GOP backs off claim that Pelosi’s ‘partisan’ speech made them vote against the bailout.
GOP backs off claim that Pelosi’s ‘partisan’ speech made them vote against the bailout.
Yesterday, after the proposed bipartisan bailout package failed to pass, the House Republican leadership declared in a press conference that a “partisan” speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was to blame for GOP opposition to the bill. But after being ridiculed by Democrats, media observers, and even some conservatives, Republicans are now walking back that claim:
– Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN): “We are not babies who suck their thumbs.”
– Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO): “I think you don’t want to give too much blame to that speech.”
– Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ): “It was embarrassing for leadership on both parties to lose the bill, so they went out and made a stupid claim.”
– Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): “That speech was not the reason I voted against the bill.” [MSNBC, 9/30/08]
Watch a compilation:
Peter Wehner, a former adviser to President Bush, wrote at the Corner this morning that the effort to “blame the outcome on the Pelosi speech was an embarrassment.”
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So where are the headlines “Republicans in Disarray?” . Oh yeah, in the newsrooms’ man-sized safes in folders stamped ‘CDI NOFORN EYES-ONLY UMBRA‘
September 30th, 2008 at 11:48 am“blame the outcome on the Pelosi speech was an embarrassment.”
September 30th, 2008 at 11:48 am==
Almost as embarrassing as listening to Republicans explain today how they weren’t really whining about Pelosi.
Profile of a party in disarray.
Is that the sucking sound of a fatal chest wound I hear?
PEACE
September 30th, 2008 at 11:50 amWell, Representative Shadegg—despite his rather crazed, right wing political stances—called it correctly, and fairly. It was a failure of leadership on both sides to anticipate stiff opposition on the left and right, particularly on the part of the House Republic leadership. Expressed in percentage terms, roughly only half the Republican membership of the House exercised their vote in favor of the position taken by their leadership, as did the Democratic members theirs. In those terms, their were far fewer ‘disciplined’ Republicans who cast a vote.
And, he’s right: by an measure, it was “…a stupid claim.”
September 30th, 2008 at 11:51 am“Peter Wehner, a former adviser to President Bush, wrote at the Corner this morning that the effort to “blame the outcome on the Pelosi speech was an embarrassment.”
Of course it was an embarrassment – you and your colleagues are embarrassing politicians. I guess we can be lucky that you all don’t routinely soil yourselves in public…
…I DO wonder about McStain, though.
September 30th, 2008 at 11:52 amQUIT MAKING THE BOEHNER CRY, YOU GUYS!
QUIT IT, I SAID!
September 30th, 2008 at 11:53 amJebus. The entire freaking Republican Party is an embarrassment!
September 30th, 2008 at 11:53 am“It was embarrassing for leadership on both parties to lose the bill, so they went out and made a stupid claim.” said Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ), artfully criticizing the Democrats through the use of equivalency and false inclusion .
September 30th, 2008 at 11:54 amStill waiting for the RNC to admit its embarrassment at prematurely releasing an ad criticizing Obama for passage of the bailout that didn’t pass on the same day McNutzi blamed Obama for the bailout not passing.
p.s. John Boehner is such a sissy!
September 30th, 2008 at 11:55 amProof positive that the GOP leadership will resort to lies when things don’t go their way. Boo hoo, cry us a river. GOP economic policy meet reality. That trickle down is just whizz on your trousers.
Oh, and GOP, continue to wax nostalgic about Fannie and Freddie and try to blame all this on those 2, remember that their admitted excesses doesn’t change the fact that many GOP friends in the mortgage and real estate industry go rich because of those loans AND the derivatives created by those geniuses on Wall Street — which made firms rich all these past years, but now dragged them down like giant lead weights — were “backed” by those sub-prime mortgages the GOP benefactors now decry as so very, very bad.
Face it and face the fact, this “crisis” was foreseeable and is the product of GOP deregulation over the past 25 years. You reap what you sow and you either fix it or bow to your new master (same as your old) – corporate socialism.
