Apparent rage issues? That's funny. If Harman was lax in pushing oversight as a member of the committee then it's reasonable to assert she shouldn't be in charge of providing oversight as the head of the committee. That's pretty linear. If you want to entertain conspiracies about the black caucus and a grudge-filled Pelosi getting retribution then that's your prerogative but there is clear justification for holding Harman out of a leadership position.
Not sure what the point is - yes we are aware that it is Pelosi's call. Thanks for restating the beginning point of the thread. Well, your above point cuts against this right? If this is unlike the other committees, then the other committees are not Pelosi's to decide. Not sure what you mean. Saying this particular committee is unlike others doesn't alter the contention of the article that began the thread. Replying 'ok, and?' IS a request for more information. Next time I will write 'how does this make a difference.' Sure, I agree it was a referendum on the Bush Administration although I don't think I would limit that to Iraq. I am merely saying that IF Pelosi is going to appoint someone for political expediency at the cost of a more experienced intelligence committee member then that isn't what I'd call good leadership. Nor IF Pelosi is appointing someone else because Harman didn't fall in line behind her then I don't think that necessarily is good leadership either. It smacks of the very GOP attitude of retribution any disagreement that I believe is really at the heart of the referendum against the GOP you talk about. I'm glad the Democrats won. Generally I'd rather have split power to avoid to much power in one party's hands. But I don't think the Democrats need to jump back to the flower power days either. I think Baker will probably broker some reasonable timeline for withdrawl with an emphasis on Iraq being three basically autonomous regions. I think that outcome could have already happened ala many other colonially created nation states if it weren't for the issue of the Sunnis not having any oil in their region. If that can be worked out then I'm fairly hopeful for the whole adventure. Iraq isn't Vietnam. I have many problems as you know with the administration's handling of the war, but I don't with those who assert staying at least to some near point in the future serves no purpose. 'Clear justification' is your opinion and you're entitled to it. What you're not really entitled to is to haughtily denounce a differing opinion as idiotic. Neither of us are in a position to determine as of now what the 'facts' are, it is all speculation. The difference is that I have opined that IF 'x' is true then 'y,' while you have presented yourself as the arbiter of truth. One of us does indeed have a supportable position, I just think you're confused about which of us it is.
I think Rimrocker's point cuts against the general argument of this thread that Pelosi is leading some sort of political purge of hawkish Democrats since this is only one committee and a committee who's tradition of chairmanship doesn't place primary emphasis on seniority.
Except that this is one of the few committee's where it is Pelosi's choice rather than the party's, right? The Chairs IIRC of all the committee's are not locked into a senority criteria for selection, rather that is the tradition. Questioning the decision to bypass Harman is in no way illegitimate. From many accounts she is the most knowledgable Democrat on the committee. As for 'not challenging' the administration enough, I think that is somewhat of a red herring. Harman regularly criticized the administration including about Iraq and surveillance of Americans. She sponsored bills to prohibit torture (H.R.3985 Title), require court warrants for surveillance (H.R. 4570, H.R. 6056, and H.R. 5371), and to modify the Patriot Act in the areas that overly impede civil liberties. "Harman, a 57-year-old Harvard Law School graduate, was an early proponent of a Department of Homeland Security. She has an edge over other House members of her party, with experience as a member of the prophetic National Commission on Terrorism, which in 2000 issued a dire assessment of the U.S. counterterrorism infrastructure." And it seems a little weird that Pelosi would now deem the person who wrote the Democratic national security strategy to be unqualified for the Chair of the Intelligence Committee. But don't take it from me. Let's hear from Speaker Pelosi : "Pelosi, a point person on homeland security in her own right, has welcomed Harman´s more prominent role, calling her "a leader not only in the House, but in the nation, on homeland security issues." Further, it is apparent that rather than a 'conspiracy theory,' many sources are confirming that this could be a political decision to appease the Black Caucus. If so I don't think that is good leadership nor is it the criteria that should be used for the chair of such an important committee. Pelosi's Unintelligent Choice By Ruth Marcus Wednesday, November 1, 2006; Page A21 Pelosi has floated the notion of naming the intelligence committee's third-ranking Democrat, Texan Silvestre Reyes, who is Hispanic, but that's not flying with the black caucus. "The CBC would not look kindly on that," caucus spokeswoman Myra Dandridge told The Post's Jonathan Weisman. "The first order of business of the CBC chairman would be to protect his members, and Alcee Hastings has the seniority, the knowledge and the experience to be chairman of the intelligence committee." Pelosi's task: Party solidarity - The future speaker must avoid missteps to give Democrats a shot at the 2008 White House. By Maura Reynolds, Times Staff Writer. November 9, 2006 ...After