Hang Her High

This is ridiculous, and while I know that Democrats are generally disinclined to hissy fits, they ought to show some backbone and rally behind their Speaker on this one, simply to change the conversation.

Responding to questions over whether Pelosi could call a special session - which Democrats insist won’t happen - and vote on other issues that Republicans may not want to face, such as an expansion of childrens’ [sic] health insurance programs, which President Bush and GOP congressional leaders have opposed.

“She’s gonna bring us back and not deal with it? The American people are gonna hang her,” Boehner said. When pressed further, Boehner said it would “be fine, as long as we get a vote on our bill.”

Reps. Miller and Markey have released statements, but of course the difference between the Republican hissy fit and the Democratic hissy fit is that the media reports on the Republican one. The hope here is to discredit these stammering GOP fits from now on.

Look, occasionally political figures and officials are going to say intemperate things. They’ll generate criticism, which is often deserved. But since being relegated to minority status, Republicans, most notably Boehner himself, have been in high dudgeon at the drop of a hat, as if their delicate sensibilities and virgin ears can’t bear to hear a Democrat say a discouraging word.

Given this, Boehner can’t be too surprised if the umbrage wars start moving in his direction — he did, after all, talk publicly (albeit metaphorically) about violence towards the House Speaker.

IOKIYAR is a defense, but it’s not a compelling one given Boehner’s repeated hysterical fits every time he hears a Dem say something that sends him looking for a feinting couch.

A lot of the problem with Democrats in Washington is that they're unwilling to be as stupid as media coverage demands. My preference is that they run this on a loop on the House floor but unfortunately it's a better bet that screaming "the Minority Leader called for the hanging of the Speaker" will be a squeakier wheel to get the grease.