Comments (57)

Slim Pickins wrote on August 1, 2007 2:41 PM:

If it is merited, then by all means consider staying hom from recess and taking care of the matter. I know that it will be difficult to replace th AG with someone as close to the "family" as Fredo, but there seems to be no shortage of bootlickers in line.

Stay home from recess and:

1. Audit financial books for spying programs.
2. Where the books don't match, defund that dept or program.
3. Offer to release funds when information is in hand.

Please, we've waited far too long already.

Mike Valentine wrote on August 1, 2007 2:41 PM:

Go Nancy, perhaps it could be broadened is investigations revealed a need.

IMPEACHMENT IS ON THE TABLE.

Anonymous wrote on August 1, 2007 2:47 PM:

The Speaker knows very well that there is no legislation that will help children that would survive the senate and a veto. It is a lie that legislative priorities are the reason impeachment is not pursued. Who does she think she is fooling?

Alguien wrote on August 1, 2007 2:57 PM:

Nancy:
I suggest you try the Nike approach: JUST DO IT!!!

Code word: DESIRE
Never more true!

RLK wrote on August 1, 2007 3:00 PM:

It's about time Nance! Now how about looking into that other matter, you know, IMPEACH the pres and vice!! This could avoid an election in '08; think of the money to be saved, maybe give it back to folks who really need it: children, the poor, the uninsured...what a concept!

DL wrote on August 1, 2007 3:35 PM:

Fine with me if Pelosi wants to assume the posture of having to be dragged away from her agenda and into the impeachment pool by the irresistable force of the facts and the will of the people. Adds to her credibility on the issue. Well played - I see how she made it to the top.

Namtillaku wrote on August 1, 2007 3:37 PM:

Pelosi is Dick Cheney's secret lover. Sensitive AND sexy.

oldtree wrote on August 1, 2007 3:40 PM:

We, the people, hope that this will be the beginning of action that has been absent. Please add the VP and the P, and in that order and you may (if it isn't too late) get a government back.
We are waiting, and are not amused by your lack of urgency on this matter.
thanks

mo2 wrote on August 1, 2007 3:43 PM:

IMPEACH Bush/Cheney/Gonzales together at once for wiretapping of innocent civilians and conspiracy to mislead Congress. Then Hello President Pelosi.

paul wrote on August 1, 2007 3:50 PM:

Please skip recess and start all 3 impeachments now. I agree that all of the domestic programs you talk about, Speak Pelosi, are extremely important. That's the reason we need to get these lying crooks out of power.

dm wrote on August 1, 2007 3:52 PM:

It's pretty ironic that Congress is considering impeaching the AG at the same time that the administration is requesting expanded surveillance powers for the AG.
Check out the FISA "modernization" proposed by the administration (http://www.cdt.org/security/20070730dni-letter.pdf). It basically legalizes the TSP and permits the AG to direct private parties (like service providers) to assist with the program and to obey security regulations. The AG's directive can be enforced by a contempt citation from the FISA Court.
How much do you want to bet that some private companies have, as a result of the current political and legal climate, decided to stop cooperating with the TSP? That would explain the administration's sudden sense of urgency regarding these modifications to FISA...

Samsara wrote on August 1, 2007 4:05 PM:

Pelosi is right. Her leadership of the House has been dead on. Entangling the House in an impeachment debate is the last thing we as a country need. The fight over Iraq is coming. She is clearing the decks and battening down the hatches for that battle. If Bush wants to continue wearing this albatross around his neck, let him.

Official A wrote on August 1, 2007 4:11 PM:

Clearly they have no pride and feel no shame, so getting rid of Bush, Cheney, and their various evil minions is the only way to put an end to this maladministration's obnoxious and illegal behavior. Until impeachment is back on the table, they enjoy carte blanche. If Pelosi can't or won't take the actions necessary to defend the Constitution, then let's find a Speaker who can and will. This is getting ridiculous.

ABC wrote on August 1, 2007 4:12 PM:

I can't help but think that there's an interesting tug-of-war going on between the FBI and Gonzales. I really began thinking this when I saw Mueller's testimony.

