Nancy Pelosi thought she was being sly and savvy. In threatening to release supposedly damaging information on newly-anointed GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich, Pelosi thought she was hurting her old enemy's presidential campaign. In reality, any nasty words or threats leveled by Pelosi at a Republican candidate only strengthen that politician in the primary. It's amazing to us that Pelosi still hasn't figured this out.
Did she learn nothing from the historic drubbing of her caucus in the 2010 elections?
Operatives dream of opportunities to write fundraising emails with subject lines saying "X Candidate Under Assault By Nancy Pelosi." The Wicked Witch Of The West is one of the GOP's top fundraisers, even if only indirectly.
Not only did Pelosi's vague threat against Gingrich elevate him among conservatives, but gave Gingrich an opportunity to display his considerable rhetorical skill by puting Pelosi on the back of her heels with his response, forcing a fumbling, bumbling, excuse-laden backpedal from the House Minority Leader. She might as well have said that Gingrich is the top threat to Barack Obama's re-election.
After Pelosi threatened to release documents gained from an earlier House investigation, which cleared Gingrich, Newt pointed out releasing the documents would be a "fundamental violation of the rules of the House."
That forced Pelosi's spokesman to make a quick retreat saying "Leader Pelosi was clearly referring to the extensive amount of information that is in the public record, including the comprehensive committee report with which the public may not be fully aware."
Pelosi might want to think twice before opening her big mouth again.
As Gingrich himself pointed out, Pelosi's threat to break House rules to smear a candidate in a Republican primary is "an early Christmas gift."
With Ron Paul slamming Gingrich in a wed ad using footage of a Pelosi/Gingrich climate change ad, the top of Gingrich's wish list was probably an opportunity to rebuke Pelosi. She is loathed among conservatives, and Independents as the 2010 election showed.
Nancy Pelosi may be a prolific fundraiser and capable of enforcing rigid discipline in her Democrat caucus, but one thing she is not good at is politics that include constituencies that are not big Democrat donors and liberal Congress critters.
Nancy Pelosi is conservatives’ greatest gift. Prior to the 2010 elections, a big banner hung from the RNC building next to Congress that said "FIRE PELOSI." A day after the 63-seat gain by Republicans in Congress a new banner was hung from the RNC building. It read: "HIRE PELOSI."
We’re betting similar sentiments are being expressed at Gingrich HQ today.