Pelosi's Stubbornness Turns CIA Smoke Into PR Fire

The CIA debacle engulfing Nancy Pelosi stems from two key mistakes on the part of the House speaker, Jay Newton-Small writes in Time. Pelosi’s dangerous belief that media training is “a waste of her time” was demonstrated when she walked away from her own press conference on the subject of interrogation briefings. Her other mistake—or character flaw—is reacting rashly in unanticipated situations.

“Pelosi fueled her rise through Congress,” Newton-Small writes, “by always being overprepared—almost pathologically so.” But that preparedness can break down when confronted. “She's tenacious,” a colleague said. “Still, when tenaciousness becomes stubbornness, that becomes a challenge.” Another associate says keeping her circle of confidantes small makes Pelosi’s missteps worse. “She would benefit from greater diversity of opinion,” he said. (More Nancy Pelosi stories.)