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Pelosi Avoids Controversy

House Minority Leader plants Democratic flag in quick speech

by
Marc Tracy
March 06, 2012
Rep. Pelosi tonight.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Rep. Pelosi tonight.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The speeches are coming fast and furious, so I only have limited notes on House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s. It was a very deliberately uncontroversial address. She began with a long encomium to President Peres (surely the most uncontroversial Israeli figure). She said, “Our appearance tonight reaffirms that our support for Israel is bipartisan, even if we don’t speak with the same voice tonight.” She gave a shout-out to her state of California. She referred to her Jewish grandchildren. She took credit for passing the ten-year, $30 billion Memorandum of Understanding that guarantees aid to Israel. It’s true that Congress passed it. But credit conventionally goes to President George W. Bush for that one, and you could almost hear Republicans groaning. Interestingly, she namechecked Rep. Howard Berman, who faces a tough primary battle for his San Fernando Valley seat to his fellow Rep. Brad Sherman. Is Pelosi playing favorites? It’s a very interesting question, but probably one for another night.

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.