by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Nov. 27, 2006
All Rights Reserved.

ncoming House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faces her second hurdle since Democrats stormed back to power Nov. 7. Pelosi tripped in her first official duty backing antiwar critic Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Penn.) for House Majority Leader, watching her choice beaten decisively by Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), showing that Democratic caucus took seriously her vow to “clean house.” Murtha carried baggage from his involvement in the 1980 FBI Abscam investigation, though he was never charged. “Maybe it takes a woman to clean house,” Pelosi said in a cute double-entendre, campaigning last fall against Republican corruption. Whether Murtha was the best man for the job, Congressional Democrats decided to deprive the GOP of more ammunition heading into the '08 presidential elections. All eyes are on Pelosi to see whether she makes the same mistake twice.

      Faced with choosing the chair of the all-important House Intelligence Committee, Pelosi must decide between placating the Congressional Black Caucus or backing her nemesis Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), ranking minority member on the committee. “The People's House should not be an auction house, with legislation being sold to the highest bidder,” Pelosi said in a statement Nov. 27. “For that reason, the first order of business will be ethics reform,” making her committee appointments all the more scrutinized. Pelosi signaled she's considering former disgraced federal Judge Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), impeached from the federal bench in 1989 on charges of soliciting a $150,000 bribe from defendants in racketeering case. Three years later, Hastings was elected to Congress in 1992 but not without eyebrows raised because of his bribery scandal. Appointing Hastings now would be disastrous.

      Picking Hastings would complete Pelosi's self-destruction, almost assuring Republicans would retake the House in '08. Whether Hastings was cleared of past scandals doesn't reverse the catastrophic PR damage that would result from appointing him chair of the influential House Intelligence Committee. Republicans would have a field day talking about Pelosi's blindspots and bad judgment. Pelosi hasn't risen over petty differences with the well-qualified Harman to chair the Intelligence Committee. Ceding power to Harman helps Pelosi by demonstrating she has the political savvy to steer Democrats toward victory in the '08 presidential elections. Picking Hastings would sabotage her credibility and promote internecine warfare likely to disintegrate Democrats fragile coalition. Harman speaks with authority and is tolerated well by House Republicans.

      Pelosi's choice is not between Harman and Hastings, or any other token candidates: It's between her own credibility and political survival. One more bad choice will embarrass Party leadership, almost certainly leading to Democratic defeats in the next presidential elections. Pelosi must set aside past squabbles and get the bigger picture. Republicans would love for her to pick Hastings, giving them red meat for the next two years. Appointing the most credible faces to head key House committees promote the kind of PR likely to help Democrats in '08. Harman's past differences with Pelosi or her close relationship with incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer shouldn't dissuade the House Speaker from acquiescing on Harman. Despite disappointing the House Black Caucus, picking Harman would make the Speaker's life much easier.

      Pelosi shouldn't pick a compromise candidate trying to resolve her personal objections to Harman. She should pick the most qualified and articulate candidate for the job pointing, by consensus, to Harman. “Harman's a well-known and quite respected by those involved in national security affairs,” said Gary Schmitt, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative public policy group and former minority staff director of the Senate intelligence panel. Pelosi finds herself caught between a rock and a hard place. If she picks Harman against her best instincts, she'll be accused of caving to pressure. If she chooses a compromise candidate, she'll be disrespected for allowing personal issues to affect her decision. “It shows flawed judgment on her part,” said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), the second ranking Republican on the committee, if Pelosi doesn't pick Harman.

      Before Pelosi stumbles for the second time, she must rethink her decision to keep Harman off the House Intelligence Committee. Democrats have bigger fish to fry than exposing internal Party squabbles. Harman is clearly the best-qualified and most articulate person for the job. Harman deserves “to be chair. She has earned her stripes, she has done the hard work,” said LaHood, letting his preferences be known, something working against Harman in Pelosi's mind. Harman was too joined at the hip with committee Republicans for Pelosi's taste, siding with the majority on President George W. Bush's requests for more liberties under the Patriot Act. Appointing Hastings or some other compromise candidate would expose Pelosi and the Democratic leadership to ridicule for allowing personal issues to compromise sound decision-making—something the GOP desperately wants.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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