On the Other, Dems Also Looking to Self-Implode

While I am generally not in favor of doing things simply because of party loyalty, it seems the the Democrats are going to do something particularly stupid when it comes to leadership elections also, so stupidity is a non-partisan trait.

Just days after helping her win the House, Speaker to Be Nancy Pelosi is dumping Rep. Steny Hoyer as her guy for Majority Leader. I think the Influence Peddler has it right:

Let's take a look at the balance sheet. Hoyer has good relations with corporate donors and can raise money. He has legitimacy with the 'Blue Dogs' and the 'New Dems.' He has been a good soldier for Pelosi, and has made it clear in many venues that he has no intention of challenging her for leadership.

Pelosi is backing Rep. John Murtha.

Some people might look at Pelosi's support for Murtha as a reward for headlining an issue that helped the Dems win the majority. But I tend to look at it in terms of completely dimissing a person who worked very hard to help win the majority back, for the entire 12 years in which the Dems were in teh minority. Murtha is a kind of "Johnny come lately" to the leadership scene.

So, in what could be the first, most important step Pelosi can make as Speaker, she is going to ignore the efforts that Hoyer has made on their party's behalf, and at the same time, put into motion the machinery that could be her undoing. A deeat for Hoyer in the leadership races will all but assure that Hoyer, who is certainly more palatable to the country as a whole, will run against her in the next Speaker's challenge, assuming that the Dems keep control of the House.