Gina Cooper opened the event by letting us know that any organized disruption would result in the protesters' being escorted out and badges taken. As for the questioning of Speaker Pelosi, she said that impeachment and FISA questions were consolidated into 2 summary questions. Congressman Lloyd Doggett just introduced Speaker Pelosi. She got a standing O.

Update [2008-7-19 11:11:41 by Todd Beeton]:Al Gore just showed up to join Speaker Pelosi on the stage and is speaking now. Al Gore: "I feel right at home here."

Dear Nancy,

You'll note that Karl Rove didn't show up at the Senate today. And I'll wait and see, but I imagine that the  Senate's reaction will be like yours in the House vis a vis impeachment. The maybe true/maybe false belief: The more the GOP is seen as breaking the law with impunity, the more people will vote for Dems

Here's the problem with that philosophy which, while it doesn't separate us from the apes, surely separates you and your colleagues from any claim to greatness: If George and Karl and the others can break law as they have and our side does nothing--and yes, the GOP has made a mockery of the law time and again--do you know what is going to happen when Obama's president?

If he stubs his toe one day in the White House, we'll hear loud and consistent calls for his impeachment.

I think it was late 2006. Earlier that summer, YearlyKos in Las Vegas had been a huge success.

By the fall, I was working for Harry Reid in Washington. And the executive director of YearlyKos, Gina Cooper, came to visit DC. My friend Ari and I invited Gina up for a tour of the Capitol. As we walked the halls, the three of us talked about ways our leaders in Congress could interact with the online community at the next YearlyKos.

Reid doesn't like to shy away from confrontation. So Ari and I suggested an event at Netroots Nation we knew Reid would like: "ask him anything." Gina loved it. And the Speaker's office liked the idea too, so "Ask the Leaders" was born.

Unfortunately, at the very last moment the Congressional calendar kept Reid and Pelosi in DC last year. "Ask the Leaders" didn't happen.

So this year, we're thrilled that it's rescheduled, if slightly modified. Despite Herculean efforts on the part of his staff, Harry Reid just couldn't get out of a conflict.

But "Ask the Speaker" is on.

Gina and Jeffry Feldman will moderate, and they've created something really innovative: at askthespeaker.org, you can submit your own question for Pelosi and rank the questions others have asked.

So head over and ask the Speaker.

And if you haven't registered for next week's conference, what are you waiting for??

I think we all have to have a great deal of respect for Dennis Kucinich who has tried time and again to have Bush impeached for truly obvious misdeeds. He has faced Nancy Pelosi's "no impeachment" position and has added to his following in single Congressional digits every time (Pelosi doesn't even want Karl Rove brought to justice for ignoring a Congressional warrant from Conyers' committee).

Kucinich just put out this letter in response to the revelations by the Pentagon that we got into Iran due to a lie which Bush was aware of. Instead of bringing 35 charges, he is bringing only one... maybe the rest of Congress can absorb one issue.

One thing Progressives have constantly been up in arms about since we helped the Democrats win back Congress in 2006 is the FISA fight. Many of us think that this bill was completely unneccesary, and that it was a bad idea. It wasn't that we needed new, broad ranging powers for the Federal Government to keep us safe, we just needed a competent administration in place to use laws already in place to protect us. That is what failed us on that terrible day of 9-11-01.

Ok- I need to vent here.  I am so so so sick of Nancy Pelosi that I could VOMIT.  Can she NOT make a comment without speaking negatively about Hillary Clinton?  I mean COME ON!  It has happened so many times this year that I've lost count.  Now it's the "I don't know WHAT she's talking about, I'VE never experienced sexism" comment (that's not word for word- but close).  Well, you've only ran for a house seat in a Liberal California district Pelosi- not on a National level!  What a moron.  Seriously.  Not only is she incompetent in running The House- she's got a real knack for pissing people off.
Honestly- I think she's jealous of Hillary Clinton.  I think she LOATHED the idea of another woman with more power than her.  Well, guess what Nancy, Hillary Clinton IS more powerful than you, regardless of title.  18 million voters sealed the deal.  SO GET OVER IT!

I apologize for the spicy rhetoric- but I'm fed up.

FISA coming up now was certainly not Obama's choosing. I don't think Pelosi let it come up specifically to screw with Obama, rather, a conflict of legitimate divergent interests. Most House members top priority is bringing federal money home. In some cases, it's the only interest.

The Iraq supplemental had hit an impasse. The Speaker imagined that as in Spring 2007, she could leverage Iraq funding for a chunk of dough for various domestic programs, this time the GI Bill, unemployment extension and flood relief. The Budget negotiation broke down as Bushco drove a wedge insisting the telco bailout be included in the package. Nancy had to go with it, you don't get between a Member and  the takehome in an election year. Obama's stuck with the same dilemma.

If you are a registered Democrat, living in New York State and believe that Bush and Cheney deserve to be impeached, this may be your last, best chance to get action. Adam Sullivan is challenging Rep. Jerrold Nadler for the right to represent the people of New York's 8th Congressional District.