CBC to withhold support for Pelosi

All is not sunshine and lollipops in Lefty Land. Creating a new leadership position out of thin air for James Clyburn wasn’t enough to appease the Congressional Black Caucus.  They also want to know the details of the job too.

CNN: Washington (CNN) -- The Congressional Black Caucus has decided to withhold its approval for the House Democratic leadership team, denying Speaker Nancy Pelosi full support of the 42-member organization as she campaigns to remain leader.

After a nearly two hour long meeting on Monday night, chairwoman Barbara Lee of California said the group only will endorse caucus member James Clyburn of South Carolina for a leadership position. The causus first wants to know what his role will be in the Democratic leadership before backing the full slate.

"We fully support our current Whip, Mr. Clyburn, for the number three position and we are currently reserving judgment on the entire package until we see what the actual portfolio entails, in terms of responsibilities," Lee said. [MORE] 

Nancy Pelosi thought she could smooth things over with the CBC by just making up a job for James Clyburn.  Now it looks like the CBC is going to turn the tables on her and try to leverage more power for Clyburn.

I am not sure if the CBC’s vote is enough to prevent Nancy from getting her leadership position.  What I do know is that the CBC has some of the most liberal members of the Democrats and it will be the more liberal members who will vote for Nancy.  It will be very interesting to see what tricks Nancy pulls to handle this sticky situation.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: CNN

Well what do you know; Nancy Pelosi can create jobs after all

Fox News: House Democrats averted a messy leadership struggle, clearing the way for Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer to become second in command of their new minority without a challenge from South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn.

Under an arrangement worked out in private, officials said late Friday that Clyburn would instead receive a new position, title unknown and duties undescribed, explicitly labeled the third-ranking post in leadership.

The maneuvering was described by Democratic officials after Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a vaguely worded statement saying she intends to nominate Clyburn to a new No. 3 post. The statement made no mention of Hoyer, and officials who filled in the details did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not permitted to speak publicly about the matter.

Who said Democrats cannot create jobs?  They most certainly can, especially when it comes to jobs for themselves. Ed Morrissey at Hot Air explains it perfectly:

Ed Morrissey: When a private sector organization loses resources and has to downsize, it has to make painful decisions on reshuffling their management to account for fewer positions, usually requiring a few demotions or outright exits.  Not so in the House Democratic caucus.  When faced with the conundrum of fitting four existing leadership members into three positions, Nancy Pelosi struggled hard for a solution — until she remembered her Democratic agenda of public-sector management and decided to just expand leadership to accommodate the odd man out.

Something else I want to point out from the article.

A race between Hoyer, D-Md., and Clyburn, D-S.C., for the post of party whip took shape in the days following the election and quickly took on racial overtones. Clyburn is the most powerful African-American in Congress, and he drew a formal endorsement from the Congressional Black Caucus. But he failed to generate enough additional support to overcome Hoyer's strength among liberals and conservatives alike, and it appeared his only options were to run against Hoyer and lose or else concede the obvious and step aside.

After reading this part, I have to say creating that job for Clyburn looks rather patronizing.  It is almost like an Affirmative Action set aside, just to keep the CBC happy and avoid the fact that Hoyer would have won with only white Democrat support.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News

Via: Hot Air