Pelosi’s Party Favors

November 15, 2011

Vulnerable Democrats Depend on Polarizing Leader to Bankroll Their Effort for Political Survival

The American people may have taken the speaker’s gavel from Nancy Pelosi, but the Democrat leader remains “by far the most prolific Democratic fundraiser not named Barack Obama.”
Pelosi is using this talent to fill the coffers of the Democrats’ campaign committee—an effort she says will be helped by having President Obama’s at the top of the ticket. Yet the same Democrats who will benefit from Pelosi’s fundraising are running away from Pelosi and Obama on the campaign trail.
Despite claims that she is trying to “revamp” her image, Pelosi’s commitment to radical, job-destroying policies continues to cement her status as a polarizing figure and an electoral drag for her caucus.

BACKGROUND

The American people may have taken the speaker’s gavel from Nancy Pelosi, but the Democrat leader remains “by far the most prolific Democratic fundraiser not named Barack Obama”:

“REMARKABLE STAYING POWER OF PELOSI WITHIN HER PARTY,” AS “SHE REMAINS THE MOST PROLIFIC DEMOCRATIC FUNDRAISER NOT NAMED BARACK OBAMA”: “The figures point to the remarkable staying power of Pelosi within her party: Even as she takes a lower profile on major policy fights and suffers from low approval ratings, she remains by far the most prolific Democratic fundraiser not named Barack Obama.” (John Bresnahan, “Nancy Pelosi Still Has Golden Touch as Democratic Fundraiser,” Politico, 11/15/2011)

“WHETHER HOUSE DEMOCRATS LIKE IT OR NOT, THEIR FORTUNES ARE STILL TIED TO PELOSI SINCE THERE’S NOBODY ELSE WHO CAN PULL IN THE CASH LIKE SHE CAN”: (John Bresnahan, “Nancy Pelosi Still Has Golden Touch as Democratic Fundraiser,” Politico, 11/15/2011)

Pelosi is using this talent to fill the coffers of the Democrats’ campaign committee—an effort she says will be helped by having President Obama’s at the top of the ticket. Yet the same Democrats who will benefit from Pelosi’s fundraising are running away from Pelosi and Obama on the campaign trail:

PELOSI BANKROLLING THE DCCC: “Since losing the speaker’s gavel in January, Pelosi has engaged in a frantic effort to win back the House. As minority leader, she has made hundreds of fundraising appearances over that period — 331 events by last count — helping the DCCC to take a lead in its money battle with House Republicans, a remarkable feat for the minority party. Her haul so far this cycle: more than $26 million for the DCCC, Democratic incumbents and challengers. This compares with the $18 million-plus raised by Pelosi during the ‘off years’ of 2007 and 2009.” (John Bresnahan, “Nancy Pelosi Still Has Golden Touch as Democratic Fundraiser,”Politico, 11/15/2011)

PELOSI CLAIMS DRIVE TO 25 IS HELPED BY OBAMA: “But it isn’t a hard path back [to the majority] in a presidential year where the base turnout will be greatly increased with him on the ballot, with his inspiration and leadership.” (John Bresnahan, “Nancy Pelosi Still Has Golden Touch as Democratic Fundraiser,” Politico, 11/15/2011)

FLASHBACK TO NOV. 2010: POST-“SHELLACKING,” 43 HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST PELOSI FOR DEMOCRAT LEADER: “She defeated moderate Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina, 150-43, in secret balloting in a lengthy closed-door gathering of House Democrats in the Capitol.

“Pelosi, 70, overcame a rebellion from party centrists, and even some fellow liberals, who argued that the party needs to offer a new face of leadership after losing at least 60 House seats on Nov. 2. She remains popular among the liberals who dominate the party’s House caucus.” (“House Dems Vote to Keep Pelosi as Leader,” MSNBC, 11/17/2010)

REUTERS: “DEMOCRATS WARY OF THEIR UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT”: “Many of McCaskill’s fellow Democrats in Congress may also decide they are too busy to be with Obama, whose approval rating of about 40 percent as the economy struggles threatens to be a drag on their own reelection chances next year.

” ‘You may see a number of Democrats say ‘Sorry, I have a scheduling conflict,’ ‘ said a senior Democratic lawmaker.” (Thomas Ferraro, “Democrats Wary of Their Unpopular President,” Reuters, 10/11/2011)

BLUE DOGS NOW “TRY[ING] TO PERSEVERE AMID LOW OBAMA POLL NUMBERS”: “Blue Dogs in Congress, already an endangered species following the last election, are bracing for another challenging campaign season. … Redistricting, coupled with President Obama’s low approval ratings, has buoyed GOP hopes of picking up seats in the 2012 election.” (Cameron Joseph, “Conservative Dems Try to Persevere Amid Low Obama Poll Numbers,” The Hill

, 9/27/2011)

OBAMA WAS “UNQUESTIONABLY AN ANCHOR ON THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES” IN EACH OF LAST THREE SPECIAL ELECTIONS: “The last three elections — the Sept. 13 House special elections in New York and Nevada and the Oct. 4 West Virginia special governor’s election — haven’t done much to inspire confidence about Obama’s ability to help the entire ticket: the president was unquestionably an anchor on the Democratic nominees in each race.” (Alex Isenstadt and Dave Catanese, “Obama’s Lonely Campaign Trail,” Politico, 10/24/2011)

Despite claims that she is trying to “revamp” her image, Pelosi’s commitment to radical, job-destroying policies continues to cement her status as a polarizing figure and an electoral drag for her caucus:

PELOSI WORKING TO “REVAMP HER IMAGE”: “Over the past year, Pelosi has worked to revamp her image. Her message has become centered on ‘jobs, jobs, jobs,’ with fellow Democrats even privately betting among themselves about how many times she can work the word into any sentence. Her conversation is chock-full of phrases like ‘reigniting the American dream’ and ‘building ladders to success.'”(John Bresnahan, “Nancy Pelosi Still Has Golden Touch as Democratic Fundraiser,” Politico, 11/15/2011)

WAS THIS PART OF HER IMAGE “REVAMP”? PELOSI DEFENDS OBAMA DECISION TO SHUT DOWN BOEING’S FACTORY IN SOUTH CAROLINA ON BEHALF OF UNIONS: CNBC’S MARIA BARTIROMO: “Do you think it’s right that Boeing has to close down that plant in South Carolina because it’s nonunion?”

REP. PELOSI: “Yes. I don’t think they should close it down. I would hope they would make it union.” (“Pelosi: ‘Yes’ The Obama NLRB Should Shut Down Boeing’s Plant in SC,” Real Clear Politics, 10/29/2011)

PELOSI CLAIMS JOB-DESTROYING “UNCERTAINTY IS NOT A POSITIVE THING” BUT THAT’S THE PRICE YOU PAY “WHEN YOU MAKE CHANGE”: “The uncertainty is not a positive thing. But it happens when you make change.” (Remarks from Nancy Pelosi,CNBC’s “Closing Bell”, 10/29/2011)

PELOSI ADMITS “WE TOOK A HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS OUT OF MEDICARE” WITH GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE TAKEOVER: “You don’t have to have cuts in those initiatives in order to reduce cost there, and we have proven that we’re willing to make cuts in the cost to initiatives. We took a half a trillion dollars out of Medicare in the Affordable Care Act, the health care bill, already, and there’s certainly more opportunities for savings in that respect.” (Remarks from Nancy Pelosi,CNBC’s “Closing Bell”, 10/29/2011)