Pelosi's New Mission: Block Obama Deals With GOP

[Purveyor]

(11-24) 08:51 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

Hers was the face on the grainy negative TV ads that helped defeat scores of Democrats. His agenda, re-election chances and legacy are on the line.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, chosen after a messy family feud among Democrats to remain as their leader in the new Congress, and President Barack Obama share a keen interest in repairing their injured party after this month's staggering losses.

But Pelosi's mandate is diverging from the president's at a critical time, with potentially damaging consequences for Obama's ability to cut deals with Republicans in the new Congress.

Their partnership is strained after an election in which Pelosi and many Democrats feel the White House failed them. They believe Obama and his team muddled the party's message and didn't act soon enough to provide cover for incumbents who cast tough votes for his marquee initiatives.

Pelosi will lead Democrats "in pulling on the president's shirttails to make sure that he doesn't move from center-right to far-right," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., a co-chair of the liberal Progressive Caucus in the House. "We think if he'd done less compromising in the last two years, there's a good chance we'd have had a jobs bill that would have created real jobs, and then we wouldn't even be worrying about having lost elections."

MORE...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/11/24/national/w085154S16.DTL

[joeybee12]

1. Nancy's right on this...and as for her face being there all the time...

so was Obama's...it was the GOP's way of being sexist and racist at the same time.

[roguevalley]

15. I hope she wins. Block obama from continuing to do what doesn't

work, holding the pugs purse

[tabatha]

2. Love her!

[ProSense]

3. Interesting stuff

The White House says Obama and Pelosi have uniform goals and a proven track record of working together, and insists they're on the same page on important issues, particularly preserving the health care and financial regulation laws enacted this year against Republicans' promised attempts to roll them back.

<...>

People close to Pelosi say she may trust the president more than some of her allies in Congress do to defend core Democratic principles in his dealings with the GOP.

Some Democrats argue that Pelosi's liberal streak might help the president in that context - a bad cop to Obama's good cop.

"In his negotiations with the Republicans, (Obama) needs to be able to say, 'Look, you say you're not going to compromise, but I've got Nancy Pelosi over here who is very passionate about these issues, and I have to listen to what she's saying,' " Cummings said.

Nancy Pelosi is a treasure.

[emulatorloo]

4. Yes, Pelosi is a treasure. GO NANCY!

[Vincardog]

5. When I despair that no Democratic 'leader' gets it NAncy proves me wrong

[msongs]

6. maybe obama is a closet republican and thats why he is afraid to stand up nt

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Wishing her strength, fortitude, courage and success.

[niceypoo]

8. "in pulling on the president's shirttails to make sure that he doesn't move from center-right...

...to far right"

"We think if he'd done less compromising in the last two years, there's a good chance we'd have had a jobs bill that would have created real jobs, and then we wouldn't even be worrying about having lost elections."


Ya think?

[tabbycat31]

9. She has the spine that he lacks

LOVE her!

[bobbolink]

10. Now THIS is great news, if she follows through!

GO with this, Nancy, and don't back down! :yourock:

Thanks for posting this!

[Hydra]

16. Irony

Having nothing to lose now, she can move freely.

[veganlush]

11. Potentially good news n/t

[great white snark]

12. I hope she's on his 6 24/7.

Go Nancy!

[Phx_Dem]

13. Good luck with that since you're no longer Speaker. n/t

[frylock]

14. knr

[polichick]

17. Glad somebody still believes in Democratic principles. nt

[democracy1st]

18. K & R