September 30th, 2008 at 11:57 amI heard Rep Fazio of Oregon last night saying that the plan is crap.
The FDIC is staging all this by ruling how the banks have to value these bad debts on their books.
Change that ruling, as they did durning the S&L bailout in the 80’s and the problem vanishes overnight.
The real help should be in the form of restructuring the loans that are forcing the dumbass homeowners who got in over their heads, and now are facing foreclosure.
They’ve stopped making payments altogether, as no other alternative is available.
The crap bankruptcy law passed a couple of years ago also needs to be amended, to allow a bankruptcy judge to rework home loans when they are judged to be predatory.
As for the dumbasses who bought more than one home on speculation, sorry suckers.
Case closed, pouring money at the top of Wall street and hoping it trickles down is a waste of our tax money.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:00 pmSo, what was with that guy who transcribed and printed out Pelosi’s speech and held it up saying “this is the reason the bill didn’t pass, right here” with all of the party leaders smiling smugly behind him?
It seems that a lot more effort and preparation went into that lie of an excuse than did actually trying to get it passed…
Republicans are a joke, but the country isn’t laughing any longer.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:03 pmmy local paper, AP only sourced, in a very red s.central illinois county, gets the paper to press by 10am…
as a result, monday’s headline read: “Bailout package clears hurdle”
another headline: “Winners and losers in planned bailout”…
others: “delicate bailout embrace by Obama, mccain”
and “mccain would have said yes to bill”…
(that one surprised me a bit)
can’t wait to see what today’s paper has to say!
September 30th, 2008 at 12:04 pmIt was amazing though, don’t you think? ” Nancy was mean to us so we aren’t going to pass the bill. In fact, she was so mean that we are going to take our ball and go home! It’s all her fault! Meany!”
September 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pmand another that surprised me to see in my paper:
“Soldier’s mother ‘ecstatic’ about Obama’s bracelet”, the story about Obama telling grampy, at the debate, about his own bracelet… “she criticized internet reports suggesting Obama…exploited her son for political purposes.”…
“She asked me, ‘Can you please make sure another mother is not going through what i’m going through?’ No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they’re carrying out the missions of their commander in chief And we honor all the service that they’ve provided.”
good one.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pmMichael Lafferty Says:
Well, Representative Shadegg—despite his rather crazed, right wing political stances—called it correctly, and fairly. It was a failure of leadership on both sides to anticipate stiff opposition on the left and right, particularly on the part of the House Republic leadership. Expressed in percentage terms, roughly only half the Republican membership of the House exercised their vote in favor of the position taken by their leadership, as did the Democratic members theirs. In those terms, their were far fewer ‘disciplined’ Republicans who cast a vote.
Actually, 60% of the Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while only 33% of the Republicans did so. Hardly “roughly half.”
September 30th, 2008 at 12:10 pmAw…the Boner went soft.
Sad, sad, sad.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pmI must say, blaming Nancy’s speech was the only laugh I had yesterday. I thank Boehner, Blunt, and Cantor for the temporary lift in spirit, after the House vote sucked all the air from the NYSE.
Unfortunately, I was laughing at buffoons and that’s not very fulfilling.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pmRUCerious Says:
I heard Rep Fazio of Oregon last night saying that the plan is crap.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pmThe FDIC is staging all this by ruling how the banks have to value these bad debts on their books.
Change that ruling, as they did durning the S&L bailout in the 80’s and the problem vanishes overnight.
The real help should be in the form of restructuring the loans that are forcing the dumbass homeowners who got in over their heads, and now are facing foreclosure.
she put the blame where it belongs.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pmand, if it hasn’t been mentioned, and a ’second’ if it has,
September 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pmi think it would be a great idea to send nancy some kudos for her speech… the timing was perfect and she could use some positive reinforcement… i don’t envy her her job…
uh… cute trick.
reverse the order of 22/23 – that’s how i wrote it… weird.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pmWOW! I never thought I would hear Michelle Bachmann (Turner Overdrive) (R) MN, EVER support ANY Dem position.
