House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke with the New York Times Magazine recently regarding her fight to become speaker of the House of Representatives as the Democrats’ leadership elections loom next week. She also gave her opinion on President Trump’s relationship with the press.
“May I say something you’re not going to like?” she asked, “I think the press loves him (President Trump). All day on TV — and I don’t even watch TV, except sports. But he says somebody had a horse face — all day we hear about that.”
“We hear about Kanye West, all day,” she added, “you just give him all day!”
Pelosi then compared President Trump’s relationship to the press with that of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. She did qualify that she didn’t want to sound like she was making an analogy.
“So I don’t want you to think I’m making an analogy,” she said, “but Mussolini, he didn’t care what they said about him, as long as they were talking about him.”
While Pelosi accused President Trump of “trying to destroy the collective consciousness of our country,” she did indicate a willingness to work with him.
She also had some harsh words for some of her colleagues who were advocating far-left positions.
“I have those who want to be for impeachment and for abolishing ICE,” she said, “two really winning issues for us, right? In the districts we have to win? I don’t even think they’re the right thing to do. If the evidence from Mueller is compelling, it should be compelling for Republicans as well, and that may be a moment of truth. But that’s not where we are.”
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) and others have led calls for Trump’s impeachment. Rising Democratic socialist star Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as well as potential 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) have both advocated for abolishing ICE.
The Democratic caucus will be voting on leadership positions at the end of November and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) is considering a challenge to Pelosi.
Seventeen Democrats have signed a letter opposing Pelosi for speaker indicating she may have trouble coming up with the votes she needs.