Pelosi’s Own Dems Blocking Her Path to the Speaker’s Chair
Growing Numbers of House Dems Giving Up Rather Than Face the Harsh Political Environment Ahead
- Sixteen-term Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Barney Frank announced his retirement Monday, making him the 9th House Democrat to announce his retirement from public office altogether during this Congress.
- Frank’s retirement is just the latest signal of a tough political environment for Democrats, and may forebode additional Democrat retirements to come.
- Faced with steep odds of regaining the majority as voters reject the Democrats’ failed and job-destroying policies, many senior Democrats are coming to terms with President Obama being a drag on the ticket in 2012 and are choosing to retire rather than stick around. Meanwhile, the Democrats who remain continue to operate under the illusion that they can simply run away from their polarizing president.
BACKGROUND
Sixteen-term Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Barney Frank announced his retirement Monday, making him the 9th House Democrat to announce his retirement from public office altogether during this Congress:
ROLL CALL CASUALTY LIST: 9 HOUSE DEMS RETIRING FROM POLITICS, ZERO REPUBLICANS: (“Casualty List: 112th Congress (2011-2012),” Roll Call, 11/28/2011)
17 HOUSE DEMOCRATS RETIRE IN TOTAL TO DATE THIS CYCLE: “Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is the 17th House Democrat to announce a retirement this cycle compared to seven Republicans.
“And all of those Republicans are trying to win higher office.
“Of the Democratic retirements, eight are running for another position while nine are flat-out retiring.” (Emily Goodin, “Frank 17th House Democrat to Announce Retirement,” The Hill, 11/28/2011)
CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS CHAIRMAN REP. CHARLIE GONZALEZ ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT LAST WEEK: (Megysham Mali, “Hispanic Caucus Chairman to Retire,” The Hill, 11/26/2011)
Frank’s retirement is just the latest signal of a tough political environment for Democrats, and may forebode additional Democrat retirements to come:
FORMER REP. ARTUR DAVIS (D-AL): “SIGNS OF A TREND THAT WILL SWEEP IN ANOTHER FIVE TO TEN SENIOR DEMOCRATS,” “NO SERIOUS DEMOCRAT IN WASHINGTON” WHO THINKS DEMS WILL WIN HOUSE: “And yes, Frank and Charlie Gonzalez are signs of a trend that will sweep in another five to ten senior Democrats in the next sixty days. There is no serious Democrat in Washington who expects the House majority to change hands…” (David Mark, “Ex-Rep. Artur Davis’ Response to ‘Barney Frank Among More Dems to Exit,” Politico’s “The Arena”, 11/28/2011)
SF CHRONICLE: “BARNEY FRANK RETIREMENT BAD NEWS FOR NANCY PELOSI”:“Conventional wisdom in D.C. has it that House minority leader and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi will have a hard time staying in the leadership if Democrats do not retake the House next year. Veteran lawmaker Barney Frank’s retirement does not bode well for that prospect.” (Carolyn Lochhead, “Barney Frank Retirement Bad News for Nancy Pelosi,” San Francisco Chronicle, 11/28/2011)
TIME: “RETIREMENTS PLAGUE PELOSI’S PUSH TO TAKE BACK HOUSE”: “But in recent weeks a herd of old bulls have announced their retirements. On Monday, Barney Frank became the 17th House Democrat to announce he would not seek another term. Thanksgiving weekend saw the departure of Charlie Gonzalez on the heels of Jerry Costello, Dan Boren and Mike Ross. Is there something these old timers know that we don’t? After all, if Pelosi had a shot of taking back the House next year they would have plum positions of seniority – many of them would be committee chairmen. … Still, a few more retirements and Pelosi might seriously start to worry. It’s never good when one’s own flock threatens a chance at taking back the majority.” (Jay Newton-Small, “Retirements Plague Pelosi’s Push to Take Back House,” Time, 11/28/2011)
THE WASHINGTON POST: “BARNEY FRANK’S EXIT SIGNALS GROWING DEMOCRATIC RETIREMENTS”: “And the more Democrats retire, the more it looks like rank-and-file members don’t believe the DCCC’s insistence that they can win back the House majority next year.” (Aaron Blake, “Barney Frank’s Exit Signals Growing Democratic Retirements, But Not Yet Quite an Avalanche,” The Washington Post, 11/28/2011)
MSNBC’S ANDREA MITCHELL: FRANK RETIREMENT AN “INDICATION THAT DEMOCRATS DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOING TO RETAKE THE HOUSE AND REGAIN THOSE CHAIRMANSHIPS”: “And it certainly could be an indication — and we’ll talk to others from the DNC coming up right now about that — it certainly could be an indication that Democrats do not think they’re going to retake the House and regain those chairmanships.” (Remarks from Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” 11/28/2011)
Faced with steep odds of regaining the majority as voters reject the Democrats’ failed and job-destroying policies, many senior Democrats are coming to terms with President Obama being a drag on the ticket in 2012 and are choosing to retire rather than stick around. Meanwhile, the Democrats who remain continue to operate under the illusion that they can simply run away from their polarizing president:
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)
DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS HAVE NOTICED, AND THEY’RE STAYING AWAY FROM THEIR POLARIZING PRESIDENT: “But already, as Obama’s most recent forays into battleground states indicate, there are growing signs that many Democratic politicians don’t want to get too close to him either.
“In trips to Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania — all states that he carried in 2008 — members of Congress were notably missing from the president’s side. Though none came out and said they were deliberately avoiding him, they didn’t have to: Dodging a presidential candidate who’s riding low in the polls is a time-honored political practice.” (Alex Isenstadt and Dave Catanese, “Obama’s Lonely Campaign Trail,” Politico, 10/24/2011)
NC DEMS MYSTERIOUSLY ABSENT ON OBAMA’S NC TRIP: “In North Carolina, only Sen. Kay Hagan, who isn’t up for reelection until 2014, and veteran Rep. Mel Watt, who represents a majority black district, appeared with the president. The state’s six other Democratic House members took a pass, offering a variety of excuses.” (Alex Isenstadt and Dave Catanese, “Obama’s Lonely Campaign Trail,” Politico, 10/24/2011)
OBAMA SIMILARLY STRANDED IN PA: “When Obama visited Pittsburgh, Pa., two weeks ago, the story was much the same — no members of Congress to be found. Though two of southwestern Pennsylvania’s three Democratic congressmen greeted the president on the airport tarmac, neither of them attended any of the public events Obama held, choosing instead to return to Washington.” (Alex Isenstadt and Dave Catanese, “Obama’s Lonely Campaign Trail,” Politico, 10/24/2011)
VA DEMS FLEE OBAMA WHEN HE SWINGS THROUGH THE STATE: “Don’t look for Democrats in fiercely contested Virginia legislative elections to join President Barack Obama as he brings his campaign-style American Jobs Act bus tour to three cities there. For that matter, don’t expect Tim Kaine, the former Democratic National Committee chairman and Virginia’s governor two years ago, to join his old ally either.” (Bob Lewis, “Some Dems Won’t Join Obama in Swing Through Va.”, Associated Press, 10/18/2011)