Guess there is a first ofr everything in this Bizarro World.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:16 pmOOPS! Here’s my comment to my copy and paste–
Changing the ruling for the S&L bailout did not make that problem disappear overnight-the taxpayer took a hit on it but it is not as large as the amount that this current bailout will cost us, because there is no ceiling on how much this will cost in the end. Homeowners were not dumbasses getting in over their heads-I’m sure most of these people had jobs pulled out from under them. That is the main problem that needs to be addressed. How can anyone pay for all this if they have no income left?
September 30th, 2008 at 12:18 pmThey’re throwing Eric Cantor (R-VA) under the bus, after his little grandstanding sound bite holding up a copy of Pelosi’s speech yesterday to blame the failure on her…
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bigoted fascist than Cantor — which is why we in Virginia continue to work hard to rid our Commonwealth and the U.S. Congress of such narrow-minded repukes. Thanks for the help, Boner and Blunt…
September 30th, 2008 at 12:18 pmI was watching a little news this morning before work and noticed “ALL” of the guest commentators and anchors are preaching the necessity of the bailout.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:20 pmWell it’s been close to a week since this huge catastrophe was going to happen and other than a large drop yesterday and a rebound today I don’t see where it’s necessary.
I know all of the networks are tied into the stock market and they want it done as well, but what’s it going to do for you and me. Absolutely nothing.
Let’s say I’ve got a fixed rate mortgage that’s not adjustable but at a higher interest rate than what’s currently being offered – can I redo it? No.
I want to see someone who opposses this bailout on the news, someone who gives reasons for it and what the alternatives are. Enough of the cheerleading, if it’s not necessary don’t do it!
If Pelosi really thought this deal was important, it wasn’t smart for her to make the partisan speech before the vote.
But, it was ridiculous for Republicans to blame Pelosi’s speech, if they really believed that the bailout was important. Ridiculous.
The bailout is a lot of money. Nearly a trillion dollars. It doesn’t make sense to rush into it. Congress needs to work and come to realistic conclusions about the best action to take. And then convince the American people of why we should commit to it.
Regardless of their motivations, it’s probably good that 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans voted ‘no’, to force more debate before we commit to this huge government bailout.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:27 pmMike Conaway is my Representative. I wrote him numerous times on the financial meltdown with my questions and concerns. He is a certified public accountant, a background that should have him out front on this issue.
Yet, Mike’s first communication came nearly 10 days after the blowup. In his podcast, he offered no explanation of the credit problem’s causes. He did ask people to pray for wisdom for our leaders. I’m happy to pray, but I’d still like deeper financial insight.
This Thursday, Conaway will host a fundraiser for President Bush at his Midland, TX home. $57,000 will get you a photo and private meeting with George W. I’m not sure how many dumploads of ZooDoo equate to $57,000, but I’m sure some enterprising Republican has done the math.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:33 pmIn case no one has noticed, there is no Republican leadership. They have entered the “every man for himself” mode. The end is near. Yay!
September 30th, 2008 at 12:47 pmstateofthedivision Says: He did ask people to pray for wisdom for our leaders. I’m happy to pray, but I’d still like deeper financial insight.
I am always astounded when people offer prayer as a solution for problems that were created by human activity (economic in this case), and that obviously require human intervention to fix them.
What is the point of looking for qualified, educated, knowledgeable leadership, then, when all you need is a direct line to god?
No wonder ChristoFascists consider Palin a qualified candidate -all they ask from her is that she pray before getting in bed every night.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:51 pmThe crazy thing is, this bill IMHO was utter crap (from what I’ve read about its details as reported–all very sparse) and based on what little I’ve been able to learn its failure is in principle “a good thing”.
