House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., refused to allow Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., to vote by proxy in the Democratic House leadership elections held this week–a decision that drew “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart’s mockery on Tuesday night.
Duckworth, who lost both her legs during her military service in the Irag War, is currently eight months pregnant and has been told by her doctor to avoid travel. Pelosi’s refusal to allow her to vote by proxy has drawn criticism, including from fellow Democrats.
Stewart contrasted Pelosi’s reputation as an advocate for women with her decision to not let Duckworth vote by proxy, demanding of Pelosi, “Why, why would you do this?”
“You’re suppressing the vote of a minority pregnant woman who is a wounded war veteran,” he argued. “She is everything you supposedly stand for, stuffed into one individual.”
Stewart also scoffed at Pelosi’s defense that she was concerned about establishing a new precedent: “We certainly [don’t] want to set any dangerous new precedents by changing antiquated caucus vote rules so that women who are pregnant can participate.”
