Pelosi to Emanuel: This Is My House

'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»

First lady has been a powerful player in her husband's White House: Book

(NEWSER) - A new (unauthorized) book by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor depicts Michelle Obama as an "unrecognized force" in her husband's administration, according to an adaptation of The Obamas in the Times . Though initially reluctant to be a meddling first lady, she began voicing concerns when she felt her husband's big-picture agenda was getting sacrificed to mundane politics and even pushed the president to shake up his team of advisers, writes Kantor. Some highlights:

• Clashes with Rahm: She had a testy relationship with former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, and he "chafed" at her influence. The president once passed along a criticism of hers to his staff ("She feels as if our rudder isn't set right"), and Emanuel reportedly repeated it with disdain to others. The excerpts also note that Emanuel offered his resignation at one point, when his criticisms about health care reform went public.

Virginia Republican Party goes ballistic over gory image

(NEWSER) - Conservatives in Virginia checked their email today and found an image of President Obama with a bullet through his head—courtesy of Loudon County's Republican committee. The image portrayed Obama as a zombie, with a bleeding hole in his forehead and part of his skull missing, the Washington Post reports. State party chair Pat Mullins responded by saying that "the disgusting image used today on a mass email has no place in our politics. Ever." More»

Reporter's notes misconstrued as quotation

(NEWSER) - So maybe President Obama can see around corners after all? Newsweek editors abruptly pulled a quote today they had attributed to Nancy Pelosi , about how Obama's team "can’t see around corners; they anticipate nothing." Turns out those words were written by a reporter in her notes and misinterpreted as part of the Pelosi interview, Politico reports. Sighs Newsweek: "Newsweek and The Daily Beast regret the error." More»

Hawks, libs expected to bolt—selling fine print to the rest is crucial

(NEWSER) - Not so fast. Is the debt ceiling agreement settled? Or could it still go down in flames? "We all may not be able to support it, or none us may be able to support it," Nancy Pelosi ominously told reporters yesterday ahead of today's Democratic caucus on the plan. The trick now is "selling the fine print"—the deal is "complicated, multi-dimensional and full of peril for the priorities of each side," notes Politico . Defections are expected by both liberals in the Senate and defense hawks in the House. More»