If you watch him, it is pretty obvious that he is not the biggest fan of Gonzales. I'm sure that feeling has something to do with the Ashcroft hospital fiasco.

My question is the following: Is the FBI trying to help along some sort of impeachment proceedings by defining the TSP program as one, thereby creating a perjury case? Do you think this could be Mueller's way of helping to oust Gonzales without actually actively looking like he is taking Gonzales out?

Official A wrote on August 1, 2007 4:16 PM:

"If Bush wants to continue wearing this albatross around his neck, let him." Posted by: Samsara

I disagree enthusiastically. Gonzales is not an albatross around Bush's neck, he's the President's firewall. Bushco, on the other hand, is a rotten albatross carcass draped over the shoulders of an entire nation. Without the threat of impeachment, Bushco can and will wreak havoc for seventeen more monthd

Zoyd Wheeler wrote on August 1, 2007 4:24 PM:

Gee wiz, can we get some new leadership in the House!!! Dems do have a majority there, for pete's sake. Imagine if Harry REid were speaker of the house. Pelosi is looking more and more like a collaborator with this administration, almost as much as the Liebermann!!

bjobotts wrote on August 1, 2007 4:25 PM:

Everyone seems to banter on about this woman but quite frankly I don't see she's done "anything" to suggest she's anything but ordinary. She will never be remembered for anything except the Speaker of the House who took impeachment off the table during the reign of the most corrupt and unpopular president in History. Won't even sign on to impeach Cheney. And now Gonzales's impeachment and all she does is point a finger and say "it's merited".
Everything is just too inconvenient for her, too distracting. Things like perjury, destroying the constitution, illegal wire tapping, torture, etc., etc., etc.. It all just interferes with "policy making".

Meanwhile the senate obstructs ever piece of good legislation coming to it. Wouldn't have even gotten the minimum wage increase through if it wasn't attached as blackmail to the war funding bill. She and Howard Dean and the other 'blue dog" democrats are cowards, refusing to stand up and fight for our constitution unless they are assured victory(enough votes) before they will even try.
Too stubborn to even realize there is no downside to impeachment even if they don't get the votes to indict. A win-win situation even if they lose. But noooooo...just like Howard Dean the DNC chairman has stated. can't do anything about Iraq till we get a democrat as president..not enough votes....impeachment...not enough votes.

Why (as I've posted other places)has it been seen that Democrats could not get enough votes in the Senate to withdraw the troops from Iraq instead of Republicans in the Senate could not get enough votes to continue funding the occupation in Iraq?
Why are Democrats to be seen as not supporting the troops by defunding the ocupation (as Dean states) instead of Bush being seen as saying, "Give me the funds I need or I'll just leave the troops out there to die"?

Corruption everywhere...running rampant with lies, secrecy and cover-ups...but Pelosi says well unless the republicans are ready to send them to jail today there's no sense in trying to impeach them.
They should go to jail based on what we already know but once impeachment begins the votes to indict will come. the WH occupation policy support will weaken, WH hands tied up enough to prevent pre-emptive murder of Iranians, stop the abuse of power, torture, wire tapping, WH secrecy etc.

The real obstructionists to Government reform, oversight and accountability, as well as ending the Iraq occupation is Pelosi, Howard Dean, blue dog democrats and any others who stand against impeachment. It is merited, but it's just too inconvenient and takes time away from policy making. Clean the kitchen before you make supper Pelosi, especially since it hasn't been cleaned in YEARS.

Anonymous wrote on August 1, 2007 4:36 PM:

every day that goes by and gonzo, bush, cheney are not impeached and charged with criminal charges is a day that thousands of americans will turn against the democrats

DELBERT MATHANEY wrote on August 1, 2007 5:00 PM:

...My GOD, go get Senator Webb to do it. Hes a Marine. Pelosi is a female strategist WITHOUT strategy. This has nothing to do with her genitalia. Let Murtha hold her hand, should she need the comfort factor.

