Pelosi's new position for Clyburn to avert Dem battle: 'Assistant Leader'

The Hill ^

[Sub-Driver]

Pelosi's new position for Clyburn to avert Dem battle: 'Assistant Leader' By Molly K. Hooper - 11/13/10 04:00 PM ET

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked her colleagues Saturday to support Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) for "Assistant Leader," a newly created third-ranking position at the leadership table.

In a letter to her fellow Democrats, Pelosi wrote "should I receive the privilege of serving as House Democratic Leader, I will be very honored to nominate our outstanding colleague, Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, to serve in the number three House Democratic position. I will also ask the Caucus to designate that position as Assistant Leader."

House Democrats averted a nasty fight when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the creation of the new No. 3 ranking spot for Clyburn.

The late Friday night news ended an internecine battle between current Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Clyburn, both vying to be the No. 2 ranked House Dem in the 112th Congress.

According to a source close to Clyburn, the “solution” is to create a third-ranking Democratic leadership position that “would maintain the diversity of the Caucus as well as the wishes of a majority of the Caucus, that (Clyburn) remain in the number three leadership post.”

With the loss of the Speaker’s gavel, at least one Democrat in the leadership team was to be squeezed out of a high-ranking position.

[Tzimisce]

...he can take out the trash and mop floors when we go home. :)

[Cowboy Bob]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked her colleagues Saturday to support Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) for "Assistant Leader," a newly created third-ranking position at the leadership table.

First question from Clyburn: "Do's I gets to keep da Cadillac?"

[denydenydeny]

If you can’t beat ‘em, bamboozle ‘em.

[screaminsunshine]

Maybe she will give him a Tux and let him be the House Doorman. He could also wash her Limo and clean up her office.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Nancy, c’mon sweetie...just swallow this pill and it will help calm your anxieties. That’s it, swallow the little pill Nancy. Good girl. Pretty soon, you’ll be sweetly dreaming...there now. Okay, let’s start with the pinkies, Nancy. Let’s start loosening the pinkies from the handle. No Nancy...shhhhhhh. Things will be okay. Remember...commercial air travel was something you used to do and it was fun, too, Nancy. No honey, it never really was your plane Nancy....and the gavel has to remain with the Speaker...shhhhhhh...okay, NURSE.....nnurse, we’re gonna need another one of those pills, she’s just still too combative...it’ll be okay, Nancy....

[Hoodat]

I don't think pills will do the trick. We need to go straight for the IV injection.

[cookcounty]

How do the Clyburn’s perks get paid for? Is Nancy going to ask for the Majority to fund “extra perks?”

I say, take it out of the minority leaders budget (which should already be halved).

[gundog]

“Drivin’ Miss Nancy”. The soft bigotry of transparent condescension.

A couple of months ago, everyone was wondering why Pelosi was hammering on Waters, Rangel and William Jefferson. I think she was setting them up for the impending Republican Congress to look like they were purging the Congress of blacks when they picked up the investigations. That is such a cynical use of race that words nearly fail me. The fact that these folks are guilty as sin will be overlooked by the media...and Nan knows it.