Tale Of Two Parties
A day after Democrats in Congress came together for the first time since their major election defeat, House Democrats battled with each other in a closed door meeting at the U.S. Capitol
The most direct remarks were evidently made by Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL), one of many Blue Dogs who lost his re-election bid, saying that Nancy Pelosi should be out as Democratic leader in the next Congress, because it will hurt efforts to broaden support for the party in 2012.
"There were a lot of Southerners in particular who felt that it would be hard for them to run if the current Speaker was the leader," said Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), one of the few Democrats who actually did better at the ballot box this year when compared to 2008.
When asked last night if he would vote for Pelosi as House Democratic Leader, Himes hedged as we spoke just steps from the Speaker's ceremonial office off the House floor, not saying if he would instead vote for Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC), a Blue Dog who is challenging Pelosi with a long shot bid for Minority Leader.
A few minutes later and twenty feet down the hall, Shuler made no bones about his desire to see Pelosi ousted, arguing that keeping her in charge won't help expand the party's reach around the country.
"The only way we can do that is change at the top," said Shuler, who openly admits that he told Pelosi in a phone call last week that she should not run for Democratic Leader.
At this point, the Speaker seems secure, though anything can happen in leadership elections, which are notorious for having lawmakers tell you to your face that they will support you, only to vote for someone else when the ballots are passed out.
Back around the corner in the Speaker's Lobby, the high-backed leather chairs were filled with Democrats who had lost their races, their faces looking somewhat strained as they reflected on their election downfall.
Meanwhile, Republicans were walking around with big, broad smiles, still giving each other big pats on the back as they celebrated their future majority status.
"Yee-haw!" was what Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) yelled as he walked out on to the House floor on Monday, with a huge something-eating grin that no one could wipe off his face.
Yesterday the broadly smiling Westmoreland barged into a Capitol elevator with a small group of fellow GOP lawmakers, all of them looking like their feet had not come down from Election Cloud Nine as yet.
Republicans will meet today and elect their leadership team, laying the groundwork for Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) to succeed Pelosi as Speaker of the House, when the GOP takes over on January 5 of next year.
As for that team, Boehner decided to create two new slots in the leadership reserved for the freshmen class, giving them the opportunity to provide direct input on what GOP bigwigs are doing with their legislative agenda.
"We are committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure that the Republican majority delivers on its pledge to rein in government, cut spending, and get people back to work," Boehner said in a statement, where he noted that over 80 new Republicans will be seated in the new Congress - one third of the entire Republican conference.
It was a tale of two parties. One meets today in celebration. The other still feeling the agony of defeat.
A day after Democrats in Congress came together for the first time since their major election defeat, House Democrats battled with each other in a closed door meeting at the U.S. Capitol The most direct remarks were evidently made by Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL), one of many Blue Dogs who ...
