Today NBC News reporter Luke Russert suggested at a press conference that it might be time for Nancy Pelosi to pass the baton on to younger leaders. The California Democrat had just announced her intention to stay on as House minority leader.
“Your colleagues privately say that your decision to stay on prohibits the party from having a younger leadership,” Russert told Pelosi in a room packed with reporters. “What’s your response?”
A group of female lawmakers standing behind the Democratic leader immediately began to boo and heckle Russert. One woman shouted “discrimination” at him several times.
“Oh, you’ve always asked that question,” Pelosi sarcastically said to Russert, after a pause. “Except to Mitch McConnell.”
This just goes to prove that being a good journalist has nothing to do with DNA. Luke’s father Tim Russert , god rest his soul was a an excellent political journalist and its obvious that his political journalist chromosome was not passed on.
Perhaps Luke should go back to co-hosting the sports talk programs where you belong and let other more qualified REAL political journalist get their chance.
While I can appreciate sensitivity around age discrimination, I would like to see leadership positions in Congress come with some form of term limits to encourage new (not necessarily younger) faces in both Party’s leadership. With Congress’ approval rating hovering somewhere around 15-20% and incumbents continually winning re-election, insisting / enforcing leadership changes every so often seems to me to be the only way to ensure more views are heard. It might also force leaders to be more open to negotiating knowing they can’t make a career as a “Minority” or “Marjority” leader, whip, etc…
If I feel this way (and I agree w/ 99% of Pelosi’s positions) it makes me wonder what other voters who don’t agree with Pelosi, Boehner, etc… must feel like.
While I can appreciate sensitivity around age discrimination, I would like to see leadership positions in Congress come with some form of term limits to encourage new (not necessarily younger) faces in both Party’s leadership. With Congress’ approval rating hovering somewhere around 15-20% and incumbents continually winning re-election, insisting / enforcing leadership changes every so often seems to me to be the only way to ensure more views are heard. It might also force leaders to be more open to negotiating knowing they can’t make a career as a “Minority” or “Majority” leader, whip, etc…
If I feel this way (and I agree w/ 99% of Pelosi’s positions) it makes me wonder what other voters who don’t agree with Pelosi, Boehner, etc… must feel like.