Pelosi is Already Damaged Goods

Bob Novak writes today about the damage that Nancy Pelosi has already done to herself in these early post-election days:

As the new House majority caucus prepared to pick its leadership today, Democrats were trying to make the best of the inevitability of Nancy Pelosi as the party's first speaker in a dozen years. They have put out the word that she was not serious in endorsing Rep. John Murtha for majority leader. How much effort she has exerted for her longtime ally is irrelevant, but she has actively solicited votes this week.

The damage to her was irrevocable when she wrote her colleagues Sunday urging them to pick Murtha over Rep. Steny Hoyer. Close associates of Hoyer say her letter stunned him, and he was not alone. While Pelosi had made it clear that she would vote for Murtha, the public endorsement was unexpected.

Although Pelosi's apologists had stressed that this was not a public campaign, but a pro forma endorsement, she began actively campaigning for Murtha on Tuesday. Even before that, the letter itself was taken seriously within the Democratic caucus, including by Hoyer and his close associates. A speaker's written word cannot be taken lightly.

This is a no-win situation for Pelosi. If Murtha wins today, she will be accused of personal vindictiveness in derailing Hoyer, who is more popular in the caucus and better qualified for leadership. If Murtha loses, as is much more probable, she will be seen as bumbling her first attempt to lead the new Democratic majority.

Unfortunately for the Dems Murtha is not the only Pelosi problem. She's also on the cusp of elevating a former federal judge, who was impeached for bribery, to the head of the Intelligence Committee:

But Pelosi's personal pique was evident in her opposition to her rival diva from California, Rep. Jane Harman, as chairman of the House intelligence committee. In line to replace Harman is Rep. Alcee Hastings, who was once impeached as a federal judge on bribery charges.

For a party that effectively stressed a Republican climate of corruption in the recent campaign to consider placing Murtha and Hastings in its leadership astonishes a wide range of Democrats. They do not believe Murtha can defeat Hoyer, but the imminence of Hastings stuns them. Well-placed Democrats have told Pelosi she cannot permit this to happen. What they hesitate to contemplate is what lies ahead based on Pelosi's performance before she has taken the oath.

Could there be a revolt coming among the Dems before the Speaker's vote? Remember, the entire House votes for Speaker and not just the majority party. If the GOP were to unite behind someone like Hoyer, and should some of the "blue dog" Dems join in, Pelosi could actually lose the election for Speaker which would leave her completely out of the leadership. Then, at the very least, she'd have a good reason for that permanent look of surprise that she has on her face.

UPDATE: Steny Hoyer wins for Majority Leader 149-86 dealing Pelosi a loss (she was one of Murtha's nominators along with being a major supporter).