October 25, 2006
Madame Speaker
A Republican refrain that I keep hearing goes like this: "Let the Democrats take the House in the 110th, because when all of America sees Rep. Pelosi as we inside-baseball, political junkies see her, they will be repulsed." Mickey Kaus even suggested that it would turn the electorate against those without a Y chromosome, hurting Senator Clinton's Presidential ambitions.
That's not gonna work, kids. Leader Pelosi grew up in a political family (her Father was Mayor of Baltimore) and you don't rise to her level without some political gifts. Last night, Rep, Pelosi came off as cool, smart and charming in an interview with uber-Republican Larry Kudlow. If I can't find it on YouTube by later today, I will post it myself.
I do not agree with the things she said. She called for a higher minimum wage and I believe PayGo exists just to hike taxes. But she was calm and reasonable and presented her ideas as serious fiscal policy. Kudlow not only showed her a lot of deference in the interview, as is his style, but also defended her positions in a follow up panel.
Her one slip of sorts I will post later today. Larry asks her about the windfall profits tax on oil companies and she surprises Kudlow and me by saying "I can't be in favor of that!" Kudlow points out that many people will be surprised and moves on to the next topic. She interrupts the next question to clarify: "It's not the taxes I'm against, it's the profits that I'm against." Yes she'd tax 'em. Glad that was cleared up.
I'd call that a gaffe. But it was the only bad note in a superb performance in a less-than-sympathetic house. Misunderestimate the Gentlewoman from Marin County at your own peril. We're used to seeing her in short shrill sound bites but she has some political chops.