Pelosi Blames Sexism, Rummy for Plane-Gate

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Nancy Pelosi has decided to play the gender card. For good measure, she's thrown in a soupcon of Rumsfeld-phobia. MSNBC just aired a clip of Pelosi making the following remarks on the issue of her demand to the Pentagon for a large plane:

"I don't even know the numbers of the planes. So this is something that is really very strange. That the Department of Defense, the Pentagon, which I have been a constant critic of the war in Iraq, and where I understand Mr. Rumsfeld still has a desk, even though he's no longer the Secretary, has decided that they would go public about a conversation on an issue that applied to the previous Speaker. Now, as a woman, as a woman Speaker of the House, I don't want any less opportunity than male speakers have had when they have served here."

View the video of one angry Pelosi here.In to discuss the matter with host Norah O'Donnell were Kelly Dingell, Dem strategist, and Cheri Jacobus, GOP strategist. Cheri actually offered some very sound advice to the Speaker:

"The biggest mistake that Nancy Pelosi can play right now is to try to play a victim. This business that this is happening to her because she's a woman is ridiculous. She's asked for a larger plane, she's asked for something more than what the previous Speaker had. It's ridiculous and naive of her to think that people aren't going to look at this and want to know why. She's talking about this ethical Congress, they're supposed to be big environmentalists. I think it's ridiculous for her to make this about her being a woman, and a huge mistake on her part."

Dingell and O'Donnell emphasized that Pelosi was seeking a plane that could fly her home to California non-stop. But as many readers have pointed out, that in no way justifies the need for the 162-seat behemoth Pelosi has been seeking. There are any number of executive-sized jets with more than enough range to go California dreamin' -- non-stop.

When Dingell suggested there was good reason to suspect that someone "leaked" the story, Jacobus had a telling rebuttal: "I have a problem with the term 'leaked.' It shouldn't be a secret. Is it something [Pelosi] thought should have been kept secret?"

Precisely.

My good-faith two cents of advice to the Speaker: check the screencap. When MSNBC brands the flap "Air Pelosi," you've lost the argument. Cut your losses and move on.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Pelosi-plays-the-gender-card ping to Today show list.

[RegulatorCountry]

What's next for Mrs. Pelosi, counting ceiling tiles in her office to make sure hers is biggest?

[Calpernia]

[Cobra64]

Hey Nancy...

She's like a severe case of poison ivy.

[Thunder90]

Pelosi wants a plane from the Air Force One fleet. She wants it called "Air Force 3"

[Bon mots]

Broomstick 1 isn't big enough for Nancy's ego.

[geo40xyz]

OK, maybe Walmart can give her a new collection of brooms:-()

[Howlin]

I don't want any less opportunity than male speakers have had when they have served here."

Well, that's the truth; she wants more.

[3AngelaD]

The best she can come up with now that she's got all that egg on her face is that it's Rummy's fault? Pretty desperate. Hope she is enjoying her time as speaker.

[gondramB]

If we provide a plane for the speaker it makes sense it should be a plane that can fly from California to Washington.

But Pelosi gets more irritating every day.. claiming its gender after claiming that it was security (since the the air force base where they would refuel is pretty darn secure.)

[Howlin]

Oh, she did that right off; she made sure she and her staff have the biggest offices up there; she shoved a lot of people out of the way.

[Nathan Zachary]

As usual, Rosie O'dumbell on "Rosie's View from the far left" this morning stood up for Pelosi, arguing that this 162 seat behemoth would be cheaper on gas. Plus the women needs a better washroom in flight.

[Cicero]

Pelosi is making a fool of herself. She should be left to dangle publicly. I just wish Tony Snow had kept his mouth shut, because he seemed to be saying she had every right to a big plane if she wanted one. It's not like him to fall into that kind of trap.

[KarlInOhio]

Now, as a woman, as a woman Speaker of the House, I don't want any less opportunity than male speakers have had when they have served here."

Speakers?? Hastert was the first one to have a jet, and I think it was only a 6 passenger one. Pelosi's just upset that the Airbus 380 isn't available for her and a few hundred of her closest friends to fly.

Maybe Pelosi can get a smaller jet with inflight refueling capability so that she doesn't have to land and refuel.

[Dante3]

Nancy has a perverted sense of entitlement. She has damaged her image. Wonder if Leno will have Nancy jokes?

[Spok]

Every time she gets caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she'll defect the blame to the Republicans, 'right wing bloggers' and conservative Christians. With the dedicated assistance of the MSM, she'll get away with it. During the Clinton administration, the MSM mastered the art of turning mountains of criminal corruption into mole hills of 'partisan sniping'.

[DBrow]

You know, I did not have a problem with the Speaker of the House re-evaluating what plane is most suitable to go coast-to-coast. And seeing if a plane would be big enough for "constituents" as well as her staff is not that out of line.

But to blame my hearing about it on gender bias and Rumsfeld (who still has a desk) is pretty strange.

[hosepipe]

Sorry I vacillate between Pelosiphobia to Hildebeast-phobia or Roddum-twitches..

I'm a mess..

[Cobra64]

She really does have a childish "mine is bigger than yours" attitude.

If she had any brains and wanted to get from point A to point B in record time, she'd fly an F15.