It was probably a European Starling. They usually gain entrance through a chimney. One way to keep them from entering homes is to install a chimney cap - a screened metal device that will keep out small critters, including birds.

There are not a lot of trees in the Bay Area. If that's the way you call it, why don't you call Bush a Hess Hugger or a Hitler Hugger or a Toxic Waste Hugger or a Maliki Hugger or a Halliburton Hugger?

Jeb,
Huh?? What are you talking about?

What a metaphor for life: Get the bird out of your apartment, before it destroys all of your stuff. Just like GWB has been saying all along to the terrorists.
Boy what I would give to see video of # 3 in line trying to catch this thing, cellphone camera's anyone? What was her security detail doing?

I would pay beaucoup dolares to see Nancy chasing a bird in her $2000 worth of clothing.

"ever the San Francisco tree hugger?" Could you try to be a little more condescending?

What, she should have killed the bird because it got trapped inside her apartment?

Nancy; Blame it on Bush! Or better yet stay HOME and count your off-shore bank balances.

I think it's a sign from above, that is your job is not going to be easy. You will get bogged down by the little things that you can barely control like the bird that just found its way into your swank apartment. Kill the bird after you caught it? That makes no sense. If required killing it, because it couldn't be caught, perhaps that would be a wise course of action.

This is the what the Washington Post finds worthy of print? Give me a break. Your parents must be proud, Ms. Akers.

Satan has come calling!!

One way to read into the black bird incident is as an advisory: Expect The Unexpected. Or, another take, don't be a pidgeon (as in the pidgeon drop scam), don't get conned by someone who gains your trust.
The most likely intepretation is keep your windows closed when it is very cold outside and you are away, chilled birds like warm apartments.

"ever the San Francisco tree-hugger?"

leave your state much, Akers?

It's a common wives' tale that a bird flying into a house is a bad omen. Great. Let's see what we are all in for now.

There is a large rare buzzard missing from Dallas Zoo!

Said to be able to fly many miles rather quickly.

Nancy Moody
Point TX

BUSH PLANTS DRONE SPY-BIRD IN NANCY'S NEST!

Miss Akers- Clever piece. Neither pro nor con, just clever and amusing.

Apparently, "personal attacks, or other inappropriate comments will be removed from the site" precludes the editing of the article itself. Do you think Republicans are that stupid as to not see obvious bias and schmoozy manipulation in "ever the San Francisco tree-hugger, made an executive decision that the bird should be liberated"? I guess a Republican would have splatted the bird on the countertop as a sacrifice to the gods of bloodlust. Poor, poor editing job of your employee's work. I'm fairly certain your blog editor will not be so careless.

Maybe the bird was a carrion crow. That explains why it ended up in Nancy's condo.

This is weighty, heady stuff. And yet, dripping with condescension and doe-eyed longing...

Woof.

How do you think the bird felt, getting chased around this prison by some huge creature waving a Trader Joe's bag around.

Lord help me I must be a tree hugger, because I would have let the animal go also. Perhaps Mary Ann felt the bird should have been killed as a measure of revenge for damages to the apartment. Teach the bird a lesson.

Why is this news? Why is this National news? I have had at least 15 of them over the years. Mine never hit the news. Oh, that's right, she's special. My bad.
Haven't we heard we are in the middle of a global warming crisis? Save a tree, strive for a zero carbon footprint. Don't waste energy on this article by printing it.

Some one at the post needs to learn to spell. Note the word "FRIEND".

"employee of her condo building chased the feathered fiend for an hour."

What a bunch of humorless killjoys on the left. Its a bad sign that my peeps are losing the ability to laugh at ourselves... its the quickest way back to the minority party status, kids.

PS: Why do people assume Sleuthie is somehow the agent of The Right?

Rod, Miss Akers did not make a spelling error, "feathered FIEND" is exactly what she meant to write.
If anyone needs to learn how to spell or recognize clever prose, it is you.

This isn't NEWS. It isn't interesting. It isn't substantive. It isn't enlightening. It isn't worth reading. It doesn't add value to my day, add knowledge to my mind, or add enlightenment of any sort.