Xenos wrote on August 1, 2007 5:00 PM:

"every day that goes by and gonzo, bush, cheney are not impeached and charged with criminal charges is a day that thousands of americans will turn against the democrats"

Bullsh!t. Pelosi clearly knows what she is doing.

'Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!'

db wrote on August 1, 2007 5:04 PM:

"Everyone seems to banter on about this woman but quite frankly I don't see she's done "anything" to suggest she's anything but ordinary. "

Just because she isn't following your game plan does not mean you have to trash her. Pelosi was my congresswoman for over a decade. I have watched her closely. Don't forget she was able to get a majority of the dems to vote against the Iraq war resolution in open defiance of leader Gephart. She is a very talented leader and has sharp political skills honed since she was a kid working on her dad's campaigns. Have some faith, she's earned it. Support her. She's not perfect, but she's the most effective leader we have had in decades.

party-of-one wrote on August 1, 2007 5:19 PM:

"But Pelosi fell short of committing to move the resolution through the House." Madame Speaker falls short many days in many ways.

She didn't sound very supportive, more like "Fine if he wants to introduce the resolution, but I'm very busy."

JEP wrote on August 1, 2007 5:32 PM:

I don't think the "off the table" remarks were ever directed at Gonzales, just Bush.

And I don't think she ever excluded Cheney from her table setting plans, the "off the table" context was completely relative to queries that were posed to her abour Bush.

If I'm wrong, someone correct me, please, but I do find it interesting that so many people seem to recall that "off the table" statement as relating to Gonzales or Cheney, and here all the time, I thought it was just Bush who got that Thanksgiving Turkey reprieve from Madame Speaker.

Now he can look forward to going back to the ranchette, and live out a long and happy life, like all those other Thanksgiving turkeys.

But as for Gonzo and Cheney, I don't recall Pelosi EVER exclusing them in her "off the table" statements.

lendmeadime wrote on August 1, 2007 5:32 PM:

To all those fine people, screaming in frustration, for impeachment of the Pres and Asst. Pres, Bushit, get a glass of your favorite funny water, pull up a chair, smoke if you’ve got them and read this. Impeachment will never happen. Most probably they could be impeached in the House along party lines. They’ll never be convicted in the Senate with a 2/3rds vote. Conceivably the Dems might not get 50 votes when you consider I-D Lieberman. And the fallout? Bubba’s approval rating went up during his impeachment. And there is every reason to assume that this administration’s approval rating will go up as well. The negatives far outweigh any possible positives. My recommendation is to chill it and allow Nancy to do her job and I believe it is one she is doing well.

John H. wrote on August 1, 2007 5:32 PM:

"[...]we're focusing on health care for America's children[...]"

Oy.

Okay, she's better than the Republicans, but that's like saying she's better than Hitler by this point. She's not EVIL. She just speaks naturally in political terms. Not evil, just soulless. She didn't say health care, she offhandly positioned it in terms of health care for AMERICA'S CHILDREN.

Sigh.

bjobotts wrote on August 1, 2007 5:36 PM:

Headlines I'd love to see: Bush Holding Troops Hostage To Get Funding to Continue Occupation...("Give me the money I asked for or I'll just leave there to die.) Bush says 3-5 a day will die till he gets his money.

Pelosi, Conyers and Others Sign On to Impeachment...(says Gonzales is a give-me but really wants Cheney...Bush's impeachment will coincide with leaving office.)

In An Attempt To Protect Soldiers Dying Needlessly In Iraq's Civil War, A Ceasefire Called...(After agreeing there would be no permanent American military bases left behind and no oil agreement forced on Iraqis a ceasefire between Shiites and Sunnis remains in effect until occupation forces have successfully redeployed. All have agreed to continue hunting down and destroying al qaeda.

Bush Forced To Withdraw Troops...(Due to the overwhelming and corrupt abuses of power involving the WH, including the revelation of incompetent management, Senate republicans no longer wish to be viewed as being a part of an administration they claim has "duped" them. Enough of them have signed on to the Iraq withdrawal and redeployment legislation to override a presidential veto.)

