This is probably the last chance Nancy Pelosi has to become the first former House speaker to regain the job in more than six decades. She’s vowed to do it.
But then as the Democrats’ minority leader, she vowed to take back the House for four straight House elections. And she and her party failed every time, starting with the historic 2010 drubbing by Republicans, who seized 63 seats.
This week Democrats elected enough Democrats to choose the next House Speaker. The 78-year-old says she wants the job again. Under the pressure of anti-Pelosi GOP ads, several dozen Democrat candidates vowed not to support her in the caucus election later this month.
Of course, that was before they won.
Also before the successful election Gallup asked hundreds of U.S. Democrats across the country about Pelosi, who’s lead her Democrat caucus since 2002 but was Speaker for only four of those years. She’s been waiting a long time, which counts for a lot in Congress.
According to Gallup, a large majority of U.S. Democrats want someone else. Only 39 percent want her back, while 56 percent don’t.
By the way, they’ve felt that way for some time. A June Gallup Poll of Americans at large found only 29 percent had a favorable view of the woman who represents most of the troubled city of San Francisco.
Here’s the problem with polls like this: What you or I think does not matter to the House Democrat caucus. It’s like asking the poll question, Who do you think should coach the Dallas Cowboys? You can go kick field goals all day. The only person whose opinion matters is Jerry Jones, the owner.
The only opinions that matter in this House leadership selection are the 230-odd House Democrats. They’re the only ones who can vote on putting her up and sticking with her when the new House at large votes in January.
Over the years Pelosi has raised scores of millions for some of those folks, another thing that counts in congressional vote-counting.
But Pelosi turns 79 in March. Her leadership team is also approaching 80. I said, HER LEADERSHIP TEAM IS ALSO APPROACHING 80.Which means that entire crew was born before Pearl Harbor but pretends to have answers for the 21st century.
Oh, and they’re all from coastal states, not the vast Heartland that elected Donald Trump in 2016 to shake things up in Washington.
There are a lot of younger, even more liberal House Democrats, starting with that socialist 29-year-old the Bronx and Queens elected. For some strange reason, they think their opinions should matter too.
Pelosi will likely hint again that she sees herself as a transitional leader this time. Leaving hope for younger members if they’ll just be patient a little while longer. Uh-huh. Once she regains possession of that oversized Speaker’s gavel, you can hope all you want.
From her cold dead hands.
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