The Repubs may have done everyone a huge favor–by accident, by being complete dicks and by running away from Bush who wanted the thing but who is toxic for GOP reelection chances so they didn’t want to associate themselves (also the bill being by default led by Democrats and therefore if successful the GOP wouldn’t get any credit—all sorts of effed-up reasons for voting nay).
The one day 777 drop is surely the reaction of short-term speculators as much (or maybe more) than the reaction of panicked long-term investors.
My opinion at the moment is that this appears to be a radical but necessary ‘adjustment’ to an inflated market. Remember the dot.com bust. Well I think it is the same, but bigger. Just like then the profits and thus the losses are somewhat ‘imaginary’ (Christ I sound like Gramm now ).
The BIG difference this time though is that the “fundamentals of our economy” are NOT “strong” because deregulation has led to a speculative economy, not a tangibly productive.
The “rescue” bill, as I understand it, simply preserves that system for another 6-months to a year. Instead I think there needs to be a major restructuring and it is the citizens that should be given priority and relatively long term help, NOT Wall Street for another sshort term fix.
The essence of the bill that failed is essentially trickle down theory in a new bottle—rescue the guys at the top first and then the aid will trickle to the bottom. Well it should be the other way around and I think the economy would recover much faster because it will be driven by simple and practical economic reality and not by intangible trading theories promulgated and manipulated by a few.
I know there’s people ‘on the brink’ right now but they could be assisted directly by the government (yes its still possible) rather than continuing to go through the middlemen of the commercial financiers who are mostly responsible for this mess, and would otherwise still get their ‘cut’ first and keep the ordinary citizen in second place.
If this situation were so effing urgently needed to help the citizens of the US as a whole and the “ordinary American worker” and “small businesses” who are “the backbone of the economy” (which is actually true) then why is Congress now in recession for the Jewish New Year? !!!
Everyone needs to take some time and prioritize–how can you fix a problem that’s “too complicated to understand”? You break the problem down into things you CAN understand, quantify, explain and act upon with the expectation of a result. DUH!
I’m just saying…
September 30th, 2008 at 12:56 pmBush’s approval rating is about 23%. The approval rating for Congress is lower.
Democrats and Republicans alike seem to spend most of there time, not proposing solutions, but accusing each other of incompetence and mismanagement.
What reasons should we have to trust them now? I understand they want to look like they are taking action during the current market turmoil. But, it almost looks like, ‘hey, we’ve screwed this up so bad, that we need a trillion dollars to fix it. Although it was our poor judgement that got us into this mess, our new solution will fix it. We promise. And we don’t have time to debate it. Just trust us.”
Is it really that surprising that the American people want the Congress to slow down? I get the feeling that the money is more for covering up the bipartisan mismanagement of the incumbents, than it is for ensuring longterm economic health.
If I’m wrong, it should be up to our leadership to make convincing arguments otherwise. Before we hand over another trillion for them to squander.
September 30th, 2008 at 12:58 pm– Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN): “We are not babies who suck their thumbs.”
No, Ms Bachmann, you prefer sucking up to anyone who will listen to your inane banter. Your ow IQ level is only surpassed by Sarah Palin.
Michele, STFU & let the grown ups work.
September 30th, 2008 at 1:02 pm# 29 Backup… Saints be praised! I applaud your concise argument and flagged it with a ‘recommend’. I never imagined I’d ever agree with you on anything but on this I sincerely do.
September 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pm5th Estate. right back at you. If there is a consensus on this issue, it seems to be that most people don’t really understand it.
Bush hasn’t communicated it well. The congressional leadership hasn’t either. The support that it gets seems tentative. And it failed to pass.
In times of turmoil, everybody feels the need to do something. But, if we aren’t sure what to do, it makes a lot more sense to wait to take action until we are more confident about what the problem is and how to best address it.
