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Can Pelosi Unite A Divided GOP?
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| Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., right, welcomes Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, as House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, watches at center, on Capitol Hill on May 5. Mr. Boehner says Mrs. Pelosi’s contradictory statements about torture could actually united a divided Republican Party. (Susan Walsh/Associated Press) |
Speaker’s Blame Game Does Not Stop Republican Infighting
By JOE MURRAY, THE BULLETIN
Republican leaders went on offense yesterday by blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for her politically expedient memory lapses concerning several briefings she received on a controversial interrogation technique, water boarding. Republicans hoped the controversy could begin to unite their divided party.
Under intense pressure by liberals and conservatives, Mrs. Pelosi attempted to dodge the political bullet last week by alleging U.S. intelligence officials, mainly those from the Central Intelligence Agency, lied to Congress. Instead of quelling the political brushfire, the allegation served as an accelerant.
“I think that she ought to either present the evidence or apologize, one or the other,” House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Republicans are calling Mrs. Pelosi a hypocrite for using her condemnation of waterboarding to score points with the political left despite the fact she approved of its use in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. And now that the speaker is attempting to place the blame on the CIA, House Republicans want Mrs. Pelosi to provide the necessary evidence to support her claim.
“Lying to the Congress of the United States is a crime,” Mr. Boehner said. “And if the speaker is accusing the CIA and other intelligence officials of lying or misleading the Congress, then she should come forward with evidence and turn that over to the Justice Department [for possible prosecution].”
Mr. Boehner added, “And if that’s not the case, I think she ought to apologize to our intelligence professionals around the world.”
Other Republicans have been more stringent in criticizing Mrs. Pelosi and have called on her to step down as speaker of the House.
U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, told Fox News past House speakers have been ousted “for much less,” and Mrs. Pelosi should not hold the post.
“It is utter arrogance to think that she can roll back the truth,” Mr. King said. “We need to know when Nancy Pelosi was briefed … what did she know and when did she know it.”
He added, “She is at some point going to have to face the truth.”
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., also called for the speaker to step down, saying a censure vote may be in order.
“I would expect at that point a motion of censure, and I think under the rules of the House, you can’t serve for the rest of that term if you’ve been censured,” Mr. Gingrich told CNN.
Some believe the controversy surrounding Ms. Pelosi is the political break the Republicans needed to move headlines of party disunity off the front page. But even as Mrs. Pelosi continued to cause a stir on the Capitol, Republicans were unable to keep their infighting under control, a reality Mr. Boehner must contend with.
On Saturday, U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., had a contentious exchange with conservatives during the South Carolina Republican Convention. During his speech Mr. Graham said he wanted an inclusive Republican Party, but wanted to kick conservatives out in order to build such a party.
“I’m a winner, pal,” Mr. Graham said to a heckler in the audience who jeered his comments. “Winning matters to me. If it doesn’t matter to you, there’s the exit sign.”
Mr. Graham also attacked U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, by saying the popular Libertarian was not the leader of the GOP. Dr. Paul ignited the grassroots during his 2008 presidential bid, and many of his supporters attended the South Carolina convention.
“Ron Paul is not the leader of this party,” a combative Mr. Graham retorted. “I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win.”
But as Mr. Graham blasted conservatives in his own party, Mr. Boehner told CNN his party was made stronger by the presence of conservative leaders such as talk show host Rush Limbaugh, former Vice President Dick Cheney and Mr. Gingrich.
“Having these voices out there, it doesn’t hurt us, it helps us,” Mr. Boehner said. “If we’re going to show the American people that we’ve got a better way forward, having a chorus of voices out there, I think is helpful to our effort.”
The House Republican recognized the GOP had a long road ahead of it and acknowledged it would take more than a Pelosi meltdown to iron out the kinks in the party.
“We’ve got a long way to come back,” Mr. Boehner said. “We’ve had two disastrous election cycles.”
Joe Murray can be reached at jmurray@thebulletin.us
Under intense pressure by liberals and conservatives, Mrs. Pelosi attempted to dodge the political bullet last week by alleging U.S. intelligence officials, mainly those from the Central Intelligence Agency, lied to Congress. Instead of quelling the political brushfire, the allegation served as an accelerant.
“I think that she ought to either present the evidence or apologize, one or the other,” House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Republicans are calling Mrs. Pelosi a hypocrite for using her condemnation of waterboarding to score points with the political left despite the fact she approved of its use in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. And now that the speaker is attempting to place the blame on the CIA, House Republicans want Mrs. Pelosi to provide the necessary evidence to support her claim.
“Lying to the Congress of the United States is a crime,” Mr. Boehner said. “And if the speaker is accusing the CIA and other intelligence officials of lying or misleading the Congress, then she should come forward with evidence and turn that over to the Justice Department [for possible prosecution].”
Mr. Boehner added, “And if that’s not the case, I think she ought to apologize to our intelligence professionals around the world.”
Other Republicans have been more stringent in criticizing Mrs. Pelosi and have called on her to step down as speaker of the House.
U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, told Fox News past House speakers have been ousted “for much less,” and Mrs. Pelosi should not hold the post.
“It is utter arrogance to think that she can roll back the truth,” Mr. King said. “We need to know when Nancy Pelosi was briefed … what did she know and when did she know it.”
He added, “She is at some point going to have to face the truth.”
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., also called for the speaker to step down, saying a censure vote may be in order.
“I would expect at that point a motion of censure, and I think under the rules of the House, you can’t serve for the rest of that term if you’ve been censured,” Mr. Gingrich told CNN.
Some believe the controversy surrounding Ms. Pelosi is the political break the Republicans needed to move headlines of party disunity off the front page. But even as Mrs. Pelosi continued to cause a stir on the Capitol, Republicans were unable to keep their infighting under control, a reality Mr. Boehner must contend with.
On Saturday, U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., had a contentious exchange with conservatives during the South Carolina Republican Convention. During his speech Mr. Graham said he wanted an inclusive Republican Party, but wanted to kick conservatives out in order to build such a party.
“I’m a winner, pal,” Mr. Graham said to a heckler in the audience who jeered his comments. “Winning matters to me. If it doesn’t matter to you, there’s the exit sign.”
Mr. Graham also attacked U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, by saying the popular Libertarian was not the leader of the GOP. Dr. Paul ignited the grassroots during his 2008 presidential bid, and many of his supporters attended the South Carolina convention.
“Ron Paul is not the leader of this party,” a combative Mr. Graham retorted. “I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win.”
But as Mr. Graham blasted conservatives in his own party, Mr. Boehner told CNN his party was made stronger by the presence of conservative leaders such as talk show host Rush Limbaugh, former Vice President Dick Cheney and Mr. Gingrich.
“Having these voices out there, it doesn’t hurt us, it helps us,” Mr. Boehner said. “If we’re going to show the American people that we’ve got a better way forward, having a chorus of voices out there, I think is helpful to our effort.”
The House Republican recognized the GOP had a long road ahead of it and acknowledged it would take more than a Pelosi meltdown to iron out the kinks in the party.
“We’ve got a long way to come back,” Mr. Boehner said. “We’ve had two disastrous election cycles.”
Joe Murray can be reached at jmurray@thebulletin.us
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