More Partisanship, Please

Here's the infamous speech given by Nancy Pelosi, wherein she raps the Bush economic policies. Given Bush's dismal approval ratings, especially on the economy where a scant 17% of the country thinks he is doing a good job, Pelosi's "partisan" accusations are in line with the opinions of an overwhelming majority of the Americans.

Pelosi, The Scapegoat (Part II)

As more details emerge about the negotiations in the House, the more it is clear that Pelosi's speech wasn't to blame for the failure of the bill.

From Politico.com:

But Boehner told a different story. He said that the GOP leaders never thought they’d get more than 68 Republicans to support the bill — and that he sent Blunt to tell Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) as much nearly two hours before the vote.

“I sent [Blunt] down to talk to Hoyer, 11:30, quarter to 12, somewhere in that time frame,” Boehner said. “We had a pretty good idea where we were, where we thought we could get to. And Hoyer knew.”

So, Boehner knew that he was short of votes in his caucus before Pelosi's speech, which didn't even begin until 12:20!

Washington Post reports:

Republicans initially lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), accusing her of delivering a partisan speech before the vote and costing them a dozen votes. But later, in interviews after tempers cooled, GOP leaders said they had been fighting an uphill battle from the start -- too many conservatives rejected the idea of a large, taxpayer-funded intervention, and too many moderates came from swing districts where constituents were up in arms over the bailout.

A little too late, isn't it? Do a simple Web search and you'll come across hundreds of headlines blaming Pelosi's speech for the failure of the bill.

Again from the Politico article, "After Monday’s defeat, Boehner and other Republicans said a speech by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had cost some GOP votes. In fact, some Republican aides began spreading word before her speech even ended that her remarks would turn the tide against them." (emphasis added.)

Here are some reactions from Republicans about the claim that Pelosi's speech scuttled the bill.

Republican Rep. John Shadegg said Tuesday that House Minority Leader John Boehner and other Republican leaders made a “stupid claim” by alleging that Nancy Pelosi’s speech changed any minds on the bailout.

“I do believe that we could have gotten there today had it not been for this partisan speech that the speaker gave on the floor of the House,” said Boehner after the failed vote on the bailout package. His leadership colleagues endorsed the opinion. Rep. Eric Cantor waved a copy of Pelosi's speech and said the bailout went down because of Pelosi.

Shadegg said that he doesn't know of a single GOP vote that shifted because of the speech.

On Monday evening, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), a lead opponent of the bailout, told the Crypt that the notion was "nonsense" and mocked the possibility that a Republican would be shocked or offended by the partisan nature of a Democratic speech.

However, Shadegg was optimistic that Congress would soon pass some version of the bailout.

Can we expect an apology from the Republicans? Probably not.

Whatever you think about the merits of the bill, there's little doubt about Pelosi's effectiveness. She promised and she delivered her share of votes on a deeply unpopular bill, and a bill put forth by the Republican administration at that.

Pelosi, The Scapegoat

A few questions for the 12 House GOP members that supposedly voted against the bailout bill due to a partisan speech by Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

• Were you voting for this bill because you believed that the country was facing a financial crisis and that urgent measures were needed to correct the situation?
• If so, why did you allow a partisan speech to change your vote?
• Do you think that the (supposed) rancor caused by Pelosi's speech is enough of a reason to subject your constituents and the country to whatever repercussions may result from Congress' inaction on this urgent crisis?
• Or If you didn't believe that the crisis is urgent or that the steps prescribed by the bill were needed, why were you inclined to vote for it in the first place?

The Republicans' decision to blame Pelosi for the failure of the bailout really stretches reason and credibility to the extreme. If you are still not convinced that this is a transparent political ploy and a cheap stunt, read this damning article from The Hill.

According to the article, the Republicans did not put much pressure on rank-and-file members. The leadership apparently did not try too hard to sell the plan to GOP members either, with the Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) calling the bill a "crap sandwich" at one point.

Conference politics are also to blame for the hardline posturing from some members who are preparing for leadership races in the next Congress.

Of course, I've saved the best for last.

Leadership officials blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for the failure of the bill, claiming her floor address was filled with partisan barbs and forced some Republicans to vote no.

But other Republicans disagreed strongly with that assertion, which was mocked by Democrats as false and petty.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said the GOP leadership comments were untrue, asserting that House Republicans voted against the bill because of its contents.

“We’re not babies who suck our thumbs,” Bachmann said at a press conference after the vote. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Texas), the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee who has triggered speculation that he will mount a leadership bid, was one of the first members to publicly reject the revised rescue plan...

The reality is that the bill is extremely unpopular and that Blunt and Boehner never had the votes needed to pass the bill. The bill's failure is embarrassing for Bush, the GOP leadership in the House, and especially for McCain who was claiming credit for helping pass the bill (before it passed). Pelosi just happened to be the closest scapegoat.