Pelosi Teaches America's Daughters to Complain

Eric Cantor takes out provisions that Senate passed unanimously

(NEWSER) - House legislators are almost sure to pass a bill officially banning them from insider trading today, but it will be missing a few teeth compared to its Senate counterpart. Eric Cantor has pulled out a provision that would have required K Street consultants who sell Congress' inside tips to Wall Street to disclose their activities like lobbyists do, the Washington Post reports. He also pulled out an amendment restoring parts of an anti-corruption law that the Supreme Court voided last year—even though it passed the Senate unanimously. More»

Well 'spit it out,' retorts Newt

(NEWSER) - Nancy Pelosi is again dropping cryptic hints about some apparent dirt she has on Newt Gingrich. Asked by CNN's John King yesterday about the prospect of him becoming president, she said flatly: "He's not going to be president of the United States. That's not going to happen. Let me just make my prediction and stand by it. It isn't going to happen." Why so sure? "There is something I know," she said, according to the Huffington Post . "The Republicans, if they choose to nominate him, that's their prerogative. I don't even think that's going to happen." More»

'I will recover, and will return,' resignation letter promises

(NEWSER) - Gabrielle Giffords was feted by colleagues including Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz today in her last day on the House floor. "Today I know that now is not the time. I have more work to do on my recovery before I can again serve in elected office," wrote Giffords in a resignation letter to John Boehner read aloud by Wasserman Schultz. "Every day I am working hard. I will recover, and will return, and we will work together again, for Arizona and for all Americans." More»

He loses support of top House Democrats

(NEWSER) - Another bad day for Anthony Weiner: Nancy Pelosi and other top House Democrats told him to resign today, reports Politico . Weiner has insisted he would not do so, but the shift from Pelosi, Steve Israel, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz will ratchet up the pressure significantly. They released statements within minutes of each other. “Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help,” said Pelosi. “I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress.” More»

Critics divided over Bossypants as autobiography

(NEWSER) - It’s no surprise that Tina Fey’s autobiography, Bossypants, is hilarious; on that much critics agree. But there’s some dissent over whether it does its job as a memoir:

• “The most successful autobiographies demand a certain amount of psychic heavy lifting, risk taking, and interrogation of one’s ideas; Fey will have none of it,” writes Anna Holmes in Newsweek . “Edging up to difficult truths and skipping away may make for sophisticated sitcoms, but it doesn’t make for satisfying memoir writing.”