July 18, 2012

Pelosi: "I’m not encouraging anyone to go to the convention..."

"... I think they should stay home, campaign in their districts, use their financial and political resources to help them win their election."
We nominated a president last time. We have an incumbent President of the United States. We’re very proud of him. There certainly will be enough people there to express that pride, but I’m not encouraging members to go to the convention no matter what the situation was, because they can be home. It’s campaign time. It’s the first week in September...
Express that pride.... or not.

She's hoping negative inferences won't be draw from failure to attend the convention. It is a big waste of time and money. Especially if people don't watch it on TV.

Myself, I watch. I watch to blog. Will you watch (either convention)?

42 comments:

Sorun said...

You watch so I don't have to. Thanks.

Sydney said...

No. I won't be watching either of them. We already know where each party stands on the issues and who will be representing the parties. It's all just partisan hoopla at this point. (Though it is kind of fun sometimes to see all the crazy hats people wear at those things.)

campy said...

No, I'll avoid both.

Saint Croix said...

I think they should stay home.

Hey, me too! I am in utter and complete agreement with Nancy Pelosi. Wow.

Christopher in MA said...

I won't watch. I don't watch the GOP conventions because I already agree with them. And I've never watched a Democrat convention in my life; I only have to pick up a newspaper to get all the BDS, eat the rich and blame-America-first garbage I'd ever want.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Nah. Obama is the kiss of death for many democrats in swing states.

chickelit said...

The Democratic Convention this year is her party's official endorsement of Obama and her party's statement that they have no one better to run. Of course Pelosi is ashamed of it.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The 2010 election is not that far in the rearview mirror.

m stone said...

I'll avoid both.

Pre-emptive damage control on the part of Pelosi.

FleetUSA said...

Although I love politics, I get too bored with set piece TV propaganda.

Just like the Olympics. To see minutes of action we have to endure hours of statistics and back stories.

TWM said...

I had to work the DEM convention last time. This time I skated out of it. And I won't watch it on TV either.

cubanbob said...

It's an admission that the Administration and the party at the national level are toxic to a lot of democrats in a close race.

Saint Croix said...

Ooo, I love the smell of F.U. in the morning!

Hey, maybe the Democrats in Congress will tweet their support.

Maybe you can issue an executive order and get people from your own administration to show up.

It's like that episode of the Brady Bunch when Peter threw a party for himself and nobody showed up.

Get out of the way! It's a stampede of Democrats. And they're fleeing!

SGT Ted said...

This is damage control done in advance of Chooms failure.

Saint Croix said...

At least we know Bill Clinton will show up. So he can say nice things about Mitt Romney.

edutcher said...

I've been watching the conventions since '56 (missed in '60 as I was at summer camp).

Great stuff - this year, it's gonna be fun watching the tumbleweeds roll down the aisles as you hear the coyotes howl plaintively in the distance.

PS Pelosi Galore thinks it'll be better if Choom and Moochelle are there by themselves.

Hagar said...

It is also wise not to "encourage" people to do something when you havee a strong suspicion they are not going to follow your "advice."

Sydney said...

It does seem odd that so many aren't attending. For we the people at home, it's just a show, but for those politicians, it's a chance to get together and exchange ideas. It has to have more meaning for them than it does for us. Perhaps they think they get the same effect from internet networking, but IMHO face to face meetings are more productive and influential when it comes to hammering together ideas and policies.

Thorley Winston said...

No, I didn’t watch the 2008 convention even though it was in the Twin Cities. I have zero interest in the pageantry of conventions or what laughingly passes for “debates” these days. I’ll do what I’ve always done – look at the position statements and papers each candidate puts out on the issues that I care about (health care reform, entitlement reform, the private sector economy, government spending) and their respective track records and make my decision. I’ll leave the fluff for my desert topping.

MadisonMan said...

Did Republicans go to the 2004 Convention? I don't remember. I think they likely did. Did Democrats go to the 1976 or 1996 conventions?

What is the history of this? Anyone know? I'm too lazy to look it up :)

wyo sis said...

Conventions don't mean much anymore. It's hard to imagine the kind of hardball politics that used to be played out there. From what I've read about Truman, conventions used to be almost lethal.
The convention moment that Palin had was great to watch though. It remains one of the few memorable spots in recent politics for me.

edutcher said...

