Liberals' frustration with Pelosi escalates reaction to Omar dispute

The frustration of the far left with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on the rise, while Liberal supporters and lawmakers claim they have not done enough to defend the representative. freshman, Ilhan Omar, against the attacks of President Trump and other Republicans, and undermined their policies and leaders, including the rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Omar's allies over the weekend were shocked by what they saw as Pelosi's belated response to defending one of the two Muslim women in Congress after Trump accused Omar of downplaying the tragedy of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Pelosi, whose initial statement criticizing Trump did not mention Omar, said Monday that he was "under the dignity of the Oval Office" if Trump had shared a video on Twitter from Omar spliced ​​with images of twin towers on fire.

But the Liberals realized that the leaders of Pelosi (California) and the Democratic Party had done too little, too late. They were also confused by Pelosi's message seeming to fire Ocasio-Cortez in an interview with "60 minutes" on CBS, suggesting that his "wing" of the party included "like five people".

"What we're seeing here is old-fashioned leaders trying to marginalize some of the great change agents elected in 2018, because they fear what it means for their leadership in the future," Chamberlain said. , chairman of the board of directors. liberal group Democracy for America.

Using Pelosi's often repeated phrase – "Diversity is our strength and unity is our power" – Chamberlain said that when the speaker "tries to marginalize some of the most recent leaders who are fighting. . . it's not a good idea and it's not a smart strategy. "

Tensions underscore the Democrats' struggle to find the best way to react to Trump and the GOP attacks on their far-left flank, with critics often focused on women of color. The president made the favorites of Omar (Minn.) And Ocasio-Cortez (NY), accusing all Democrats of becoming "socialists" like Ocasio-Cortez or "anti-Israel", as Omar frequently criticizes Israel and its treatment of Palestinians.

Pelosi, anxious to protect his new majority and preparing for the 2020 elections, has put a point of putting aside his party and the policies adopted by some of his new Liberal members, including the two women. Republicans have tried to use liberal political initiatives against all Democrats. Pelosi deliberately formulated this proposal with aspiration, claiming to the Washington Post that it was "agnostic" about Medicare for All in relation to the 2010 Affordable Care Act and calling Ocasio-Cortez's Environmental Green New Deal " the green dream ".

[‘I’m agnostic’: Pelosi questions whether Medicare-for-all can deliver benefits of Obamacare]

Pelosi's allies say everything is done to protect the majority in the House, a reason Pelosi relied on when he answered questions during a Monday appearance at the London School of Economics. Asked about her comments on "60 Minutes" about Ocasio-Cortez, Pelosi described the New York liberal as "wonderful", while asserting that the 43 districts the Democrats overthrew in 2018 were "downtown".

"I share those values, but we have to win," she said, claiming that the glass of water she was holding could carry a district like hers if a "D" for the Democrat would followed.

Pelosi's office defended its response to Trump's attacks on Omar. A spokesman said Pelosi was traveling to Europe on Friday when Trump posted his tweet about a single Omar sentence saying "some people did something" on 9/11 and that Speaker expressed his solidarity with the first-year student legislator Saturday, writing, "The memory of 9/11 is a sacred land and any discussion of it must be done with reverence."

"The president should not use the painful images of September 11 for a political attack," tweeted Pelosi.

[‘Some people did something’: Rep. Omar’s remarks in context]

But Omar's allies said it was not enough. The tweet, they said, did not mention the Democrat of Minnesota at all and could even be read as a reprimand from her.

Republican Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), The other Muslim congressman, went so far as to accuse Democratic leaders of using people of color to showcase diversity, while Ignoring them at the right time – although she did not call Pelosi the missive.

"They took pictures of us when they wanted to show that our party is diverse," Tlaib wrote, retweeting messages that Democrats used women of color as "accessories". "However, when we ask to be at the table or talk about problems that impact on who we are, what we are fighting for and why we ran in the first place, we are ignored. To truly honor our diversity is never to silence us. "

Earlier this year, Pelosi appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine with Omar, Ocasio-Cortez and representative Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.).

Over the weekend, more than 200 outside groups signed a letter of support to Omar. One of the reasons, said several group leaders who signed on, was to show Pelosi and his management team that it was acceptable to defend Omar.

"People are simply frustrated by the weakness of the Democratic Party leadership response on this," said Waleed Shahid, spokesman for the Liberal Justice Democrats group, who spoke of the possibility of challenging elected Democrats. "The answer has been so lukewarm and dull. . . . They seem to run away because they are afraid of controversy and conflict. "

Shahid also criticized Pelosi on Twitter for his comments on Ocasio-Cortez, a legislator elected by his group.

On Sunday, Pelosi issued a statement in which she said she had spoken to the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives to ensure that the US capital police would ensure Omar's safety despite the new death threats that followed Trump's attacks. and saturday conversations with the forces of the order. Omar thanked Pelosi for his statement.

On Monday, Pelosi called Trump's actions "bad," stating, "I do not think any US president should use the tragedy of September 11 as a political tool."

The level of indignation among liberals varies. While many lawmakers have privately criticized Pelosi about his response to Omar, few people have signed up for the minutes – a sign of deep respect for his long-standing position or fear of reprisals. Even several of Omar's friends in Congress refused to give interviews on Monday.

Indeed, in recent days, the Liberals have chosen not to fight Pelosi in many battles. Although the Progressive Caucus of Congress dropped a budget bill supported by the leaders, its adoption was not critical, allowing the left to send a warning to leaders without having to burn bridges or sabotage a draft bill. unavoidable law.

At the same time, the Liberals pulled out after promising to fight legislation that benefited the lucrative income tax preparation sector last week. They must also respond to their criticisms of a recent Congolese Democratic Congress campaign committee policy banning strategists working for current election candidates in the primaries, which they considered a "blacklist".

Pelosi, meanwhile, does not seem interested in changing strategy. In a recent interview with The Washington Post, she explained at length that she did not think her caucus was more liberal than before the 2018 elections, despite the influx of lawmakers such as Ocasio-Cortez and Omar.

The presidential candidates of 2020 may be more liberal, she admitted, but "in our caucus, we have always been progressive."

"But our program is the one that has worked in every district," she said. "Lower health care costs, higher wages, cleaner government. So, no, I mean, there are some people who take a more progressive public position, it does not mean that other people support or oppose it. It's how to do it. "

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