Bug-Eyed Dummy

A couple of years ago Nextel Cup driver Sterling Marlin was caught up in an accident cause by another driver, and when asked his description of the other driver, described him as a "bug-eyed dummy". It's one of my favorite descriptions ever.

I have a new nominee for that description - the Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who obviously has never met a plastic surgeon she didn't employ (from Political Diary):

Democratic Congressional leaders yesterday announced they will urge a boycott by their party of the proposed joint Congressional committee set up to investigate the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the proposed panel a sham and a charade, saying she will appoint no representatives unless Democrats are further consulted on the panel's structure, membership is evenly divided between the two parties, and the committee has full powers to subpoena witnesses and records.

Blink if you hear me, Nancy...if you still can. Elections mean things, and you guys have lost a bunch of them in a row. Consequently, you don't get to decide how and when committees are going to be created, or what form they will take. You'll get seats assigned according to your proportion of the entire house, and not one more. Back when you guys were in charge, I don't remember you being extraordinarily generous when it came to investigative committees. Dick Cheney doesn't either:

But Vice President Dick Cheney was amused yesterday at the refusal of the minority party to even play ball. He pointed out that he served on the joint committee that investigated the Iran-Contra scandal in 1987. It was set up by a Democratic Congress largely without consulting the minority party, was not evenly divided between the parties, and Democrats largely dictated who the witnesses would be and what matters would be investigated. One can only imagine how the media would have reacted if the GOP back then had stamped its feet and refused to appoint any members to the panel.

If the Dems don't want to show up, so what? Go ahead and hold the hearings anyway. My guess is the Dems will fold and join in out of fear an in-depth investigation will be devastating to certain Louisiana politicians, all of them Democrats. Showing up will be the only shot they have at mitigating the damage.

This will likely give Pelosi some sleepless nights...that and the fact that she can't close her eyes.