Impeach Bush crowd dogs Pelosi's book tour

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat who last year became the first woman in U.S. history to be elected speaker, is on a book tour.

"Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters," charts her journey from stay-at-home mom to politician and urges young women to reach their potential.

But in pushing the book, Pelosi is likely to run into a gauntlet of outraged voters who want to know why she will not allow impeachment proceedings against President Bush.

The speaker kicked off her book tour on ABC's "The View." Asked by Joy Behar why she won't impeach Bush, Pelosi said:

If somebody had a crime that the president had committed, that would be a different story ... [You can't impeach] unless you have the goods that this president committed these crimes.

We suspect Pelosi's real argument against impeachment is that it would anger moderates whose votes are needed in November to keep Democrats in power, folks who might be annoyed that Congress is spending its time, money and energy on impeaching a president whose term is almost over instead of addressing core problems like gas prices, the war in Iraq and home foreclosures.

Still, a progressive blog called democrats.com is daring readers to intersect her while she's out on book tour.

Giving readers a list of the speaker's book tour appearances, democrats.com is urging "progressive" citizens and journalists to "pin her down" on why she thinks none of the 35 articles of impeachment offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) constitute a crime. In fact, democrats.com is holding a citizen journalism contest. The reward: up to $1,000. The task: get Pelosi to give "a direct and substantive answer to this question" and record it on video or audio tape for playback on democrats.com."

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Richard Drew/AP

Comments

[Peter S. Morgan, Jr.]

Please take funding for the Iraq war off the table. (Active duty veteran of the Vietnam War era. Member of Veterans for Peace.)

[One of the People]

She's clearly in bed with Bush, Dick, and the oil companies.

[George H.]

It's hurting Dems a lot more not to let proceedings go forward. It sends the message that she and her camp have much to hide. The purpose of impeachment is to expose the truth.

[payattention]

Come on Neuman, it's old news in the Blogosphere that Pelosi won't Impeach because to do so would implicate HERSELF in crimes like torture and illegal spying.

Quit your gatekeeping and tell the truth about complicit Nancy.

[Dems to Win]

Pelosi was pathetic on Jon Stewart's show. She's pushing a book called "Know Your Power" but she said, over and over, "we can't do anything unless we have 60 votes in the Senate. I'm helpless! No Power at all!"

Pelosi does have the power to end the war -- just don't pass any funding for it! But she prefers to act like a helpless, powerless victim.

I'm committed to voting Dem this fall. Good thing, because she could have easily convinced me not to bother.

[SnooperDooper]

Rep Kucinich has listed numerous articles of impeachment. Nixon was impeached only for "Obstruction of Justice".

Pelosi's excuse that we "don't have the goods" on this president is, kindly put, less than accurate or honest. The US Constitution provides the remedy of out-of-control executives: impeachment. For her to declare impeachment "off the table" is obstruction of justice.

If Americans want law and order enforced in our government, we have to look now to begin impeachment of Nancy Pelosi first, then proceed to Bush and Cheney.

[A Mom in America]

Pelosi's gendercentric posturing on The View was disgusting- I don't care if you're the highest ranking woman in America- if you don't do your job, you aren't worth a damn to America! As a woman, this made me as indignant as Hillary's crying antics in the primaries.
There is, indeed, a much stronger case for impeachment of this president than there ever was for Clinton. If this country goes down in history impeaching one for a supposed private (if illicit) sex act, and lets the warmongering, lying freak off scot free, God help us all. The American people are crying out for justice, and we demand that something be done!
We CANNOT let Bush get away with the crimes he has committed- to do so would create a dangerous precedent in a once-great country in serious trouble ethically, morally, economically, and so on.

[Freedom Speaks]

The laws need to be changed. There are loop holes this administration has manipulated and is using for total power. It is obvious this women is inept, powerless to exercise good judgment and should be impeached as well as all the rest.

