Pelosi is off and running

[KRSESQ]

Representative Steny Hoyer was selected over Pelosi's man John Murtha for House Majority Leader149-86!

His margin of victory reflected a pre-election strategy in which he showcased support from moderates, veteran lawmakers in line to become committee chairmen and more than half of the incoming freshman class — the majority-makers whose victories on Election Day gave the party control of the House.

Murtha's fondness for old-fashioned pork-barrel politics and his somewhat tenuous connection to the Abscam scandal of 1980 played against him.

In the Democratic race, Murtha came forward for the job despite a record of not always being a leadership loyalist. He often supplied votes to GOP leaders who were struggling to pass bills. The none-too-subtle trade-off: Murtha and his allies would do better when home-state projects were doled out by the Republicans.

Murtha also had been criticized by ethics watchdogs such as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, who have said he exemplifies a "pay-to-play" culture of Washington.

I love the smell of politics in the morning. It smells like...well, I don't really want to say what it smells like, but I still love it.

Kevin

(Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this. Feel free to move it if you like, Sasq. )

[az]

I can't move you, but yes, it's the wrong forum (IMHO)

[Dr Mordrid]

Murtha's a waste of skin. He was crooked in the ABSCAM days and he's still crooked. No better than Wm. Jefferson (D) who was caught w/$100k of marked bribe money in his freezer

Almost 25% of the Dem caucus are "blue dogs", meaning conservative/populist Dems that are very likely to vote with Republicans on many issues.

Yes, these 'dogs defeated Republicans but in most cases liberal Republicans who often voted with the Dems. In those races the Dems were the conservatives.

It's gonna be a long 2 years for Pelosi & Co. because now they have to stop mindlessly complaining about everything and produce a platform that makes sense & they can pass.

Rotsa' Ruck Nancy, it's gonna be like hearding cats

Also interesting will be what happens to Nevada Sen. Majority Leader Reid (D). He's under FBI investigation on several fronts including the Abramoff affair and land deals in Nevada.

The Abramoff investigation will hit both parties, but it's looking like 5 major Dems will head the list.

Then there's Sen. Bob Menendez (D), newly elected from New Jersey, who is a corruption indictment looking for a time/place to happen.

[cjolley]

...
Yes, these 'dogs defeated Republicans but in most cases liberal Republicans who often voted with the Dems. In those races the Dems were the conservatives.
...

Really?
I'd be interested in which race you think a Republican was replaced by a more conservative Democrat.
I can't think of any.

[KvHagedorn]

Someone named Fokker needs to be in the house.. then they could author the Murtha-Fokker bill.

[lowlifecat]

Rotsa' Ruck Nancy, it's gonna be like hearding cats

Cat Herding

you gotta admit you where expecting someone to post this

...considering how my cats will follow me everywhere in the house, i don't believe it is that difficult.

[rylan]

That is such a great commercial.