. . . and by "her" I mean Nancy Pelosi. Now I've started REALLY following politics fairly recently (the last year and a half or so), and I notice that whenever the "GOP" wants to "pick" on a Democrat, they tend to choose Pelosi. Now they are trying to somehow place the blame on her for torture all while being completely insulting about it. And lets not forget the story about the gay San Francisco mice getting money from the Stimulus (which also turned out to not be true). Think Progress points out this morning that they are attempting to drag her into the torture debate to keep the Democrats from forming a commission to study torture. They aren't even trying to be subtle about it.
Follow me over the jump please. . .
For weeks, conservatives have been launching hypocritical and disingenuous attacks on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) regarding her level of knowledge of the Bush administration’s torture program.
Fox News conservatives are revealing one of the underlying motives for these attacks — to diminish calls for a truth commission on torture. While interviewing Newt Gingrich, and later, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Fox host Neil Cavuto wondered whether "both parties will cease and desist" from investigations
In fact, they put together a nice compilation of the "Republicans" expressing their hope that Obama stops the Democratic calls for a truth commission (it's really disgusting, be forewarned):
Sadly it seems Obama isn't all that interested in finding out the truth for whatever reason (but hey, who knows what he's doing behind the scenes. . . )
And then we have Newt Gingrich, wanna be "GOP" nominee for 2012 (it's really quite obvious) saying this bullshit:
"I think she has lied to the House, and I think that the House has an absolute obligation to open an inquiry, and I hope there will be a resolution to investigate her. And I think this is a big deal. I don’t think the Speaker of the House can lie to the country on national security matters," Gingrich said.
He continued: "I think this is the most despicable, dishonest and vicious political effort I’ve seen in my lifetime." "She is a trivial politician, viciously using partisanship for the narrowist of purposes, and she dishonors the Congress by her behavior."
Reeeeeeeeeeeeeally?!?! Did you just sleep through the last 8 years? Did you miss the entire 2004 election? Hell, did you miss the entire 2008 election?
I know there has been some doubt about Pelosi around here, but I like her. She is doing far more than her counterparts in the Senate to get progressive legislation passed, just look at how she rammed through the Stimulus Package and refused to concede even with the "Republican" threat of no votes. I'm looking forward to watching her through the health-care stuff. She's a strong leader who I think has shown a lot of backbone (again, far more than we can say for Harry Reid), and in the face of these attacks on her, she still hasn't stopped her call for a truth commission. This is from May 14th:
When Democrats assumed control of the Congress in 2007, Congress passed legislation banning torture and requiring all government agencies to abide by the Army Field Manual. President Bush vetoed this bill barring the use of torture. An effort to overturn his veto failed because of the votes of Republican Members. We needed to elect a new President. We did, and he has banned torture.
Congress and the Administration must review — I've always believed that Congress and the Administration must review the National Security Act of 1947 — now we have a chance to do that with the new President — to determine if a larger number of Members of Congress should receive classified briefings so that the information can be utilized for proper oversight and legislative activity without violating oaths of secrecy.
I have long supported the creation of an independent Truth Commission to determine how intelligence was misused and how controversial and possibly illegal activities, like torture, were authorized within the executive branch. Until a Truth Commission comes into being, I encourage the appropriate committees of the House to conduct vigorous oversight of these issues.
So like a tree, planted by the water, she will not be moved on this issue, no matter how may false and misleading claims the Republicans toss her way. I don't think we can count on Obama to push for any sort of Truth Commission on anything at this point. I think we should stand behind Speaker Pelosi on this because she's advocating the very thing that is desired by so many here, also because it's quite clear even to me (a relative novice) that the "GOP" is terrified of her. Of course our "ever vigilient" press is all over the shiny object the Republicans are tossing her way.