Is she being harassed or is her family being threatened? Who in their right mind would allow what is going on to reach this point? Is our government this corrupt?

There should be a way to impeach without the speakers approval. It does not serve the best interest of our country to have and allow just one person in office to decide. She is not even in the office. She is out there promoting her book? Come on. Is this not a possible conflict of interest?

We need to be a "Fail Safe" mechanism in place for impeachment and to remove ANYONE from their position regardless of their position, timing, or whatever else is going on blah blah blah. We owe it to our children, to our country, and to the world.

Note: Bush has said at least twice: it would be easier if this were a dictatorship.

[paul revere II]

IMPEACH EVERYONE! ROUND UP NEO-CONS LIKE NAZI'S

[John H Kennedy Denver CO]

ALL SHOULD BE AWARE that the House Democrats did not allow last Fridays preliminary Impeachment Hearing Out Of The Goodness Of Their Hearts

THERE IS ONLY ONE DYNAMIC THAT RECENTLY CHANGED.

THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS ARE AFRAID OF A MASSIVE VOTER ABANDONMENT AND RETALIATION IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. Prepare to give it to them if they refuse to Hold Impeachment Hearings Prior To The Election.

The refusal of the House Democrats to stop the Iraq War and Impeach is unforgiveable. We put you in office and if you do not hold Full Impeachment Hearings prior to the Election we will un-elect you.

In Colorado We Democrats, Independents, Republicans and others are currently doing negative campaigning against all incumbent House/Senate Candidates who have refused to support and even discuss impeachment.

Voters who want accountability via impeachment should follow our example.

John H Kennedy Denver CO
43 yr Democratic voter,
IMPEACH COLORADO COALITION http://ImpeachCO.com

..

[David Ruch]

I am absolutely furious to see here that Speaker Pelosi can find time for a book tour yet claims there is no time for impeachment proceedings! Unbelievable! That's it. I will vote for my dog as a write-in candidate before I will vote again for Nancy Pelosi! Needless to say, I don't think I will (ever) find the time to read a book by Ms. Pelosi.

[chuck tucker]

Rep Kucinich represents insanity. We did not have this problem until
mental instutions cut back on staff and allowed clients to return to society.
Nancy Pelosi correctly realizes the Kucinich group is dangerous and harmful to our country.
Change your diets, take your meds, and breathe deep.

Star Fleet Command

[Chuck Glisson]

To CHUCK TUCKER' s comment:

" Rep Kucinich represents insanity. We did not have this problem until
mental instutions cut back on staff and allowed clients to return to society.
Nancy Pelosi correctly realizes the Kucinich group is dangerous and harmful to our country.
Change your diets, take your meds, and breathe deep."

Chuck Tucker, Since when is holding someone accountable (including the president) dangerous or crazy?

Your comments are that of a lazy, twinky eating TV watching, PC Gamming couch potato!

You might be a good for nothing lazy bum, but YOU take the cake when you critize those of who AERN'T!

[James]

Hee Hee...you just do not get it Libs...Pelosi makes Bush ratings look they hit the moon. She cannot even sell 3000 books and The anti Obama book is the top seller...good night folks ...turn off the lights...the party is over.

[Nick Egnatz]

Pelosi Must Go
Now that Speaker of the House Pelosi continues her refusal to allow impeachment hearings and instead is substituting a non-binding hearing on the abuses of the Bush Administration, it becomes crystal clear that she has her own agenda and the health of the republic be damned.

As one of four members of the Select Committee on Intelligence, along with Democratic Senator Bob Graham, and Republican Congressman Porter Goss and Republican Senator Pat Roberts, Pelosi in September of 2002 was "given a virtual tour of the CIA's overseas detention sites and the harsh techniques interrogators had devised to try to make their prisoners talk." (Washington Post)

They were sworn to secrecy and none spoke up about the criminal torture and rendition program. We have testimony from Goss that none objected and at least one member asked if we were doing enough. Waterboarding was discussed at this briefing. In 2003 when Jane Harmon (D-CA) took over Pelosi’s position in this Gang of Four, she objected to the program and while not going public, did send a letter to the CIA expressing her concern. Pelosi has said that she concurred with Harmon’s objection, but has not said why she did not also object to the torture program.

