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

[EagleUSA]

Pelosi has not been offered an inferior aircraft than what the former house speaker flew.
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Yes, and she still played the gender-card. I heard her do it LIVE today...it was sickening. As she is sickening.

[BluH2o]

Wonder if Leno will have Nancy jokes?

He's working on one right now guaranteed ... Saturday Night Live won't let this one go away either. Just to much good material here ...

[gulfcoast6]

'If I don't get my plane I am going to throw a fit on the house floor' and I mean a real fit too!

[John Jorsett]

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.

The size of the plane wasn't the supposed reason she needed a change, however. She claimed it was a "security issue" because the smaller plane would have to land once to refuel in a coast-to-coast flight. That doesn't cut much ice with me, since there must be a dozen military airfields on that flight path that the plane could put down. If she isn't safe on one of those, we've got a bigger problem than just her.

[texaslil]

Don't any of these idiots know anything but how to blow money?

[Nathan Zachary]

Security isn't important at all as far as I can see.

I doubt her Islamic terrorists pals would shoot her down, even if they did accidently, the nation wouldn't grind to a halt.
In fact, I doubt anyone would even notice, except another rat of course.

[Ben Hecks]

Don't forget the necessary crew/stewards that would be required to attend to her entourage...

If it's a military aircraft, it also puts a tremendous burden on the basse commmander who would have to provide VIP treatment for the queen and her followers.

[rod1]

The exciting news of the day is tht Plane-gate has replaced Plame-gate. Poor Joe. He won't be happy about this.

[AFreeBird]

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

I wish people would stop saying that. Do you have any idea how much tasking a tanker for refueling Nazi Pelosi's plane in flight would cost?

Besides, there are plenty of Gulfstream jets in the fleet that have transcon range.

She's just another arrogant limousine liberal, with delusions of grandeur.

[AFreeBird]

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

Somewhere over the Rockies....

Pilot: Madam speaker?

Nazi: Yes?

Pilot: could you pull that yellow handle for me please?

}:-)

[KarlInOhio]

Do you have any idea how much tasking a tanker for refueling Nazi Pelosi's plane in flight would cost?

Do you realize that Pelosi is far too important to be slowed down for refueling?

The sarcasm in my original comment was not obvious enough. I should have suggested that she should fly a nuclear powered plane that only has to be refueled once every 5 years. I think that she is being a petulant whiner for not wanting to stop for an hour to be refueled in a smaller jet as opposed to her personal 757.

[sgtbono2002]

Nancy Pelosi is one of the richest people in Congress.

For this rich witch to insist that the American people give her a plane that can hold hundreds of people to fly her back and forth to California is the height of arrogance.

We all know she will wear whatever plane she is given out, flying all over the country to raise funds for the Democrat party. One time president Truman faced a problem sim ilar to this with General MacArthur. He ordered the military to provide Macarthur with the plane ,but not to do maintenance on it. Allowed MacArthur to wear the plane out till it wasnt fit to fly , then grounded him. Might work with Nancy but I doubt it.

One thing about Democrat women they have balls. They dont mind demanding perks far and above the norm. Nancy believes she deserves star treatment.

[RegulatorCountry]

"Did I ever tell you that my ggggg grandfather was from Orange County and we believe a Regulator?"

If you're comfortable posting it here, what was his name? And, did he end up Patriot or Tory in the Revolution? Many, but a long way from all, former Regulators were Tory, primarily due to reflexive opposition to the eastern planter aristocracy, whom they dispised. On the Patriot side, many of the "Over The Mountain Men" who defeated Ferguson at King's Mountain were former Regulators as well.

My own interest in the Regulator War came through a couple of my 4G or 5G grandfathers, none in my direct paternal line. The only one you'd likely have heard of was Ninian Hamilton; there's an old Regulator song or "doggerel poem" about him and Fanning meeting on the Eno. Had another 4G who was orphaned due to an indian attack and bound out to Benjamin Merrell, who had a fair amount of notoriety, being one of those hung after the Battle Of Alamance.

[libstripper]

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

I've no problem with that. However, all Hastert had was an executive jet, not a flying pleasure dome. There are lots of executive jets with the range to go nonstop from DC to SF. If security requires her to ride in a private jet, that's what she ought to have, no more.

[gondramB]

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

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I've no problem with that. However, all Hastert had was an executive jet, not a flying pleasure dome. There are lots of executive jets with the range to go nonstop from DC to SF. If security requires her to ride in a private jet, that's what she ought to have, no more.<<

Agreed on all points. It sounds like the defense department is leaking without the President's consent and Pelosi is slinging mud left and right.... its lose/lose for the country since they should all be working on other things.

[newcthem]

Perhaps someone can tell this b*tch, that the last time anyone checked, the American people did not elect her as queen.

[angelsonmyside]

Yet in another article she said she needed it even more because she is a woman. She's sounding more and more like Kerry every day.

[Suzy Quzy]

Tony Snow, just like EVERY OTHER REPUBLICAN MAN, has fallen into the "Be Nice To The Girl" TRAP!

[Suzy Quzy]

Nancy wants the plane that will hold MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS!!

[nothingnew]

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?"

Beautiful response. I like Jacobus, and she should be the WH spokes"person" for awhile. Good hardball stuff, instead of pussypantywaiste crap.

FMCDH(BITS)