Pelosi Scares the Neocons

Nancy Pelosi took a bipartisan delegation of thoughtfully selected Congressional members on a mission of diplomacy to the Middle East. That's a good thing. The rest of the world still harbors hope we may regain our footing, Pelosi took the first steps to peace. She was well received everywhere but here, where the MSM has followed Dick Cheney's lead; she has unjustly been smeared instead of congratulated.

Diplomacy...it's the only way.



Pelosi, D-Calif., met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus this week against Bush's wishes.
It's time somebody stood up to the mob in the White House. I'm proud of her. She represented us well in Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. She reflects more of our views than the rabid PNAC plan. The Iraq Study Group recommended greater contact with Syria. But the neocons refuse, it's not remunerative.
Some RW media has focused on her scarves and/or calling her a traitor as they twist about and avoid facts. Despite the spin, Pelosi was received well.



Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright defended House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for going to Syria against the wishes of President George W. Bush, saying the trip showed the importance of meeting leaders at odds with the U.S.

Pelosi conferred with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on April 4, brushing aside a request from Bush to avoid the country accused by his administration of allowing fighters to enter Iraq. Bush called her trip "counterproductive."

"I spent a lot of time in Damascus talking to Bashar's father," Albright, 69, said. "I talked to a lot of people that we didn't necessarily agree with, and I think that's not a bad message."


CNN
Think Progress
A December World Public Opinion poll found that 75 percent of Americans — including 72 percent of Republicans and 81 percent of Democrats — support the Iraq Study Group’s recommendation for direct engagement with Iran and Syria. Polls for the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg and the Washington Post found similarly high levels of support for engagement.


Bush Tantrum?
Ms. Pelosi said that members of Congress had a responsibility to play a role in national security issues and that they needed to be able to gather information on their own, and not be dependent on the White House.

"I am used to the administration; nothing surprises me," she said. "Having said that, I hope we can have the opportunity to convey to the president what we saw."

Americans Should Defend Pelosi
In addition to her official meetings, the visit was most notable for its positive contribution to U.S. public diplomacy, so desperately needed in the Arab world. For example, bringing Congressman Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress and Nick Rahall, the dean of the Arab American delegation in Congress sent positive messages of inclusion. Pelosi's spending Palm Sunday in Jerusalem with Palestinian business leaders, learning from them about the hardships of living under occupation was deeply appreciated; as was the delegations' afternoon visit to the Souk Hamadiyya in Syria: sending a message to the Syrian people that there are Americans who care about engaging with their country and its people.


Lantos lashes out at critics of Pelosi trip
"The notion that members visiting Syria and having discussions is a unique Democratic strategy to undermine the Republican administration is absurd on its face," Lantos said in a telephone interview with The Chronicle from Lisbon, Portugal.

Lantos said the Middle East tour was "thoughtful, productive and intensely patriotic" in promoting American interests at every stop.
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Media Matters has a good breakdown on the biased coverage.



"Take a deep breath and calm down""On this very important matter, I would extend a hand of friendship to the president just to say to him 'Calm down with the threats, there's a new Congress in town," Pelosi said. "We respect your constitutional role, we want you to respect ours."

Pelosi continued, "This war must end. The American people have lost faith in the president's conduct of the war. Let's see how we can work together."




Pickles was sent out to indoctrinate small children.
This child was found using AMBER alerts in 1998.


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Interesting to note who Bush took with him for his Fort Irwin photo op:
(I'd recognize that hair anywhere)


Remarks:I want to thank two members of the United States Congress who have traveled with me today, men who have concerns about Fort Irwin and have reflected those concerns in different appropriations measures in the United States Congress. In other words, they understand the importance of this mission and they understand the importance of making sure the folks who are stationed here have the best possible housing and food -- could work a little bit on it, but -- (laughter.)

But I do want to introduce to you the Congressmen from this district, Congressman Buck McKeon -- where are you, Buck? There he is. Thanks, Buck. (Applause.) And Congressman Jerry Lewis, ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. (Applause.)

Yes, there to schmooze (and go to the fundraiser in Brentwood?) Jerry Lewis, (R-CA) Republican swindler and appropriations crook, to whom U.S. Attorney Lam had issued a search warrant shortly before being fired. It was another reason she was targeted by the Bush Administration. Lewis is important and Lam was on to him. And those are the crooked kinds of Congresscritters Bush and Cheney really like, ones who can get them more taxpayer dough.