MadisonMan said...

Did Republicans go to the 2004 Convention? I don't remember. I think they likely did. Did Democrats go to the 1976 or 1996 conventions?

What is the history of this? Anyone know? I'm too lazy to look it up :)


As I say, I've been watching them a long time, and I can't recall anything like this, especially with these officeholders are being so ostentatious about it.

Original Mike said...

It always amazes me when politicians say things that "everybody" knows are not true. This isn't for the opposition or even the undecided. This is to help the supporters lie to themselves. "Yeah, it’s campaign time. We need to be at home. Yeah, that's it."

Scott said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

To be honest, I'll watch the Dem convention if it starts going badly. Styrofoam columns falling down, empty seats, that sort of thing.

I hope the SEiU doesn't go broke providing buses for "enough people there to express that pride."

rcocean said...

Will I watch? I guess if the alternative is a red hot poker up the ass; maybe.

MadisonMan said...

@edutcher, thanks, that's what I figured.

traditionalguy said...

This will cut into the business of main industry serving the Dem Convention delegates.

The Whores/Escorts all over the USA have arranged their schedules to be in Charlotte. Now what will they do? Each other?

Tarzan said...

Way to go Nancy. Pre-empting a bound-to-be lackluster DNC with the meme that 'everyone is at home working feverishly to get his high-ness re-elected.'

Roger J. said...

Conventions used to be fun when they actually were useful in nominating a candidate--now they are just flash and show. So to answer you question, professor, no I will not be watching, but thanks for falling on that grenade for me.

ndspinelli said...

I have to wash my hair during both conventions. Maybe next time.

Wally Kalbacken said...

What this tells me is that their internal polling is so bad that they are going to need to excuse the absence of a lot of congressional incumbents who cannot afford to be seen at the convention. Clair McCaskill, Bill Nelson, etc., etc., etc.

Chuck66 said...

I'm not into infomericals, so will skip most of both. Maybe watch a small part of the Repubican if the speaker is interesting.

richard mcenroe said...

I may just hook my TV back up just to tape this disaster. Do you have any idea what kind of Todd Browning freak show this convention is going to be?

And there is NOWHERE the Dems can run to hide from this. This will be what they've been voting with and for since 2006 and that's going to be GROUND in...

Christy said...

I seem to remember in years past the pundits talking of convention bounces in polls. How will a half empty hall affect the polls?

Christy said...

Is this a FU to North Carolina in anticipation of November? Will no-shows have an impact on the economy? If it is, will that have an impact on cities willing to host the convention in the future?

ampersand said...

There will be no convention to ever match the great great chaotic spectacle of 1968 Chicago. Pigasus,Vidal/Buckley,Hippie/Cops. Dan Rather beat downs.

Does anyone remember the dems were so broke afterwards they had to hold a tv telethon to beg for dough?

The only other notable was Mayor Daley and crew being tossed out of the 72 convention in favor of Jesse Jackson. No better moment illustrates that party's switch to the hard left and abandonment of the working class.

Chip Ahoy said...

Good. I'll watch the blog. And watch what is said about them with an eye for unusual incidents and for images that can be used. A really good image will leave room for helicopter cat because I've been waiting to slip that in ever since I first saw it. Really. A thing like that dead cat summarizes everything that is unholy and hilarious at once. That thing so extremely awful and at the same time wondrous made to be an everyday occurrence prosaically attending gop and dem conventions. Something else will be the center of attention but helicopter cat drops in and floats off just to make an appearance. Watch. Helicopter cat + convention.

Chip Ahoy said...

I haven't been to b3ta.com in awhile but I'd be disappointed if it were not helicopter cat + olympics all over the place.

mccullough said...

Maybe the Democrats can nominate Phil Bredesen at the convention. He's a smart, competent leader. Obama can stay home and golf and walk the dog.

Freeman Hunt said...

No. I'll read about it here though.

I bet there will be a lot of flags at both. And balloons in flag colors. And popular music. And confetti. And dippy reporters. And signs.

Spectacle! Politics style!

Freeman Hunt said...

I'll watch one if they promise to use a lot of yellow in it. And snakes.