Blackout: Pelosi turns off the lights as GOP demands action on drilling;
Update: Video added; Update: Protest ends " with "God Bless America"
posted at 2:00 pm on August 1, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A transparent stunt but an awfully shrewd one. The cameras are off so we"re forced to rely on Politico for running updates. What a scene:
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House and turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi"s refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m. and are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess"
"This is the people"s House," Rep, Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) said.
"This is not Pelosi"s politiburo."
Democratic aides were furious at the GOP stunt, and reporters were kicked out of the Speaker"s Lobby, the space next to the House floor where they normally interview lawmakers.
"You"re not covering this, are you?" complaing one senior Democratic aide. Another called the Republicans "morons" for staying on the floor"
The scene on the floor is kind of crazy. Normally, members are not allowed to speak directly to the visitor galleries, or visitors are prohibited from cheering. But in this case, the members are walking up and down on the floor during their speeches, standing on cheers,
the visitors are cheering loudly. Some members even brought in visitors, who are now sitting on the House floor in the seats normally filled by lawmakers, cheering and clapping. Very funny.
And we let them vote themselves pay raises?
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Dems Shut the lights out
