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White House-Pelosi Face Off on Trade
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ShareApril 09, 2008 2:28 PM
ABC's Jennifer Duck reports: The White House responded angrily Wednesday to a suggestion from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA that she might change legislative rules to avoid a required vote the disputed free-trade agreement with Colombia.
According to existing rules, the Congress has 90 days to vote on legislation sent by the White House.
White House spokesperson Dana Perino reacted angrily to Pelosi's suggestion.
Watch the VIDEO HERE.
"Speaker Pelosi today did something unprecedented in the history negotiating trade deals in announcing the democrats would change the rules in the middle of the game," Perino said.
The White House has aggressively pushed Congress to approve the trade deal with Colombia, arguing that supporting an ally in South America is in the best interest of the United States. But Democrats oppose the deal, which has been criticized by many labor groups and human rights organizations. The Democrats want to expand support for American workers displaced from their jobs by foreign trade before making more free trade expansion agreements.
"It is clear that there are many in the Democratic party who would like to kill this bill. and they would like to do it without having their fingerprints on it. They want to do it in a way where they don't have to take a vote," Perino said. "You can bet that President Bush is going to bring this up at 3:00 when he sees the leaders."
The President is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders, including Pelosi, at the White House Wednesday afternoon to discuss the trade deal and other matters.
However Speaker Pelosi explained her move saying she thinks the bill would lose if it were brought to the floor immediately and it would send the wrong message to the world about the U.S. positiosn on trade. "I thought there was a risk (in) the President sending it to the Congress now. If brought to the floor immediately, it would lose. And what message would that send?" Pelosi said earlier today.
She called Pelosi's suggestion "awful precedent" and said it was "terrible" for this administration and all future administrations. Perino said the White House has "worked tirelessly" and they "have bent over backwards to make this happen" adding "it will be interesting to see how the president deals with that today."
Speaking about the Speaker's move Perino said sharply, "The fact that they don't even want to have a vote should maybe tell you something because maybe she's not so confident of the votes they have."
After several minutes of Perino's criticisms of Pelosi, ABC's Ann Compton noted that the Press Secretary seemed "a little angry" about the sequence of events today. Perino responded, "I think we're pretty fired up about it. It is the right thing to do. The Free Trade Agreement with Colombia is the right thing to do and they know it. And that's why they don't want to take a vote on it because their special interests are pressuring them not to let this deal go through."
April 9, 2008 in Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (113)
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OHIO ...USA... Needs jobs our economy is suffering can we help our citizens on this fact first and foremost.
Posted by: Pat L | Apr 9, 2008 2:45:43 PM
Pelosi thinks she's running the country.
Posted by: Aston | Apr 9, 2008 2:50:44 PM
It's about time. Dont give that administration another thing. Lame Duck the rest of their dictatorship time. The people have had enough! We want jobs here!
Posted by: poz | Apr 9, 2008 2:56:36 PM
Aston, wake up. The speaker of the house is supposed to be one of the ones running the country. it's called checks and balances. Get a clue!
Good for you, Nancy. Again, it's nice to see a Democrat with a spine in the face of ignorant Republicans who sling attacks alleging others are guilty of what they, the Republicans, are up to.
Posted by: jenn | Apr 9, 2008 3:00:50 PM
The speaker of the house is supposed to be the one running the country???
Come out of your cave more often Jenn.
Posted by: Aston | Apr 9, 2008 3:03:10 PM
Does anyone have any information about Obama and Michael Pfleger?
Posted by: Just curious | Apr 9, 2008 3:04:02 PM
How can anyone say a good word about Pelosi? She thinks she is queen of the United States.
Posted by: S | Apr 9, 2008 3:08:40 PM
Just Curious, could you tell us what is the position of "Hill the Bosnian General" and "Bill the money Man" on this Colombia/UrubeFTA? What is Penn's position on this? He stepped aside after he was caught negotiating with Urube. Everybody knows that McNasty is in agreement with this trade agreement because it is coming from WBush-Cheney offices. God bless America and God bless Obama.OBAMA08.
Posted by: BKMC | Apr 9, 2008 3:17:38 PM
WHAT A MESS FOR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
1.OBAMA AN AFRICAN/AMERICAN IS UNELECTABLE.
2.HILLARY,A GENDER ISSUE.NO WOMAN HAS BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT IN OUR REPUBLIC.
3.McCAIN OVER 72 YEARS OLD,ONE TERM PRESIDENT.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER CHOICE??????
Posted by: NIcholas | Apr 9, 2008 3:18:03 PM
Pelosi and Howard Dean - quickly becoming the biggest "turn offs" to the Democratic party. I honestly am questioning our ability to elect even mediocre leaders - why do we keep electing incompetence? Is it our fear of the far left and their ability to shame us and intimidate us into submission?
Posted by: Jeff | Apr 9, 2008 3:20:18 PM
Why do we need a president?
We have Pelosi.
Posted by: Aston | Apr 9, 2008 3:20:22 PM
Has Aston finally grown a brain? The last post is right on. Pelosi has a backbone and would not put up with the crap that Dumbya is throwing around!
Posted by: JT | Apr 9, 2008 3:30:52 PM
What is Pelosi afraid of? If the agreement fails she gets what she wants. I guess she is just another democrat changing the rules in the middle of the game. Maybe she doesn't want representitives to go on record with a vote. This appears to be an attempt to circumvent representative democracy.
Posted by: boulderhippie2 | Apr 9, 2008 3:31:40 PM
How dare the liberals do they! They should be dismissed from office now! A republican would never do such a thing!
Posted by: Tina the soccermom | Apr 9, 2008 3:34:43 PM
Pelosi is a slug. She hasn't got any meaningful legislation passed in two years. Usually, she's blocking it. Her and Reid are constantly playing politics at the expense of the public.
Somebody should sprinkle salt on her.
Posted by: Aston | Apr 9, 2008 3:37:29 PM
Good for Pelosi. She is doing something Bush has been doing for years.
...Changing the rules.
I guess Bush and Cheney don't like it when the show is on the other foot.
I'm not a Pelosi fan but by god, its good to see someone sticking it to these crooked pair for a change. They can dish it out to the public but when they receive it, they go crying "Boo Hoo"
"Go Pelosi"
Posted by: Anne | Apr 9, 2008 3:44:39 PM
so let me get this straight George bush is doing a god job and Pelosi A bad job? Who lied about a war? umemployment is at a new high. foreclosures and a record. George is being sent on travels far away so he can not be blamed for the disaster that is the economy now. the republicans hope no one remember how bad they screwed up the economy.
Posted by: ohwhyme2002 | Apr 9, 2008 3:46:53 PM
Pelosi just recently became pushy.
she did not speak a lot before only recently.
Posted by: crisis08 | Apr 9, 2008 3:47:08 PM
And we pay these stupid idiots to represent us? Want to know why the public's rating of Congress is so low!
Posted by: 312 Capri | Apr 9, 2008 3:48:46 PM
Pelosi and Howard Dean - quickly becoming the biggest "turn offs" to the Democratic party
YOU'RE CORRECT.I CAN ADD:
THE WHOLE POLITICAL SYSTEM IS A MESS.
Posted by: NIcholas | Apr 9, 2008 3:49:52 PM
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