Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East

This is fascinating.  Here's an mp3 of Nancy Pelosi talking about her recent trip to the Middle East.  The transcript is below.

There's real change in the world and many of you in this room are an important part of making it happen.  Through the Internet there's a whole different communication.  That's obvious, right?  But I've been to the Middle East so many times, this is the first time that I've been there where people - whether I was in Saudi Arabia (by the way, talking to them about how we're going to reduce our dependence on Middle East oil, and how they should join us in fighting global warming) -- but the fact is that in Saudi Arabia, or the Palestinian territories, in Syria, or in Israel, in Lebanon, wherever we went, young people and women were saying, "We want these wars to stop.  We've had it.  Do our leaders have the courage to take the risks for peace?  And if we had peace, will they be able to deliver us jobs and healthcare and education?"  Their aspirations are the same as the aspirations of young people in our country.

And for the first time, it wasn't a tirade about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  It was about, "Figure out a way to end these!  Our leaders just have to figure out a way to end these, so that we can get on with our futures."

And really, the Internet had a major part in changing that communication.

So when the President had a statement that we're not going to engage in dialogue, well, everybody else is.  And if you want to shape the dialogue, if you want to have somebody else characterize your position, those are your choices: shape it, or have it mischaracterized for you.

This is the first time I've come back optimistic.  Not only do the partners for peace seem to be willing to go for it... I don't know. ... But I do tell you this: the people are restless, and they want change.  And again, the connectivity they have with young people throughout the world, with women throughout the world, is what is making a very, very big difference.



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Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (3.00 / 1)

Wonderful. Now woulkd please inform Martin Schram and Richard Cohen that trips like Pelosi's have postive ramifications as far as domestic politicis is concerned.


by spirowasright on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 11:54:39 AM EST

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (3.00 / 3)

This is why I like and respect her... she so damn practical and rational.


by SandThroughTheEyeGlass on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 12:10:16 PM EST

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (3.00 / 1)

I also like Pelosi.  The difference betweeen her real leadership and Bush is so apparent.  


by littafi on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 12:40:48 PM EST

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (3.00 / 1)


543,895 votes
by Michael Bersin on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 02:08:02 PM EST

Pelosi in '07 (3.00 / 1)

President Pelosi in 2007.

GWB for Baseball commissioner
Cheney forgotten


by mrobinsong on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 02:22:29 PM EST

Pelosi in Seattle my home town! (3.00 / 1)

"Again we come back to Washington state making progress for peace and I thnk you for that."

Nancy Pelosi for President '07

Cheney for cave dweller
Bush for brush cutter


by mrobinsong on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 02:42:51 PM EST

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (none / 0)

Got the chance to shake her hand and tell her I supported her trip to Syria. Even got a picture of her as she was arriving at SEA-TAC airport last night.


by rickeagle on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 03:51:21 PM EST

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (none / 0)

Kewl.  Can you post the pic?


by Matt Stoller on Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 05:04:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Pelosi on the Internet in the Middle East (none / 0)

The Internet is a learning tool.  Teevee is a bludgeon used badly by authoritarians and dumb celebrities, although well by Bill Moyers and some talented writers and actors/actresses.  But overall, the Internet allows conversations and learning that older, one-to-many technologies simply can't enable.  

Karl Rove should be more p*ssed at the owners of patents for routers, software, and video codecs than he should be at the Dems ;-)

Karma is a very creative bitch; always full of surprises.


by readerOfTeaLeaves on Sun Apr 15, 2007 at 12:06:07 AM EST


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