Now that Democrats have finally captured the House, we can spend our media dollars on today's most pressing issues. Among those is the fashion sense of incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Recently, she has been seen sporting Armani suit coats perfect for "playing with the boys without pretending to be one," according to the Washington Post. Her muted use of color and her flair for accessorizing with neckwear that's chic, but not flashy, surely has some impact on her ability to legislate. After all, it's in the 24/7 cable cycle, so it must be news.
Pelosi, D-Calif., has already ruffled some feathers in the Democratic ranks by endorsing leading war critic John Murtha, D-Penn., for House majority leader over Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer. Hoyer was unanimously elected No. 2 Congressional Democrat in 2002 and is the natural choice for majority leader, much like the Manolos Pelosi sported Sunday that were a natural choice with her stunning fuchsia blouse. While Murtha has been a more vociferous war critic, his past ethical troubles pose a problem for a Democratic leadership hoping to run the most, "honest and ethical congress in history." Hoyer easily won the secret vote among House Democrats and his victory is seen as a blow to Pelosi, a good friend of Murtha. She coped with the loss in a bright red blazer.
Pelosi now faces a similar dilemma as she decides which Democrat should lead the intelligence committee. The current ranking member, Jane Harmon, D-Calif., has sparred with Pelosi in the past and has been criticized for not doing more to oppose Bush administration policy. Harmon's leading competitor, Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., is an indicted (and eventually acquitted) former federal judge and was impeached from the Senate in a 413-3 vote in 1988. His alleged crime? Accepting bribes.
A lot of this ethical criticism is just spin from sour milk Republicans trying to ensure the Democrats stumble right out of the gate. Nonetheless, it seems like Democrats are finding that it is a lot easier to talk about pure government than to practice it. If the surviving Republicans were to give the new majority party a piece of honest advice, it would be that you won't know when promoting a friendly agenda will devolve into petty bribery until it's too late. Voters have recruited Democrats to restore public trust in government, and politics is all about perception. You can't win the public trust by allowing indicted former judges to chair important committees.
Let's face it; the media loves political feuds because they offer no new information besides speculation, the bread and butter of the 24/7 news cycle. But when the media starts calling congressional battles for influence, or any debate between women in government "cat fights," the role of sexism in the discussion is undeniable.
Recently, MSNBC host Chris Matthews has come under fire for comparing Senator Hillary Clinton's victory speech to fingernails on a blackboard and calling Pelosi "shrill." As a political analyst, Matthews' job is to get in the heads of American voters, regardless of political correctness. Rather than display his latent sexism, he raised an important question: How do women in power avoid the "nagging" syndrome? Why is it so easy to label a woman as out of touch or hysterical? Those are questions Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi must answer to lay the foundation for the next generation of female power brokers. The absurd analyses of Pelosi's clothing are just another growing pain of progress.
The simple fact is that suits, no matter how wrinkled or dour or stained with post-resignation tears of disgrace or with other bodily fluids, just aren't as interesting as female attire. If anything, maybe we'll come out of this media blitz with the realization that a powerful and smart woman doesn't need to mold herself into an outmoded vision of "electability." But sadly, she is perpetually out of touch with the American people. How can she look out for the interests of the average Jill in clothes Jill can't afford? After all, voters adore politicians that wear cheap polyester suits, haven't you noticed that?
Bassey Etim ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and political science.
