In case there’s any doubt as to to the level of courage, bravery, and toughness of Democrats who took part in a temper tantrum on the House floor last night – let us dispel with that myth.
Sure, it’s not like they had to dodge sniper fire in Bosnia or anything like that, but those who stayed in the House chamber fought off severe elements that would have typically made mortal men crumble.
As House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi describes it, the environment during the sit-in was as harsh as – if ESPN’s Chris Berman were to describe it – “the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.”
Fittingly, Wisconsin’s own Paul Ryan was accused of playing with the thermostat during the political stunt and driving temperatures down to “freezing.”
The lawmakers were even forced to – GASP! – wear sweaters and use blankets.
The horror!
Pelosi would later explain that despite conditions that nearly turned them into the Donner party, her colleagues would soldier on.
“We would not be deterred,” she courageously announced.
Via the Washington Free Beacon:
“The rule about the Speaker has control of the cameras to cover the floor of the House,” the reporter said.
Pelosi responded by stating that Ryan had “awesome power.” She noted that he also had the power to control the lights and even the heat.
“Let me think about that,” Pelosi said. “It’s irrelevant. I think that that’s something—the Speaker has awesome power. The Speaker has control of the lights, the heat. It was freezing in there last night. It was freezing. People were starting with sweaters and then blankets, and then I think they were practically having rugs, because it was freezing in there. That was one way, but we would not be deterred.”
To deal with the elements, the other Democrats were supplied with donuts, pizza, pop-tarts, and sleeping bags by congressional staffers.
But, but … the struggle was real. Democrats probably had to ration those food supplies to last through the entire 25-hour sit-in. They had to forage for that pizza and pop-tarts. And the sleeping bags probably weren’t even of the North Face, sub-zero variety.
Watch Pelosi’s comments, which quite honestly we were amazed she was able to get through in such harrowing detail …
Of course, Pelosi earlier stated that the sit-in would continue “until hell freezes over.”
With the House chamber achieving ‘freezing’ temperatures, it looks like hell just did.
Cross-posted at the Political Insider