that, Pelosi needs to navigate the complicated shoals of naming chairmen and members to committees, a process in which egos, seniority and payback often matter more than experience. In particular, she must decide whether to follow through on her pledge to force fellow Californian Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) to step down as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, in part because of criticism that she has been too accommodating to the Republican administration. That would give the chairmanship to Florida Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, which could help improve Pelosi's relationship with the Congressional Black Caucus, angry over perceived slights in the past. However, Hastings, a former federal judge, was impeached by the Senate in 1988 on charges related to a bribery case. Although he successfully ran for election to the House four years later, many Democrats feel his past makes him an inappropriate choice to lead such a high-profile and sensitive committee. "She's got some tough decisions to make," Marshall said. "She is going to bask in the aura of being the first woman speaker in American history and let those races play out, but making sure that the conflict doesn't get out of hand." LA TIMES
Pelosi picks Silvestre Reyes... _________________ Pelosi Chooses Reyes to Head Intelligence Committee By Daniela Deane Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, December 1, 2006; 12:52 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120100496_pf.html House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi picked a Texas congressman today to head the powerful House Intelligence Committee, a compromise candidate that ended weeks of debate and jockeying among House Democrats. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, (D-Texas), a Purple Heart winner known as "Silver" to friends, will take over the chairmanship of the committee when Democrats take control of the House and Senate in January. Reyes, a former longtime Texas Border Patrol agent, will lead the key panel, one of the few committee assignments that was still up for grabs after the midterm elections last month, at a time when there is increasing pressure for congressional intelligence committees not only to oversee the nation's intelligence agencies but also to shape the country's intelligence policy. Under Democratic control, the committee is expected to step up oversight of intelligence policies relating to terrorism, the war in Iraq and the government's surveillance of citizens as part of the fight against terror. Pelosi (Calif.) had to wade through a series of candidates before deciding on Reyes, each with large blocs of supporters who lobbied heavily for their candidates. Pelosi sidestepped two more senior intelligence committee members -- Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) -- by picking Reyes, currently the third-ranking Democratic member of the committee. "Congressman Silvestre Reyes has impeccable national security credentials," Pelosi said in a statement announcing the appointment. "When tough questions are required, whether they related to intelligence shortcomings before the 9/11 attacks or the war in Iraq, or to the quality on intelligence on Iran or North Korea, he does not hesitate to ask them." Pelosi said Reyes' "appreciation for the dangers inherent in the operation of secret activities in a democracy ensures that he will be a zealous protector of the civil liberties that define us as a nation." After serving in the Army during 1966-1968 as a helicopter crew chief and gunner, including 13 months in Vietnam, Reyes joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 1969. He retired in December 1995 after almost 27 years of rising through the ranks of the Border Patrol and then sought elected office a year later. Now in his fifth term, Reyes became the first Hispanic to represent the 16th District of Texas, which includes the city of El Paso and surrounding communities, in 1996. Harman, currently the committee's ranking Democrat, issued a statement pledging Reyes her "full and enthusiastic support." She said she called her "friend and colleague Silver Reyes" to personally congratulate him this morning and said she would work to ensure a smooth transition. The fight over the top spot on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence exposed the kind of factional politics that marked House Democrats before they were swept from control in 1994. Harman, a moderate, strong-on-defense "Blue Dog" Democrat, had angered liberals with her reluctance to challenge the Bush administration's use of intelligence. The other candidate, Alcee L. Hastings, an African American, was strongly backed by the Congressional Black Caucus but vehemently opposed by the Blue Dogs, who argued that his 1988 impeachment from his federal judgeship disqualified him from such a sensitive high-ranking post.
No, you were involved in conspiracy theory nonsense and I was defending Pelosi's reasoning to potentially bypass Harman. I guess you were confused since you obviously proved to be wrong. Thanks. Now, let's proceed to the next thread where we can monday morning quarterback the decisions that Democratss have yet to make and just gloss over the incompetent performance of the last six years. That'll be fun.
Not sure how I was 'obviously wrong' since I made an 'If/then' statement, but you've been carrying that around for what, three weeks? Glad you got that off your chest, lol.
I suppose holding someone to their comments is a dastardly thing. I was going to refresh StupidMoniker's memory about human shields with the latest report about how Hezbollah didn't use human shields but I'd hate to be called enraged!