It is a waste of air, ink, and bandwidth.

Please go cover something substantive like the of the politicians in Washington DC on the substantive issues of the day.

No - not the horserace. Not the largest bank account. I know you in the MSM generally understand only those most base of aspects to politics. Rather, I'm referring to what Americans are interested in learning... I'm referring to the ISSUES and POSITIONS.

The Post has made a sad attempt to mimic the politic blogs now out there, but this is third-rate, high schoolish stuff. Reflects poorly on the mainstream media.

It's a good thing that the condo employee caught that bird. If Pelosi had done so, she would have eaten it alive. Blood running down her chin, feathers in her teeth. That is one sour, angry, hate-filled woman. It's no wonder that she lives alone.
Americans are soon going to learn that having the Democrats in power is not going to magically make everything better and that women in power can screw up just as badly as men.

IT IS A RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY!!

Nancy Pelosi is an Idiot, Why is she leader of the house ?

Maybe the bird wanted some Botox around the eyes too so it couldn't close it's eyes either! Predators

Karl Rove probably implanted a listening device on the bird.

Sounds like Pelosi brought more than just her liberal agenda along from the land of Bodega Bay.

How did the bird get in the man's house?

Global warming forced the bird into her condo.

I have a bird for the San Fran lib but it doesn't have feathers...

Was her employee a legal resident?

I believe "tree hugger" was used in a humorous vein. Cut the writer some slack and lighten up. It was a joke. Good Lord

What a pointless article. The bird was probably freaked out Pelosi's blinks per second (BPS).

Hey Skepticus, "fiend" is, in fact, a word, and appropriately used in this context . . . so, you're kind of an idiot. Apparently you're in good company.

Caleb, this is not actually in "print". It's a blog, get a clue.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ! So you know of two literary "bird allusions," huh? BTW most people don't take the bird outside and SHOOT it! Does that make her a tree hugger?

Hey, I'm not done with you! Do you really mean the Speaker was afraid of a bird?! She looks like a bird herself, darting her little beady eyes around! Darter!

Even the sleuth doesn't suspect anything?
I'd treat it as a cover for a heavy handed breakin.

Probably someone broke a vase planting a bug... and left a bird in the room and it looks less suspicious.

"Ever the tree-hugger" because she didn't kill it?

It wasn't "Hitchcockian", one bird in an apartment. :rolleyes:

And did she actually say, "Get this (blank) bird out of the house, forevermore!" ?? No, you put words in her mouth.

Yellow journalism.

Cheap ploy to cover up your inabilities as a writer.

What Mary Ann Akers really said was,

"Nancy Pelosi let a rogue bird go free! Who knows who else it will terrorize! I submit, Madame Speaker is a terrorist, freeing malicious birds in Manhattan. She knew the destructive pwer these birds hold, the threat they pose, and she has loosed the very Hounds of hell on New York!!"

So quoth Mary Ann Akers.

NEWT

In korea it is said if a bird flies into your house, it means death. and damn, this was a raven. be on the look out nancy!

the only thing worse than your writing is the fact that Drudge linked you on his site- twice.

Are you sure it wasnt an old bat!

One flew over the cuckoo's nest!

Quick Nancy: Call for Congressional investigations.

That's the only reason WE are reading this fish wrap!!

Geez, people, get a grip: this is a gossip column. Gossip columns are not supposed to be hard-hitting news columns, they are supposed to use colorful imagery and language. They started with Walter Winchell in Chicago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Winchell) and moved on to people like Louella Parsons. It's all inside the Beltway fun. /rant

It was global warming people. The bird was merely trying to get away from the rising oceans only to be chased around by a Armani clad bird-brain.

Who cares about a bird being in her house... Americans could care less.

What's going on with the donkey party. There was old Jimmy Carter being attacked by a little bunny. Now we have good old Nancy being attacked by a little bird. Can anyone explain why these poor little critters only attack Democrats

Reminds one of Carter and the rabbit.

Damn y'all are some uptight m-fs in here.

Right-O chillout -- biggest collection of humorless twits I've seen.

Slow news day, WP?

Did Pelosi blink at the bird 500 times to make it go away?

