Hey Bud...whose side are you on, anyway?

Yesterday, Rep. Bud Cramer (D.-Alabama) said, "I've always been a conservative Democrat who's been a bit of a thorn in the side of our leadership. I'll continue to be a thorn in the side of our leadership." Just a few hours before he made that statement, Cramer cast his vote for Nancy Pelosi (D.-San Francisco) to be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

So, how can any conservative - regardless of his party affiliation - justify voting to elect one of the most liberal members of Congress to an office which is just two heartbeats away from the Presidency?

In yesterday's vote, Cramer had an opportunity to prove that his self-proclaimed conservatism trumps his loyalty the Democratic party leadership. He could have voted for the Republican candidate for Speaker - Rep. John Boehner - a man whose views are very much in line with those of most people in Alabama's Fifth Congressional District, which Cramer represents. If that option was a little too thorny, he could have chosen to withhold his endorsement altogether by simply voting "present." Either of those choices would have represented the views and interests of his constituents more faithfully than a vote for Nancy Pelosi.

If Bud Cramer is serious about being a "thorn in the side" of his party's leadership, then pinning a rose to Mrs. Pelosi's lapel was certainly an odd way to start.