Should we go off half cocked, because people are worried? Or should we acknowledge the concern, acknowledge the uncertainty, and proceed deliberately to find the best, most appropriate long term solution.
September 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm@ 18:
I think you miss the point. The 33% of Republicans who voted for the bill represented roughly half of the 60% of the Democrats who did. I was trying to point out the rate of participation by each identified group, not the percentage of total votes or vote ‘volume’ of each party.
Republicans clearly failed to follow the ‘instructions’ or wishes of their leadership at roughly twice the rate that Democrats defected.
September 30th, 2008 at 1:23 pmWhat cowardly cravens! They know that the first cry will make the news and be echoed everywhere and that the big media will ignore or merely footnote this!
September 30th, 2008 at 1:44 pmbackup: 5th Estate. right back at you. If there is a consensus on this issue, it seems to be that most people don’t really understand it.Bush hasn’t communicated it well
…
Bush? well… you know…:) but indeed it seems no-one has bothered to explain it, and for myself as you can see from my posts I’m trying to ‘explain’ to myself, as I’m sure others are trying to do as well.
If Paulson and Bernanke and Greenspan and all the pundits on financial TV and all the politicians on both sides can’t explain it because “its too complicated” then why the hell would a Joe Average like myself accept that they nonetheless know what they are talking about and have a ’solution’ ?
It’s nuts!
I’m not sure but I suspect that the general population, despite the politicians and the media want a serious and practical response to the problem and to hell with the politics (for now anyway). Cheers!
September 30th, 2008 at 1:56 pmI do believe that this election, with the Conservatives acting like little babies, and the media finally putting them to task for their outright lies and allegations, is going to bite the right in their collective A$$!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:00 pm5th Estate. you’re right.
I think this issue has the potential for the overt, total repudiation of pandering politicians and the apocalyptic obsessed media that wants to promote it’s own significance, while it shills for ratings.
It seems that the adult supervision may be coming from the American people.
We may not know all the variables that effect this circumstance, or how serious it is, but we do know enough to demand more information and deliberation from leadership (and a media) that hasn’t served us well lately.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:06 pmHere’s the MOST offensive part of Pelosi’s speech.
Madam Speaker, when was the last time someone asked you for $700bn?
It is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush administration’s failed economic policies: policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything-goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision, and no discipline in the system.
The rest is milktoast.
Why are the repukes crybabies?
September 30th, 2008 at 2:19 pmI liked Rep Fazio’s take that the FDIC has the keys to unlock the problem by redefining the rules for the bank’s accounting for these bad debts on their books.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:21 pmThe former FDIC director was on the floor yesterday explaining this to whomever would listen.
The real problem is getting the foreclosures renegotiated with longer terms and reasonable rates. That’s where the money needs to go.
Not that the bailout is going to be the cure, but they probably didn’t have time to unload their stock portfolios…took a big hit…and now…..We didn’t mean it!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:37 pmWhen the GOP “leaders” announced that the bill had failed because of Pelosi’s speech, I had difficulty catching my breath. The laughter was nearly uncontrollable. I found it uproarious that the GOP even wanted to claim credit for their own failure as if it were something to crow about. The bill failed because a significant number of House members got thousands of phone calls, letters and emails from their constituents, threatening no re-election and/or bodily harm if they voted for this nonsense. The W financial wrecking crew (Paulson. et.al.)is done for now. Wimpering, simpering sniveling beaten dogs, by the side of the road. And would someone PLEASE take W off of the TV? It’s pathetic.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm– Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN): “We are not babies who suck their thumbs.”
OTOH – making a statement that even is less mature than Bachman. That sucks.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pm#47
September 30th, 2008 at 5:17 pmMs. Clinton says it is needed. That of course is true but I was just funning with you by pointing it out. Those in power all have the same buddies as we all know
How about instead of telling us what they won’t do, the lawmakers could focus on what they will do?
September 30th, 2008 at 5:39 pm