To say that they were sworn to secrecy and couldn’t speak up if laws were broken is crazy. Why are they briefed, if they are powerless to do anything about criminal actions? To quote from the Overview from the Select Committee on Intelligence “It is further the purpose of this resolution to provide vigilant legislative oversight over the intelligence activities of the United States to assure that such activities are in conformity with the Constitution and laws of the United States.”

The specific job of the Gang of Four is to insure the legality of the programs they oversee. It was their job to object to illegal torture and rendition programs and to go public if the Administration refused to clean up its act.

Pelosi failed to do this and should resign from Congress and allow someone not culpable to the Bush Administration crimes to assume the position of Speaker of the House. The new Speaker of the House would be advised to provide the country with a return to the rule of law by initiating immediate televised impeachment hearings and allow the citizens to see the guilt or innocence of the President and Vice President. One can only hope that both our Congress Members and Senators will then vote in the best interest of the country and not party when considering impeachment and removal from office.

Nick Egnatz, Munster, IN
NW Indiana Veterans For Peace

[Anna Neumann]

What kind of power is Mrs. Pelosi advocating for our daughters - the kind derived from collusion with those even more powerful? The power that lets you cover your backside by taking power away from others?

Mrs. Pelosi denies millions of women - and men - the power to hold their government officials accountable under the law. And she expects me to hold her up as an example to my kids?

[No Like Bush]

Pelosi is a deceitful politician and liar. I hope Cindy Sheehan kicks her ass!

[WTF!]

I'm voting for Nader now. The dems haven't done crap.

[Ted Voth Jr]

'Know Your Power'!

There's an irony.

Over the centuries of English history, by dint of blood, sweat, toil, and tears, the British House of Commons with its Speakers clawed its way into the ascendancy over the Crown and the Lords, winning the crucial power of the purse to control the king's supply of funds for his little adventures, and the power to impeach his officers.

Our own Founders set up the House of Representatives with its Speaker, on the model of the British House of Commons with its powerful Speaker, similarly to have the whip hand over the Executive. The Founders gave the House the power of the purse and the power to impeach. Nancy Pelosi is at this time the single most powerful person in the US, and as such, even more than Uncle Dick and Li'l Georgie, is personally responsible for their dismantling of the Republic, their shredding of the Constitution, and their destruction of the rule of law, what the Founders called 'the rights of Englishmen.

Is she cowardly, venal, or ignorant of her power?

Cheney and Bush must be impeached. Time's a-wastin!

[Tobi Dragert]

If the Dems lose in November, we can thank Ms. Pelosi and the DLC for it.

Not only have they shirked their Constitutional duties by not impeaching (though thousands of us will keep on trying, by swarming Rayburn Bldg halls next monty), now they're moving Obama to the middle, clamping down on the very thing that made his draw HUGE crowds during his campaign: His spark of hope for change. Now he's talking like the middlin' Dems. How very pathetic and sad for this country.

Tobi Dragert, Director
Los Angeles Area Impeachment Center

[yankhadenuf]

Pelosi is an AIPAC goddess

[Libery4us]

Ms. Pelosi is on this book tour, not rushing to vote on the energy bill because she has a lot to gain from high gas prices. She invested $150k in stock with an organization called “Clean Energy Fuel Corp.” So the higher our gas prices go, the more her stock is worth! The youtube video link below is not only humerous but also shows the disclosure report that reveals Nancy’s stock purchase. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auk-tXIjH2w

She is paid to work for us and represent us but personal interest and personal gain are where her loyalties lie.

[Susan Green]

Impeach Nancy Pelosi