Lieberman Bites Tongue---Off!
Tragic Accident Causes The Loss of Senator Lieberman's Tongue...(It might have been re-attached if aides could have retrieved it faster from the animal. Reverend Hagee from the Christians United For Israel claimed that soon he wouldn't need it anyway. "Speaking in tongues doesn't require that you have one", he said.)

Thanks To Impeachment...Pelosi is heralded along with Kucinich , Conyers and others for causing the revelation of a hidden agenda behind the Patriot Act, the firing of USAs to stop investigations of corrupt administration officials and the real reasons for attacking Iraq. In so doing they have also prevented a planned preemptive attack on Iran. All thanks to their relentless and enthusiastic backing for impeachment in the House which, thankfully, brought all of these hidden activities out into the open. "It was essentially a 'coup' from the very start with Bush's appointment to be President by the SC. A very organized plan to get and keep us in a war and to take over the DoJ and the Judiciary branch all leading to what could have become a dictatorship. Even the "Catastophic Unitary Directive" had been re-written. It all started with Gonzales's perjury. I mean enough is enough. Thank God the enough came before it was too late", Pelosi grinned.

You got any headlines you'd like to see. Before it's too late.

flicker wrote on August 1, 2007 5:39 PM:

"Entangling the House in an impeachment debate is the last thing we as a country need."

So we just let these criminals go free so they can serve in a future administration? Anyone remember Rumsfeld and Cheney's previous jobs?

apishapa wrote on August 1, 2007 5:50 PM:

Yes, Pelosi is very busy with all of her more important priorities, like rushing through new, more invasive spying programs with fewer controls than the illegal programs already in place. Gotta take care of that this week for sure. Suck up to Bush before they go home. Apparently Fredo will have sole oversight of the program. Great!

Congress is stymied at every turn by Republican obstructionism unless they are following Bush's agenda anyway, so why not do what the entire dsamned country is demanding for once?

JEP wrote on August 1, 2007 5:53 PM:

Her's the seed that all this table-talk grew from, if anyone can find Gonzales' or Cheney's name in the story, please elucidate.

"Seeking to choke off a Republican rallying cry, the House's top Democrat has told colleagues that the party will not seek to impeach President Bush even if it gains control of the House in November's elections, her office said last night.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) told her caucus members during their weekly closed meeting Wednesday "that impeachment is off the table; she is not interested in pursuing it," spokesman Brendan Daly said."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/11/AR2006051101950.html

No mention of Cheney... and if it comes down to a Bush impeachment versus a Cheney impeachment, there's no doubt which one would yield the Gold Mine of Ultimate Truth.

Can anyone who has followed this story disagree that Bush can, quite accurately, claim ignorance of so many things that Cheney knows EVERYTHING about?

A Bush impeachment could prove to be a comedy of errors.

But a Cheney impeachment would uncover a cover-up and conspiracy of historic proportions. It would be one of the most efficient acts of oversight in decades. And, in the same logic, a Gonzales impeachment (especially since he WAS White House Counsel) would cover a lot of terrotory, too, where Bush might claim plausible deniability.

And, like I keep trying to point out, Pelosi never promised anyone anything about not impeaching Cheney OR Gonzo.

If the buck actually stopped at Bush, I would artgue with Pelosi, too, but since Cheney's still fair table-game, we should wait and see if the slow-turning wheels of justice don't grind Cheney finely.

apishapa wrote on August 1, 2007 6:09 PM:

Pelosi never said that Cheney or Gonzales were off the table, but she seems to be very ambivilant toward the idea of impeaching either one, no matter how they mangle the Constitution. I do understand that getting the budget through is a priority but so is standing up for the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Everything else kind of pales in comparison.

