UPDATED--MANY MORE GOODIES: Human Waste II: Pelosi's Poisonous Stiletto Kills Bailout Bill (On Video)

Putting aside the fact that Barack Obama did absolutely nothing to move today's bailout bill forward (when McCain wanted to drop everything to work on this, all Barack could say was: "but what about my debate?...") ; putting aside that Democrats believe an economic collapse favors them in the upcoming election (why else would they attach riders to Paulson's original proposal designating huge earmarks for hard left organizations like ACORN?); and putting aside that last night the leadership of both parties appeared to have an agreement--albeit a very tenuous agreement--which had a good chance to be approved today: what happened?? Why at the very last moment, just before the critical vote, San Fran Nan herself stepped right onto the floor of the US House and then proceeded to make one of the most monumentally partisan and stupid speeches of her life. It is a speech that will go down in History, mark my words.

As many Republicans were preparing to swallow their pride and take one for the team; just as they were preparing to suck it up and hold their noses to vote to create the largest step toward State Socialism in US history--which neither they nor their constituents wanted--here comes 'ol "bug eyes" herself to the podium with a burning molotov cocktail to hurl onto the extremely flammable and voliatile floor of the House. And hurl it she does...

I'm just going to say it, because I believe it to be true: Pelosi's only possible motivation was to achieve the very result that was achieved--to torpedo the bill (not to mention that the vote lost by 13, and 94 Democrats voted against it...). Perhaps the Dems just want to ram through their own earmark-filled version with NO Republican votes, thinking that Bush would sign it. Who knows? But I do not think the timing of her floor speech was a coincidence.

In the past several years, there have been so many outrages--so many examples of putting naked power before country and those they were elected to serve, that it almost becomes difficult to chronicle them all. Some of these were so insidious that I to this day consider them to be treasonous and seditious. To say this is this worst-rated Congress in the history of ratings does not begin to describe how utterly dispicible this leadership is. Still, at this moment of economic crisis, not only for America but for the entire world--Nancy decided it was time to take the podium BEFORE the vote and deliver a partisan diatribe (emphasis mine):

The House quickly divided into hostile camps on what had intended to be a bipartisan bill, with both sides saying the other had not held up its end of the bargain. Indeed 40 percent of Democrats and two-thirds of Republicans opposed the legislation in the 205-228 vote against the bill.

Republicans were quick to blame House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the bill's failure, saying a pre-vote speech in which she criticized the Bush administration's handling of the economy had turned Republican votes against the bailout.

"This is not a partisan crisis, this is an economic crisis," said Deputy Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor, who said that 94 Democrats also refused to go along with the bill. He described the vote as the result of "Speaker Pelosi's failure to listen and failure to lead."

House Republican Conference Chairman, Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida, said "he was disappointed that the process that yielded a bipartisan approach took a very marked, partisan tone at the end of the debate."

But House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., took umbrage with that claim.

"Because somebody hurt their feelings they decide to punish the country. ... I mean, that's hardly plausible" said Frank. noting that the number of Republicans insulted was the same needed to pass the legislation. "I'll make an offer. Give me those 12 people's names and I will go talk uncharacteristically nicely to them."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told FOX News that Democrats knew how tenuous the bill was they shouldn't have played with fire.

"Congressman Frank is funny and clever but there's nothing clever about this. Why would you poison the well right before the vote is about to take place?" he asked.

In her speech, Pelosi asked lawmakers to swallow hard and support the legislation. But she also piled on the administration.

"When was the last time someone asked you for $700 billion?" Pelosi asked in a floor speech shortly before the vote. "It is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush administration's failed economic policies — policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision and no discipline in the system."

All those Republicans who were about to cast a vote that went against approximately 65% of their constituents calling in and warning them to vote "No". And then Nancy--the Speaker of the House, for God's sake--went out and threw out that bile. Hell, I would have changed my vote too.

Make no mistake, this was not a coincidence. How many people will lose their jobs, savings and home because of this stiletto to the throat of Republicans, just as the vote was about to take place?

Here is the whole thing on tape. Keep in mind this was RIGHT BEFORE THE VOTE:



IT IS AN UTTER DISGRACE.

UPDATE: Via Glenn Reynolds and Eugene Volokh:

SO THE HOUSE WON'T RECONVENE UNTIL THURSDAY? That seems like a sure loser. If things get better over the next couple of days, it'll make it harder to do a deal and make them look irrelevant; if things get worse it will make them look like they slacked off at a crucial time.

Plus, thoughts on Pelosi's speech:

Speaker Pelosi's speech before the House today was remarkable, but not in a good way. She was trying to round up votes for a bailout package that shes claims to believe is essential for the stability of the American economy. She can't, and doesn't want to, pass the bill without a substantial number of Republican votes. So what does she do? You would think she would say, "let's pass this emergency measure now, in the best interests of the country, and talk about who is to blame later." Instead, Pelosi began her speech with a highly partisan tirade against "Bush" and "Republican" economic policies, which were allegedly to blame for this situation. She focused on an attack on the growth of federal deficits, which clearly are at best tangential to the current crisis. That, to me, is the sort of irresponsible thing you do when (a) you're not claiming there is a vast emergency; and (b) you are in the minority, and not claiming to exercise leadership. . . .

I have no idea why any particular member, or group of members, of the House, voted for or against the bill. All I'm saying is that if you are trying to rally the House to pass an emergency bill, you make it seem like there is AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY, which more or less precludes partisan attacks. To the extent any Republican voted against the bill because of Pelosi's speech, it may not be a question of them being offended by her partisanship, but the perspective that if Pelosi thinks that the situation calls for partisanship, it must not be a serious emergency, because leaders simply don't engage in such antics when a true emergency is at hand. For that matter, if I were a Democrat skeptical of the bill, Pelosi's speech may have discouraged me from voting for it for the same reason.

Plus, a more cynical take on Pelosi's motivations.

MORE HERE: Also via Glenn, do not miss this from Roger Kimball

UPDATE: Another great Reynolds link, this one to a Hot Air story where they find a 1999 New York Times article WARNING about the risk and danger of the Clinton Administration continuing to allow Fannie Mae to run wild under (who else) Howard Raines! My how things do change...