Pelosi Refused To Meet With Petraeus Because She Couldn’t Fit Him Into The Schedule…..Ahhh, She Might Be Able To Squeeze Him In
She found the time to meet with Assad, but she can’t meet with our General?
The top military commander in Iraq will make a rare visit to Capitol Hill next week but House Democratic leaders – unlike their Senate counterparts – initially declined the Defense Department’s offer of a Members-only closed-door briefing with Army Gen. David Petraeus, according to Congressional and administration sources.
A spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at first acknowledged Tuesday that the Pentagon’s request to have Petraeus give a House briefing had been denied due to “scheduling conflicts” next week. Later on Tuesday, Pelosi’s office contacted Roll Call stating that the Speaker was now working to set up a session…
“It’s puzzling that for the first time that Gen. Petraeus is in the country since he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate that the House has declined an offer to talk to him. We would hope that they would reconsider,” the official said before Pelosi reversed course Tuesday and agreed to set up a House-wide meeting with Petraeus next Thursday.
In contrast, Senate aides confirmed Tuesday that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had accepted the invitation and a briefing open to all Senators is scheduled for April 25.
It is no coincidence that Petraeus’ weeklong visit coincides with a potential vote on the supplemental, which has drawn sharp opposition from Bush and Congressional Republicans because it includes benchmarks and provisions on troop withdrawal supported by Democrats…
Pelosi’s initial decision to decline a chamber meeting with Petraeus prompted sharp criticism from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).
“This demonstrates a willful refusal to obtain the facts, understand the consequences of withdrawal, or accept the possibility that the new plan for victory just may be showing signs of forward progress,” Boehner said in a statement to Roll Call. “Preventing Gen. Petraeus from briefing Members while delaying funds for the troops and advancing a bill that undermines their mission is downright irresponsible. If I were delaying funding for his soldiers, I wouldn’t want to look the General in the eyes either, but this is a dereliction of duty…”
April 21, 2007 - 01:18 PM on April 21st, 2007
Thanks for digging this up. I heard Mort Kondracke mention this on Fox News but Roll Call had the full story on their subscription site.
Really says alot about who Pelosi is that she will travel half way around the world to shake hands with a man who has the blood of Americans on his hands but didn’t want to meet with the man who is leading our troops in battle.
April 21, 2007 - 02:50 PM on April 21st, 2007
This is very deep. The Democrites know that if she met with Petraeus, she’d hear directly from someone who knows what direction things are going in and whether the “troop surge” has had a significant effect. She would surely have to talk about it, which they don’t want to do. She couldn’t lie successfully, especially if others were present to hear it.
This imo is why the leader of the cut-and-run-surrender party wouldn’t meet with Petraeus.
April 21, 2007 - 03:53 PM on April 21st, 2007
“She couldn’t lie successfully, especially if others were present to hear it.”
I’m not so sure about that Robert. But she’s no Clinton, that’s for sure.