M M wrote on August 1, 2007 6:34 PM:

check out Newsweek article just posted about secret FISA ruling that shot down the NSA wiretapping program (both Bush's TSP version and even wiretapping two foreign subjects if the call went through a US telco trunk); this is why Bush/McConnell are pushing so hard for an emergency revision--in the irony of ironies they want the audit of the program to be under the AG (Gonzoles) instead of the FISA court (which rotates the judge who reviews the program every 45 days so that its inevitable it bumps into a dem appointed judge at some point)

Spencer should check it out

Pompano Pete Jr wrote on August 1, 2007 6:41 PM:

I'm coming to believe that in public she's "resisting" calls for impeachment, and will be dragged into it. Just like a lot of women her age acted when they were first dating - had to protect their virginity until they were just overpowered by circumstances. I know, I was one of those guys on the receiving end. It was slow going, took patience and skill, but they always gave in. And then you'd realize they wanted it every bit as much as you did.

I think she's playing a very sophisticated game, and she's going to win big - first woman to destroy a Presidency.

phil james wrote on August 1, 2007 6:45 PM:

I am baffled as to what the political calculation must be that continues to prevent Pelosi from vigorously pursuing impeachment of Gonzales. What in the heck do the Dems have to lose if they finally, at long last, stand up to these creeps? It must have to do with their calculus about the 2008 elections. What else could possibly be at stake here? Public opinion? Americans already think the Dem Congress is inept. Anyone with half a brain knows that the Bush regime has a stranglehold on the Republicans in Congress and will choke off anything that the Dems would propose anyway. Does Pelosi seriously think she is going to get bipartisan support for any other initiative? News Flash Nancy! There is nothing BUT impeachment on the table.

JPV wrote on August 1, 2007 7:44 PM:

It's about time Nance!

Posted by: RLK

-----

WHAT'S about time???

She didn't say ANYTHING of substance. All she said, is that it was "merited".

She needs to say that "we will start impeachment proceeding". Anything less is complete BS.

This is why we are in such trouble in this country. Too many, simple minded people like you, just eat whatever BS is served up.

WAKE UP ALREADY!!!

RainDog wrote on August 1, 2007 8:05 PM:

I would not vote for this woman as dogcatcher after seeing her "leadership" since the elections.

She apparently is so totally immersed in political fog that she cannot see anything beyond beltway politics.

She cannot see that ordinary, everyday americans like me who were never "political junkies" and who have had a baptism by fire with the 2000 coup d'etat are screaming. Our hair is on fire. We do not want these blatant criminals to leave office without consequences for their actions.

This is not about an election cycle. This is about the very foundations of this nation and why we should tell our children to give a damn about this country....why should we lie to them when the govt. is totally unresponsive?!?!

This is not politics as usual.

Geneva conventions still matter, no matter who is in office. Yet who in his/her right mind would think thats the dems would pursue any sort of decency and justice if they win office? They won't. Jesus H. I cannot believe the moral vacuity, the corruption that rises from the same. The big joke is that while Bush is literally getting away with murder, torture, abuse, treason, the feds are busy tearing up medical marijuana sites in L.A. Oh yes, that's so important. That's such a threat to this nation.

A friend of mine used to care for a severely autistic kid. This kid became a teenager and his hormones kicked in. He was non-verbal for the most part, but he wasn't stupid. Whenever he wanted to jerk off, he would raise his left hand into the air and wave it around, wiggling his fingers. If you've ever been around anyone with major autism you get the picture. At the same time that his left hand was "distracting" everyone, he'd put his right hand down his pants and get busy.

I feel like that's what's going on in DC right now.

Homo Gene Ious wrote on August 1, 2007 8:28 PM:

WE THE PEOPLE, DEMAND IMPEACHMENT BACK on the TABLE, ANY TABLE, but "BRING IT ON"

Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!
Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!
Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!

STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!
STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!
STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!

Enough with “Stay the Course”…enough with “New DIRECTION”. Just STOP funding this nonsense and GOD DAMMIT, just DO IT!!!

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - A Einstein

Homo Gene Ious wrote on August 1, 2007 8:29 PM:

WE THE PEOPLE, DEMAND IMPEACHMENT BACK on the TABLE, ANY TABLE, but "BRING IT ON"

Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!
Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!
Impeach the God Dammed CRIMINALS!!!

STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!
STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!
STOP FUNDING the IRAQ DISASTER!!!

Enough with “Stay the Course”…enough with “New DIRECTION”. Just STOP funding this nonsense and GOD DAMMIT, just DO IT!!!

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - A Einstein

Diane wrote on August 1, 2007 8:54 PM:

Perhaps if Nancy would give up chewing gum she could find the time to work for impeachment.

Samsara wrote on August 1, 2007 9:33 PM:

"Entangling the House in an impeachment debate is the last thing we as a country need."

So we just let these criminals go free so they can serve in a future administration? Anyone remember Rumsfeld and Cheney's previous jobs?

Posted by: flicker

They are going to go free anyway. Impeachment only removes the person from office, and Bush has already shown a willingness to use the pardon power. As to a return to high office for AGAG, he has proven himself so politically incompetent that he will be lucky if George lets him mow the grass at Kennebunkport. AGAG is the symptom, not the disease. Congressional Democrats need to produce a sound Iraq strategy, sound legislation, and send the message to America that Democrats are ready to govern again. Justice will be best served by Democrats winning in 2008. :)

db wrote on August 1, 2007 10:04 PM:

What a bunch of Whinny Ass Titty Babies.

I want my bottle NOW!!! I don't care i just want it right this second now.

RainDog wrote on August 1, 2007 10:18 PM:

Samsara-

how on earth can you make the glib claim that "justice will best be served..."

These people tortured children. Raped them. Raped women. The Int'l Red Cross said that approx. 75% of the people in Abu Ghraib were innocent of any crime.

Soldiers have reported that they continually got false information and broke into houses...they were used to settle grievances. One guy on the radio this week told about a son who ratted out his father to gain his estate.

Two years ago a guy who came back from Iraq killed himself because he told his family he had killed two innocent Iraqi men in cold blood...that he had been told to do this. His parents were also on the radio this week. Not only did the guy have PTSD, he could not get proper care via Veteran's care...and even if he could, he was afraid to seek care because of the stigma (so he was involuntarily confined one time and then let go.)

I don't give a crap who wins the next election if this administration is not held accountable for crimes against humanity. If the dems don't have the smarts and guts to fight, then at least don't obstruct justice and turn these people over to the Int'l Criminal Court. Just like Pinochet, except don't let 30 years go by. Throw in Kissinger while they're at it.

I do not understand why people cannot get this idea that the current administration are criminals in an international sense and they need to be held accountable for the sake of this nation and the world. We can no longer serve as any so-called moral arbitor in any world situation if this is just treated as biz as usual.

Anonymous wrote on August 1, 2007 10:49 PM:

This is misdirection. Feed the people a small fish. Meanwhile the shark is still hunting. Watch out, the shark has poor aim. At times one must consider who are really allies, and who are really just appeasing the masses while afraid of the sharks.

phil james wrote on August 1, 2007 11:32 PM:

Whiney? Want it now? Is that how any of us sound? Are we impatient? Were we not weened properly? No. I think not. I think we want just and absolutely and only ONE thing. That the representatives we elected so that we would have a voice in how this country is run do the right thing. Not based on some indiscernable political calculus...but just because it IS the right thing. Not after a recess. Not after some funding bill is chewed to death. not when the wind is blowing in just the precisely right direction. Not then. Now. Right now. Not in another day. Not after recess. Not when the opinion polls are 97 percent for it. But NOW.

Anonymous wrote on August 1, 2007 11:35 PM:

"Merited"

= "Off the table, has merit"?

= "Impeachment is merited when it is off the table, only as a discussion, not really acted on"?

Molly Ivans wrote on August 2, 2007 12:30 AM:

Raise hell !!

JNagarya wrote on August 2, 2007 2:47 AM:

If it is merited, then by all means consider staying hom from recess and taking care of the matter. I know that it will be difficult to replace th AG with someone as close to the "family" as Fredo, but there seems to be no shortage of bootlickers in line.

