Nancy Pelosi and TV don't mix

Several weeks ago I commented on how poorly Nancy Pelosi came across on Meet the Press. Sam Rosenfeld makes the following point about this, a point with which I fully concur.

The actual job of managing a caucus in some kind of effective and strategic manner is immensely difficult in its own right. It's only the sheerest coincidence if it so happens that a person imbued with the proper skills, temperament, and ability as a caucus leader also happens to be slick and charming and photogenic. (Tom DeLay was not a good message person for the GOP. Neither is Dennis Hastert.) But the other thing about the job of congressional leader, besides that it's really hard, is that it's really important. Indeed, having someone there who's good at leading the House caucus is simply more important than having one who's good on Meet the Press.

However, I also fully concur with Kevin Drum's comment that if, like Dennis Hastert, she doesn't come across well in the TV talk show format, she should follow Hastert's example and let others do the talking for her.