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March 2, 2009
Pelosi's "Enemies List"
Rick Moran
Yes, Democrats have them too although if news of such a list ever made it on the front pages of the New York Times, I would have a heart attack.
Allies of Speaker Pelosi swears she is not "vindictive" but does, in fact, have a list of least favorite people - including many Democrats - who are denied favor and promotion at her whim:
In some cases, Pelosi has mended fences with people on the list, most notably House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), a former party rival who has become an indispensable lieutenant.
But she has also moved to strip power from longtime adversaries — and she has a propensity for remembering slights and grievances for years.
Hawkish Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), who clashed with Pelosi on Iraq and intelligence policy, assumed she was in line to become chairwoman of the Intelligence Committee when the Democrats seized control of the House in 2006. But Pelosi refused to appoint Harman to even a seat on the committee, and she handed the chairmanship to Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas).
As speaker, she did nothing to stop her ally Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) from ousting Rep. John Dingell as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee after clashing with the octogenarian Michigan Democrat on energy policy and global warming.
The list, Pelosi allies say, is real — even as they warn that overstating her vindictiveness feeds into the right-wing caricatures of Pelosi and perpetuates ethnic and gender stereotypes.
Moreover, they argue that portraying her as payback-obsessed misses a fundamental political point: Despite her commanding majority, Pelosi is painfully aware that powerful speakers, including Republican Joe Cannon, have been toppled for using their power heavy-handedly.
I don't think Pelosi is paranoid but despite the assurances of her allies, she no doubt has a vindictive streak a mile wide. Denying Jane Harman the intelligence chair -- at the expense of the California Democrat's expertise and experience -- reveals someone who would place her own feelings of disgust for someone's political beliefs above the good of the country. By anyone's definition, that is small minded and petty.
The rest of her "list" is full of those who have either crossed her personally, or like Heath Shuler, have violated her hyper partisan rules of engagement. Her disdain for the opposition will eventually come back to haunt her as even big majorities like the Democats have disappear over time as the pendulum swings back. She very well may regret her torturing Republicans who will find great pleasure in sticking it to her as the Democratic majority gradually - or more quickly - disappears.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky
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