Nancy, Nancy, Nancy...

I was reading this article where Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi discusses her plans if the Dems take over the house in Novemeber and things were going well. While I don't agree with all of her ideas for her "first 100 hours" plan, it is the first time I've heard a real agenda from the Dems. It's solid Dem populist stuff , reads well on paper, it certainly addresses concerns from their base, but most importantly, it's a list. So I'm thinking, "ok, now I have something to guage the Dems on. I can see how I like them on their own." Then things start wobbling for me.

"We believe in the marketplace," Pelosi said of Democrats, then drew a contrast with Republicans. "They have only rewarded wealth, not work."

"We must share the benefits of our wealth" beyond the privileged few, she added.

And.

Asked what offices should would occupy if in the Capitol if she becomes speaker, she laughed. "I'll have any suite I want."

Then it struck me. Pelosi doesn't know when to shut-up.

Look at the first block. The first sentence is fine. Good key words like "market place" and it also digs at the Bush tax cuts which did mostly help the highest tax bracket. And focusing on the middle class with the "work not weatlh" line is Dem bread and butter. Plus it's catchy. Lot's of real debate about how the middle class is doing and where it's best to target tax cuts. While you may disagree, it's solid ground.

Then "she added" the line about sharing the wealth. This goes right back to the "Dems as socialists" attack. And with lines like that, the attackers are probably right (heh- right and from the right - got to be fast here on the Hydrablog). If she stopped before the her add, then she would have come out fine. But if I'm looking to hurt the Dems, the wealth redistribution line becomes the tag I talk about. Anyone who grew up playing Punch Out knows that you have to "stick and move." Don't linger with "adds," make your main point and move on.

Then she, as leader of the Democratic party (yes that very party that's been getting it handed to them for 10 years) starts getting all heady. "I'll have any suite I want." Seriously? Maybe win control first, then start redecorating. Why not just answer the question, "Well there's a long time to the election, we're focused on winning. I'm much more concerned with winning seats than which seat I'll sit in if we're successful." Her pary has proven to be woefully unable to compete with the GOP, just a week ago they got massively outmanoevered by the GOP on the Torture bill, "Hey McCain you handle this, we'll just be over here doing nothing. Thank you." My advice, Mrs. Pelosi, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

They just make it so hard to root for. They're like the Washington Generals, they can only win if the GOP completely falls apart, and even then it's a squeaker. It will be interesting to see how long they can hold on to control if they happen to bungle their way into it.