Stay home from recess and:

1. Audit financial books for spying programs.
2. Where the books don't match, defund that dept or program.
3. Offer to release funds when information is in hand.

Please, we've waited far too long already.

Posted by: Slim Pickins
Date: August 1, 2007 2:41 PM

You -- and others --

Understand the basics. One doesn't "impeach". One resolves to look into the impeachment of a named individual. Otherwise, the Congress can be accused of being partisan. What do you want: an impeachment that sticks?; or an impeachment that the Republicans claim is "partisan"?

The decision is yours; or you bash the Democrats because the Republicans are the problem.

Think it through. It isn't up to Congress. It is up to We the people.

Impeachment of Bushit and Cheney is inevitable. Make it happen.

Captain Nemo wrote on August 2, 2007 3:28 AM:

"Of course it's merited," Pelosi said. "I've called for the resignation of the attorney general. But right now, we're focusing on health care for America's children, a strong energy bill for energy independence, lobby reform."

There is overwhelming evidence that impeachable offenses have been committed by Bush, Cheney, and Gonzales. Each Congressman has sworn to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. By obstructing impeachment, Nancy Pelosi is violating her oath of office, and is thereby obstructing justice. Her poor leadership is destroying not only the country, but the Democratic party as well. For the sake of the country and the Democratic party, she should step down as House Speaker. She doesn't belong there.

pointus wrote on August 2, 2007 4:41 AM:

I think that the Pelosi is focussed on the fact that there are no principled repugs in the senate, ergo not enough votes to convict & remove. She & other DLC types fear the same backlash which the repugs faced after their failed attempt at removing Clinton. She fails to see that in this instance, the MAJORITY of Americans realize that impeachment is necessary, whereas only a vocal minority thought Clinton should be removed. Furthermore, Bush/Cheney's crimes against the Constitution and the rule of law are real; Clinton's crimes were manufactured by a hyper-partisan special prosecutor.

Captain Nemo wrote on August 2, 2007 6:28 AM:

"I think that the Pelosi is focussed on the fact that there are no principled repugs in the senate, ergo not enough votes to convict & remove." pointus

What would we think of a District Attorney who refuses prosecute a crime because he didn't think he could get a conviction?

Bush, Cheney, and Gonzales should be impeached by the House and tried in the Senate. If the Republicans try to defend them, they will pay for it politically.

carol lam wrote on August 2, 2007 7:46 AM:

Is there anyway to make just one impeachment motion encompassing the entire administration, cabinet and officers?......You LISTENING yet, Madame Speaker?

.............

.Pelosi too busy. If ONLY Gonzo would just resign and go AWAY for Steny and me so we don't have to spend people's time doing these inconvenient jobs we don't LIKE, especially before '08 or 2010 or '12.... I mean it's REALLY not a good time....

:sarcasm:
_____

Dear Madame Speaker - here's why you should spend MY timeon something so self-evident:

US Constitution, Article 2, Section II

"The President ... shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the
United States, except in cases of impeachment."

The man has committed crimes, I want you to pull his 'get out of jail free' card. Then we'll see how is memory improves when he can't be pulled from the fire by Shrub.

Your job is to be a check and balance on this (mis)Administration - not to keep worrying about the next election cycle - that's my job. You do your job or not, but I'll do my job either way.

Do the job we sent you there for or we'll find others to replace you.

Impeach Now - Every day more murders, tortures, refugees - millions

Emailing Nancy Pelosi: sf.nancy@mail.house.gov

Non-constituents: americanvoices@mail.house.gov

Helzapoppin wrote on August 2, 2007 8:36 AM:

I am just full-on sick of that hack Pelosi and the whole entourage of weak-kneed "oh, dear! Impeachment scary! Must run and hide!" cowards parading as "pragmatists." Failure to pursue justice against the Bush mob with all available means, whether it would ultimately succeed or not, does nothing less than endorse their criminality. As far as I'm concerned, that makes Pelosi an accessory after the fact.

just john wrote on August 2, 2007 9:46 AM:

Another benefit to impeaching him:

If Gonzales is kicked out of office, that implies Bush will nominate a replacement. And that will involve hearings. In the hearings, the new nominee can be required to be sworn in and actually talk about the operation of the Bush Justice Department.

