Nancy Pelosi faces new challenge from Rep. Barbara Lee and Congressional Black Caucus

SFGate: Politics Blog ^ | 11/16/10 | Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

[SmithL]

The Congressional Black Caucus is refusing to endorse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as minority leader, demanding that members get solid evidence that Rep. James Clyburn, the highest ranking African American in the Democratic leadership, will be more than a titular member of the new order.

Pelosi faces a secret-ballot vote tomorrow as she stands for election as House minority leader. She is expected to win with broad support from liberals, despite open rebellion among conservative Blue Dog Democrats and grumbling from some more liberal members who have questioned the rush to reinstall Pelosi after this month's landslide losses.

Clyburn had challenged moderate Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer for the number two post, setting off a struggle just beneath Pelosi. Lee had backed Clyburn as Pelosi attempted to broker a truce by creating a new post, "assistant leader" for Clyburn, who had been whip.

[AuH2ORepublican]

There are 42 black Democrats in the House; if they were 1/3 of the Dem caucus, there would only be 126 House Dems in the next Congress instead of 192 or so. Still, blacks comprise almost 22% of the Dem caucus, and if they vote in block for Pelosi’s challenger shw would be hard-pressed to come up with the 97 votes she needs.

If Harold Ford, Jr. was still in Congress, he would likely do far, far better running against Pelosi than in his quixotic 2002 run for Minority Leader (when he tried, unsuccessfully, to build a coalition of blacks and Blue Dogs). As it is, I don’t think there is any black Democrat in the House right now that could get votes for Leader from both Blue Dogs and blacks (Sanford Bishop, for years the closest thing to a conservative black Democrat in Congress, now votes more liberal than even Ford did back in 2002), and even if someone could build that coalition they would need to add Hispanics and maybe moderates as well to get a majority of the shrunken, ultraliberal-tilted Dem caucus.

[Vinnie]

Nancy has had so many facelifts her titulars are shoulder pads and one more lift she’ll have a beard.

[Non-Sequitur]

Looks like the “liberals” (marxists) are going to hijack the Democrat party, whether the party wants it or not.

Who else is left? Most of the moderate Democrats got creamed in the election.

[Servant of the Cross]

Uh oh. The natives are getting restless Nan. I sense a disturbance in your 'force'. I don't think your colleagues appreciated you referring to them dismissively as "irritants".

Bonus Feature: Nancy Pelosi as a young girl

[SECURE AMERICA]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KEEP NANCY AS THE FACE OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY.
It will make getting rid of the rest of the dems in the senate and house and Obama that much easier................

[nolongerademocrat]

Gotta love those unintended consequences.

[Waco]

Is this Barbra Lee the one that sees the flag the astronuats left on Mars? If so she will make an excellant spkr.(sarc)

[sergeantdave]

I’m counting 42 members in the Communist Black Caucus. If they make up 1/3 of the rat party in the next congress, that means a total of 126 rat congresspeckersheads.

I like your math.

[umgud]

I added wrong numbers and lumped the Hispanic caucus (23?) in with the CBC (42).