I didn't know Cindy Sheehan was in Washington!

Well America !!

You got who and what you voted for !!!

God help us all !!!

Simply a wake up call from God, bird is God's creature. Things happen for a reason. Wake up Nancy, saith God, we need to stay in Iraq and get the job done.

Nancy,

Nevermore!!

"A bird in the house is a sign of a death." Don't send the secret service to my house. My source for the above info is: http://www.oldsuperstitions.com/

CROWS, on the otherhand, can signify good luck.

Make of it what you will. I'll be watching with immense curiousity.

It was probably an American Eagle. Of course, it's understandable that Ms. Pelosi wouldn't recognize the symbol of this great nation.

This is a blog! Those who say the WP shouldn't waste newsprint on this don't get it. Good item, Ms. Akers.

I can't help but think of the scene on the sopranos when Chris get's made. There is a black bird that haunts him. one can only hope Ms. pelosi is as haunted, for she like chris is the puppet of a corrupt mob.

There's an old wive's tale that says if a bird gets inside your house, that's an omen that someone in your family was going to die soon. Creepy creepy...

If Nancy was truly compassionate, she would have fed and watered the bird before releasing it. Poor thing was trapped inside for days.

Birds do get confused when trapped inside of a building, they tend to want to fly up, toward a window. Sometimes, getting out means flying downward, and out of a door. Too bad it was not one of the popular songbirds, such as a cardinal. Then people would feel sorry for the poor bird, perhaps.

rapidweather.com

The raven, grackle, black bird, or crow has been a protected species. They have grown to an enormous nmber. After the Pelosi home incident perhaps should be a prompt to go after these thieves and bird murderers.

We must invade a country that this raven doesn't come from, and kill the sparrows there.

It is time to appoint an investigating committee. This is probably a "black" project to use animals for spy purposes....surely someone in the spy apparatus of the government is behind this. The CIA and FBI will deny it of course but we all know the truth...it is the super secret "New World Order" no name spy agency...the one with the secret helicopters and hidden UFOs out in Nevada. Let's call it "Black Bird gate"...

" DRAMA QUEEN ! ! ! "

How dare any of you comment! Only those of you with grandchildren at risk of being sent to Bushitlerchimpymchaliburton's war have the absolute moral authority to comment! Oh, and multimillion dollar land deals engineered to seize control over Treasure Island.

The bird was just trying to impliment the First Amendment by making a harangue statement. Hey, if the irenic Peace cohorts can spray paint the White House and get away with it, what's a little blackbird feces on Ms. Pelosi's foofaraw? Let the gadabout go, he didn't mean any harm.

Is this really news?

We need a Congressional investigation and a special prosecutor. It may be connected to Watergate and Karl Rove 'boy wonder.'

it was just one of her relatives, seeing as how nancy resembles big bird

Hmmmm, a bird flying around the Speakah's condo? Hmmmmm, that's very, very interesting. A bird......hmmmmmm.

Sheesh!

Hmmmm, a bird flying around the Speakah's condo? Hmmmmm, that's very, very interesting. A bird......hmmmmmm.

Sheesh!

Why oh why do I still click on anything linked to the Drudge & expect intelligent comments? Why don't you people just read your trash rags on the supermarket aisle & leave the internet alone?

People, this blog isn't meant to be serious news! If you bother to read the "about this blog" link, you will see the following:

"This blog will take you backstage, shining a light on the zanier, more offbeat side of the capital's political theatre...

The blog won't be the place to read about House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel's plan to fiddle with the tax code, or Sen. Joe Biden's latest solution to the war in Iraq."

Get it? It's meant to be off-beat. Not the political analysis or op-ed section.

Fiends indeed!!

The Speaker grew up in Baltimore, where all school children are fed a steady diet of Edgar Allen Poe, a local boy done good. OF COURSE she would think of "The Raven"! You can take the girl out of Baltimore, but you can't take the Baltimore out of the girl! ; )

With the reading of this non-news, not interesting yet insidious bit of "reportage", my reading of Aker's drivel is concluded. Nevermore!

Can the sleuth figure out what particular objects the bird knocked over in her apt.?