(This assumes Congress follows through on that "no recess" plan, to avoid recess appointments.)

(By the way, talk@talkingpointsmemo.com seems to be bouncing all email as "550 Blocked for abuse." even for email addresses that have never sent anything before.)

Austin Cooper wrote on August 2, 2007 10:07 AM:

I'll believe it when I see it.

Our side needs to do something dramatic to throw off this immense, wet-blanket mantle of Timidity.

The counry -- Our country -- is bleeding, and the murderous sociopaths who keep cutting into Her are **still running the show**.

GET RID of Gonzales. NOW.

Disgusted with Cowardly Beltway Insiders wrote on August 2, 2007 11:22 AM:

"merited, BUT..."
"WE are focusing..." (vs. Jay?)
"on health care..." (baloney, no bill on this will appear until after the Presidential election)
"strong energy bill..." (ditto)
"lobby reform..." (HA! Dems had their chance in the first 100 days)
"IF that's something HE..." (conditional, him not me)

*sheesh* What part of "leader" does Pelosi not understand?

She's aware of her role as first female Speaker, and she is frightened to rock the boat because of this. She's playing it "safe" -- precisely at a time when the country needs strong leadership, not timidity. Oi vay. What an irony. Imagine what a strong Speaker would have done with this political opportunity. (President Rayburn? President O'Neil?)

"WHAT WOULD CARL ALBERT DO?" :-) [TM]

"Bubba’s approval rating went up during his impeachment." *sheesh*, D'ya think mebbe this is because people saw through the partisan basis of impeaching for a blow-job? And d'ya think mebbe people have enough insight to understand that Cheney's transgressions (high crimes and misdemeanors) are FAR worse than this?

Anonymous writes: "It is a lie that legislative priorities are the reason impeachment is not pursued. Who does she think she is fooling?"

What do you think are the real reasons? E.g., some people allege she was privy to all the violations of civil liberties, and so is covering her own derriere as well as Cheney's. Is there truth in that?

db wrote on August 2, 2007 12:00 PM:

Who are these republican trolls pretending to be libs and trying to turn dems against their leaders? It's a lame effort and transparent as glass.

RainDog wrote on August 2, 2007 7:06 PM:

db, I don't know who you are, but I am a liberal and I have voted for democrats all my life. It's really sad to see you claim that anyone who is disgusted with DC is a republican troll.

Pelosi has frustrated me to no end, but she and the dems are better than the Republicans...it's just that "better than" isn't what some of these issues are about.

it's not political for some of us to know this prez (Cheney) openly endorses torture and his office and the att gen's have worked to undermine every constitutional protection.

But, sure, as far as democrats go, unless you're in the top 1% of income, it makes no self-interested sense to vote for republicans... studies the Wash. Monthly wrote about show that those who are not wealthy who vote for republicans are, ironically, not acting "republican," in that they don't vote in a way that "free market" ideas would indicate they should.

The tablibornagains in the republican party have made it a disgraced and any decent long-time conservative should distance him/herself from them in order to make them go away.

They are an embarrassment to this nation (along with their Howdy Doody in the oval office) with their "bible" version of the creation of the grand canyon and all the other ignorant pre-enlightenment hoodoo they choose to believe. they are an obstacle to this nation in its competition with others because they dumb down the entire national discourse.

I was so happy that Pelosi was going to be speaker of the house because she's a female and she provides a great example for young girls about the things you can do. I realize the the "wheels of justice grind slowly" but to have taken impeachment off the table seems like some sort of blue dog compromise or who knows what.

but please stop calling "trollishness" to those who disagree with Pelosi's action.

egads wrote on August 3, 2007 4:46 AM:

Do what a lot of Dems are now doing - go on strike. When the DNC calls asking for your time & $, tell them as long as Impeachment is off the table, so is your wallet and your volunteer time, and maybe even (if you can find a Progressive alternative) your vote.