Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman, two incoming Democratic representatives, wouldn’t say Sunday if they were going to back Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in her bid to remain the highest-ranking member of the House. Instead, the two Democrats offered odd answers in which they suggested that they first needed to to consult with their communities.
“What I’m going to do is make sure that the voices of the people of St. Louis are heard, and that we have what we need, and so you’ll find out then,” Bush, who has been called the latest addition to the “Squad,” told CNN host Dana Bash after offering a mild chuckle. “I’m working with my community,” she added.
Incoming progressive Congressman Jamal Bowman (D-NY), who was also featured in the interview, answered the Pelosi question in the same way. “You will find out when my vote is tallied. And again, organizing with our community to figure out what’s best.”
The CNN host tried to push the duo on what exactly they were waiting to hear from their communities about before committing to a speakership vote, but ran out of time for Bush to answer after the duo talked over each other twice. Bowman simply blurted out that the country needs reparations for slavery, a jobs guarantee, and Medicare for All.
Pelosi, who is running for her fourth term as speaker, has been facing the prospect of a divided and anemic Democratic majority. However, no major figure has stepped up to challenge Pelosi for the job.
Bush, asked in her CNN interview how she would balance a progressive agenda with the realities of the slim Democratic majority, said that she was primarily focused on bringing the voices of St. Louis residents and grassroots activists to Congress as a self-described “politivist.”
Earlier this month, Bush invoked so-called lived experiences as the reason for why she should serve on the House Judiciary Committee — an assignment for which she has been nominated — even though the majority of committee members have studied law.
“The expertise of my community’s lived experiences will drive my work.”
Watch:
Incoming Democratic lawmakers Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman decline to say whether they will vote in support of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/H4ijvUdtXd
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 27, 2020
This is an excerpt from The Daily Wire.
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