Congress.

President Trump reacted as anyone would, he was angry with the Speaker’s accusation. He drew a red line and told Pelosi and Schumer that enough is enough. He’s ready to work with them on a big infrastructure bill but only when they call off all the investigations and get down to the business at hand. Then he left the room. The meeting lasted only minutes and the White House hastily called a press conference in the Rose Garden. Trump went off on both of the Democrat leaders and their continued insistence that Trump is guilty of wrongdoings that may lead to his impeachment. Pelosi and Schumer responded with their own press conference. And on it went.

By Thursday, the feud was still alive and well. Pelosi intentionally blew up the infrastructure negotiations, President Trump held her accountable and then he rolled out his bail-out for the farmers. The extent to which he used the announcement as an escalation in his feud with the two leaders was surprising. Trump was particularly agitated about Pelosi and Schumer describing Trump’s behavior as a temper tantrum. Pelosi, in particular, claimed Trump behaved erratically and full of anger. And, just like that Speaker Pelosi became Crazy Nancy. She now joins the ranks of many others who have been given a nickname by Donald Trump, both Republicans, and Democrats. He only really said it once and then when he started to use it again, he hesitated and admitted he shouldn’t do it, so it’s uncertain if he’ll allow himself to continue on with it.

Pelosi and Trump have devolved into calling each other mentally unfit to hold office. Pelosi went so far as to call for an intervention by the Trump family and friends. She started it and he’s determined to finish it. It’s a mess and most of America doesn’t want any part of it. Yet, egos are large in our nation’s capital and that is especially true at the top of the heap. Nancy Pelosi is under stress from everyone and it’s starting to show. In the past, she’s been able to hold her tongue and herd the cats fairly well. Her shepherding days may be numbered.

It Crazy Nancy versus an “extremely stable genius” so get out the popcorn. Good luck to us all.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1131563848992006144

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