Rep. Nancy Pelosi is in the middle of a “House filibuster” in an effort to force a vote on immigration ahead of a vote on a bipartisan budget deal to keep the government open:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi has now been speaking for 1 hour and 30 minutes. That's longer than any State of the Union Address in the C-SPAN era.
Watch LIVE on C-SPAN https://t.co/uNLfEP8AKE pic.twitter.com/SiCYD2ykbU
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 7, 2018
Although it’s not a real filibuster:
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi began speaking two hours ago.
This is technically not a #filibuster. Leaders of either party can speak as long as they like when recognized.
Continue watching LIVE on C-SPAN https://t.co/uNLfEP8AKE https://t.co/oobd7c4snN
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 7, 2018
Her demands:
Big: Nancy Pelosi says the emerging caps deal “does not have my support” unless @SpeakerRyan commits to allowing votes on Dreamer legislation as McConnell has. pic.twitter.com/3DWNFFstCD
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 7, 2018
She’s not even on the same page as Dems in the Senate:
Awkward optics: Schumer may soon announce bipartisan budget deal with McConnell – just as Pelosi holds the House floor railing on it for lacking commitment to moving immigration bill
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 7, 2018
But a lot of this is just political theater:
READ BETWEEN THE LINES … Ryan has already says he plans immigration legislation. He hasn’t said when. He has already committed to what Pelosi is asking.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) February 7, 2018
And the House chamber is nearly empty. This is for the cameras and social media:
There are 10+ Democrats on House floor with Pelosi. Less than 10 seated in the public gallery above the floor.
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) February 7, 2018
Approximately 13 House Democrats are seated near Pelosi as she approaches the two-hour mark of her Dreamers speech https://t.co/kZ0WOrK28R
— John R Parkinson (@jparkABC) February 7, 2018
And it’s not like Pelosi making any arguments. She’s just up there wasting time and telling weird anecdotes about her life:
"I intend to read them all," Pelosi says of Dreamer statements. And now, back to the Bible.
The rare House filibuster goes on.— Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) February 7, 2018
The majority and minority leaders can talk for as long as they like, even if they're only yielded a minute of time.
So, now Pelosi is reading entire stories from the Bible, saying, "I'm going to go on as long as my 'leadership minute' allows."
— Amelia Frappolli (@AmeliaFrappolli) February 7, 2018
Pelosi, on the dollar bill during her extended speech: "See that triangle, with the eye? *motions the shape of a triangle, then a circle* It used to scare me when I was little."
— Amelia Frappolli (@AmeliaFrappolli) February 7, 2018
"We should all pray for Congress. Maybe I should bring my rosary blessed by the pope… I've had the honor to own several rosaries blessed by popes in my lifetime." – Pelosi
— Amelia Frappolli (@AmeliaFrappolli) February 7, 2018
This is the second time during her speech where Pelosi has said, "I grew up thinking that were two types of people: those who were Italian American and those who wanted to be Italian American."
— Amelia Frappolli (@AmeliaFrappolli) February 7, 2018
And this really is the perfect mockery for what’s going on right now:
https://twitter.com/AdamBaldwin/status/961280230873690112
It looks like she’ll stop around 2:00, when she will brief the media on her stunt:
Pelosi's #DACAbuster has crossed the 2-hour mark, as she started her speech at 10:04 am using special privileges only extended to 3 House leaders.
For situational awareness, she's got a 2 pm presser scheduled, so she won't go past then.— Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) February 7, 2018
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