The Godmother of the Democratic party?
It seems that Nancy Pelosi calls the shots:
House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will ensure that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) wins his race for majority leader, a key Murtha ally said Monday night.
“She will ensure that they [the Murtha camp] win. This is hard-ball politics,” said Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a longtime Murtha supporter. “We are entering an era where when the Speaker instructs you what to do, you do it.”
[…]
Pelosi recently endorsed Murtha’s bid for majority leader against House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), but it was unclear whether she would use her clout as the first Democratic Speaker in 12 years to help Murtha win or whether her letter simply expressed a personal preference as a favor to Murtha.Pelosi’s move was deliberate, Moran said, and she was already leaning on her colleagues to affect the outcome.
“Yes, she’s making calls to people. She is contacting people and letting them know that it’s an unequivocal letter,” Moran said.
She is willing to fight the battle for power within the Democratic party, so it seems.
I wonder in how far Pelosi demands a united Democratic party: in how far dissent is allowed and / or even encouraged. When I look at her behavior I fear that she is not exactly in favor of it: she seems to believe in a very united, unanimous Democratic party under strong leadership.
A party should be united, but there should also be room for dissent and debate.
Again, I wonder in how far Pelosi agrees with that view.
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