Another Pelosi Myth

Recently, I caught a few minutes of Fox "News" watcher Mike Pintek guest-hosting on John McIntire's old show over at PCNC.

For what it's worth McIntire's back on the radio these days at 93.7, The Zone. He and Wolverine-fan Gab Bonesso can be heard daily doing bits like "Johnny Mac, Lesbo-flipper" and "Gab Bonesso, bad phone sex operator." Give it a listen if you like. Some are appalled, some are entertained. Some are at work and can't listen to it anyway.

Anyway back to the political bloggery.

If there's any more evidence that Pintek's been drinking the conservative cool-aid, this is it. He's been parroting the RNC talking point that Speaker Pelosi blundered on that recent trip to the Middle East. If you look closely, you can actually see the panic-based spittle when Pintek's forced to pinch out those two words: "Speaker Pelosi."

The "blunder" was something about her claiming to be bringing a message from Israel, and the Israeli Prime Minister claiming otherwise.

Josh Marshall has the story. Unlike the political construction the wingnuts inhabit, reality is far far more complicated. Marshall's piece is based in part on this article from Haaretz.com. In it, you'll find these two paragraphs:

Following his visit to the forces in the field, a decision was made to publicly address the concerns of a possible deterioration with the Syrians, and to send a message that Israel has no intention of attacking Syria, nor is there any coordinated plan with the U.S. for a joint attack against Iran.

The speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is scheduled to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus today, and will deliver a message of calm from Israel.

So much for Pintek's RNC talking points.

As I wrote, the real story is a lot more complicated than Pintek or the Washington Post editorial thinks.