Personal Vindictiveness

Robert Novak, in today's Washington Post analyzes Nancy Pelosi's endorsement of John Murtha over Steny Hoyer. He calls it a mistake as well as an indication of the personally vindictive style of the presumed speaker-to-be.

This is a no-win situation for Pelosi. If Murtha wins today, she will be accused of personal vindictiveness in derailing Hoyer, who is more popular in the caucus and better qualified for leadership. If Murtha loses, as is much more probable, she will be seen as bumbling her first attempt to lead the new Democratic majority. Pelosi could have avoided this dilemma by standing aside as Newt Gingrich, then the presumptive speaker, did when he voted for his ally Robert Walker as majority whip but did not ask members to oppose Tom DeLay.

Pelosi's mistake confirms long-standing, privately held Democratic apprehension about her abilities. Such concerns do not reflect the Republican indictment of her as a reflexive San Francisco liberal. Some of her most trenchant congressional critics are on the left wing of the party. These colleagues worry that her decision making may be distorted by personal considerations.

Take together with the information that is already circulating about her decision to pass over Jane Harman for the chair of the Intelligence committee and instead to give the post to Alcee Hastings, Democrats themselves are getting nervous. It is beginning to look a bit like a tyrannical side of Pelosi is emerging.

But Pelosi's personal pique was evident in her opposition to her rival diva from California, Rep. Jane Harman, as chairman of the House intelligence committee. In line to replace Harman is Rep. Alcee Hastings, who was once impeached as a federal judge on bribery charges.

For a party that effectively stressed a Republican climate of corruption in the recent campaign to consider placing Murtha and Hastings in its leadership astonishes a wide range of Democrats. They do not believe Murtha can defeat Hoyer, but the imminence of Hastings stuns them. Well-placed Democrats have told Pelosi she cannot permit this to happen. What they hesitate to contemplate is what lies ahead based on Pelosi's performance before she has taken the oath.

While I doubt very much that there will be an insurrection at this point, there is a scenario where Pelosi could be beaten out for speaker. Under House rules, the entire chamber votes for the speaker, not just the Democrats. If all the Republicans and only about 15 or so Democrats voted for someone else, Pelosi could be defeated. Like I said, I rather doubt it will happen.

But you can bet there are some Democrats thinking seriously about it right about now.