What were they thinking

Last week incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) passed over Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) to be chairman of the Intelligence Committee. The congressman, in a release, stated, “Sorry, haters, God is not finished with me yet.”

Jeff Gannon, political commentator, author and former White House correspondent:
“God may not be finished with Hastings, but he won’t be the Speaker of the House in January. Pelosi will be and it appears that she is very much finished with the ‘gentleman’ from Florida.”

Jonathan Grella, vice president of public affairs, Edelman Public Relations and ex-Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s (R-Texas) former press secretary:
“Alcee, you poor thing. Don’t even start with me about media scrutiny. Normally, I’d feel a public figure’s pain caused by media scrutiny, but not when it’s so short-lived and so well-deserved. That said, many ‘haters’ were actually rooting for a Pelosi/Murtha/Hastings ‘dream team.’ Keep the faith, big guy.”

Democratic press secretary:
“In a world full of stale sound-bites and stodgy spin-meisters, Alcee was just keeping it real. In the immortal words of the lyrical wizard Ice-T, ‘Don’t hate the playa’, hate the game.’”

Republican press secretary:
“God is not finished with you yet, but Pelosi is. Personal attack on
you by the haters? No.
The House Intelligence Committee deals with the nation’s most sensitive intelligence secrets and it should not be chaired by someone that is only one of 10 judges in the history of the United States to be impeached by the House and removed by the Senate for conspiring to take bribes.
“This is not a personal attack on you, but considering what is at stake, one should put the country and American lives first over a possible chairmanship.”

C. Stewart Verdery, lobbyist, Monument Policy Group:
“Every movie about a miracle comeback has to have the obligatory setback before the eventual return to glory. Only time will tell whether this is a true Hollywood comeback story or the less exciting Washington alternative. In any event, after the turmoil on the Intelligence Committee the past several years, Hastings may end up being grateful not having to live the Hollywood version.”

Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, former contestant on reality show “The Apprentice”:
“If the chairmanship does not fit … You must acquit!”
 
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