Harry Reid Gets Touchy With Nancy Pelosi

Politico reports of friction between Majority Leader Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi on Afghanistan. Reid told reporters Democrats will support whatever troop level policy President Barack Obama backs. Television cameras recorded Pelosi moving away from Reid and rolling her eyes. I'm not sure if Pelosi reacted because of Reid's blanket endorsement for Obama's Afghistan policy or she was creeped out by being touched by Reid.



Glenn Thrush quotes sources saying Pelosi was not happy with Reid giving Obama carte blanche on Afghanistan. Pelosi told Politico that isn't true.

Pelosi insisted Wednesday that it wasn’t so, telling POLITICO that she was “not upset,” adding: “I don’t know where you would have heard such a thing.”

It is no secret that Pelosi is not thrilled about a troop increase for Afghanistan. The interesting development is the strain between Pelosi and the White House. The political dynamic is the neo-liberal Obama would rather work with Republicans than the progressive Pelosi. Pelosi has distanced herself from Obama's willingness to dump the public option. Afghanistan is another issue that will be unpopular with the Democratic House base. What is good for Obama politically and ideologically does not hold true for Pelosi.