Don’t waste your time

As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi will be the leader of the Democratic Party.  Pelosi has been demonized by the Republicans. They think she is too liberal.

She should speak to us.  Go on television.  Introduce her agenda.  Explain that a more  complete agenda will be shaped by the members of the Democratic caucus — including the newly elected.  Use the  early December caucus nomination for Speaker as an example.    Make the vote open, not secret.  Many new and reelected Members of Congress affected by the demonization promised to vote against her as Speaker.  Having trekked to Washington for the caucus, they can fulfill that promise visibly if the vote is open.  Pelosi can demonstrate her commitment to transparency and move forward with the entire caucus to achieve their shared agenda. 

Three examples of television turning points.Richard Nixon.  September, 1952.  Richard Nixon had become Dwight Eisenhower’s running mate.  Richard Nixon became a crisis.  There were reports of a secret fund.  Nixon’s political backers were reimbursing him for political expenses.  Questions were building.  Who did Nixon owe favors to?  One question was central.  Would Eisenhower drop Nixon from the ticket?  Nixon went on television.  He was a poor man, he said. He wife didn’t own a fur coat. The fund was not secret.  The donors had received no favor.  He had received gifts.  One of them was a cocker spaniel given to his six year old daughter, Tricia.  She had named the dog “Checkers” and he would not give it back.  Nixon won his audience.  His place on the ticket was secured.

Bill Clinton.  January 1992.  Clinton was leading in the polls for the New Hampshire primary.  He was accused of having a twelve year affair with a television reporter from Little Rock.  At the end of the January.  On 60 Minutes.  Aired after the Super Bowl.  Bill Clinton, sitting next to his wife Hillary, was interviewed.  He denied the affair.  The primary was in February.  Bill Clinton came in second.  He named himself the Comeback Kid.  Comeback he did.

Barack Obama.  March 2008. ABC News had discovered Pastor Jeremiah Wright’s sermons.  Wright was the Pastor of Obama’s Church. Excerpts from the sermons were inflammatory — claims that US actions were State sponsored terrorism, further claims that the US government lied.  On television Barack Obama told America we could choose between using race to divide us, using race as a spectacle, or discussing race honestly.  For himself, much as he disapproved of some of what Reverend Wright said, he could no more disown him than he could disown his white grandmother.  He said that it should come as no surprise that on Sunday mornings anger is expressed in black churches.  Similarly, he said, there is deep seated anger among whites who faced hardship after a lifetime of hard work.  He said his candidacy was intended to move the country beyond these racial divisions. His speech moved his candidacy beyond the controversy over Reverend Wright.

Nancy Pelosi December 2018.  Pelosi has been masterful leading Democrats in the House of Representatives.   She has kept Democrats together despite powerful forces pushing them apart.  She will be renominated by the caucus as Speaker and be elected to that position. 

Her election is not automatic.  In early December, the Democratic caucus votes to select its nominee for Speaker.  The entire House votes in January.  Although the parties nominate,  anyone can run.  Election requires a majority of the Members of Congress — 218 votes. 

Tim Ryan of Ohio has announced he is running against Pelosi.    The Hill reports that eleven newly elected Democrats pledged to oppose Nancy Pelosi.   Three of those eleven promised not to vote for her when the vote goes to the House.  538 reports that 67 Members of Congress would prefer a Speaker other than Pelosi.

Pelosi has various routes to election as Speaker; some cautious, some bold.  Whatever she chooses, she will be the Democrats’ national leader; the Speaker of the House, the only Democrat with an office that has equivalence to the President, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Senate Majority Leader. Can she make Democrats feel that she is their national leader?

Make the caucus nomination open, not secret.  A risk.  Worth taking.  This idea is not part of the national conversation.  No one I know of has urged Nancy Pelosi to open up this process.  Encouragement along these lines might be absorbed like a drop in the ocean. 

She has promised to be more transparent than the previous Republican Congresses.   With only 67 Members of Congress out of approximately 230 Members inclined to find an alternative, she does not have a serious problem.  Let people see that.  Let the constituents of those Democrats who promised to vote against her see them take that vote.   Go on television.  Before or after the vote. I don’t know. Tell us what will happen.  Or what just happened.

You:  Today, Tomorrow, This weekIf this suggestion is convincing, send letters and emails.  Make phone calls.  To Nancy Pelosi.  Urge her to open up the nominating process for Speaker.  Urge her to book some television time to talk about it.  Urge your Member of Congress to support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker, to support an open process to nominate her, and urge her to speak to the American people.

Call her office.  (202) 225-4965  or (415) 556-4862.  Try her website: https://pelosi.house.gov/.  Call your own Member of Congress.  Use his or her website for contact information.