Is Pelosi Becoming a Liability?

Is Pelosi Becoming a Liability?
San Francisco Speaker’s Disapproval Spikes, but Will House Democrats Be Smart Enough to Run from Her?

“Pelosi Has ‘Gingrich-Like’ Approval Rating”:

CNN Political Ticker: “Nearly half of all Americans — 48 percent — disapprove of how the California Democrat she is handling her job as Speaker of the House in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday, while 39 percent approve of her performance.  That rating makes her less popular than other members of her party — congressional Democrats drew a 51 percent approval rating in last month’s CNN/ORC survey — and roughly in line with the congressional GOP, which drew positive ratings in April from just 39 percent of those polled.  That puts her approval rating at roughly the levels Newt Gingrich had in his first year as Speaker of the House.”  (“CNN poll: Pelosi has ‘Gingrich-like’ approval rating,” CNN Political Ticker, 05/18/09)
“Pelosi’s Approval Rating Plummets”:

Boston Globe: “Embattled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has approval ratings nearly as low as Newt Gingrich when he was the primary lightning rod in Congress, a new poll says.  The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released this afternoon found that the approval of how Pelosi is doing her job as speaker has dropped from 51 percent in January to 46 percent in March to 39 percent now.” (Foon Rhee, “Pelosi’s approval rating plummets,” Boston Globe, 05/18/09)
Pelosi “Suffering A Blow To Her Public Image”:

BLOOMBERG: “Amid the controversy, and as Congress begins taking up other potentially contentious issues such as health care and energy policy, Pelosi is suffering a blow to her public image.  A poll conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation found that approval of how she is handling her job was at 39 percent, down from 51 percent at the start of the year.  The poll was conducted May 14-17, during the time the controversy was gaining attention. (Heidi Przybyla and Hans Nichols, “Obama Backs Pelosi as Republicans Step Up Pressure in CIA Flap,” Bloomberg, 05/19/09)
Pelosi Name “Toxic” In Blue Dog Country:

POLITICO: “The Pelosi name is toxic in many of the districts that make the Democratic majority.  In some parts of Blue Dog country, she is simply not invited to help members raise money or do campaign events.” (John Feehery, “Conditions for a coup in Congress,” Politico, 05/18/09)
“Everything She Does Just Makes Things Worse”:

LA Times: “Now Pelosi is in the way. It’s unclear if this was inevitable. If she had handled things differently, she might not have become a roadblock. But in her vanity, she couldn’t admit wrongdoing or allow that the people she’s demonized might not be villains, but it was not to be.  Like a driver stuck in the mud, Pelosi has thrown herself into reverse, and every other gear imaginable, trying to get herself out of the ditch. Now everything she does just makes things worse and sprays a fine mist of mud and muck on everyone around her. (Jonah Goldberg, “Pelosi the political logjam,” Los Angeles Times, 05/19/09)
Controversy Draws Members Of Her Own Party:

Washington Examiner: “The controversy has drawn in members of her own party, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who said Thursday that he did not “draw that conclusion” when asked by House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., whether he also believed the CIA lied to Congress, as Pelosi had alleged earlier that day.” (Susan Ferrechio, “Pelosi got warning from administration on CIA memo,” Washington Examiner, 05/18/09)