In a viral interaction, comedian Alex Strenger confronted former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a book signing at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. Strenger, who posed as a Democrat, showered Pelosi with praise before asking the question everyone has on their mind: what stocks should they buy?
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Strenger went up to Pelosi as she autographed copies of her recently released book, “The Art of Power.” He called her “the greatest options trader of all time” and asked her head-on what stocks he should buy. Wearing a COVID mask and a Bernie Sanders cap, Strenger acted as a sincere supporter, praising Pelosi’s commitment to democracy and voicing worries about Donald Trump.
“Nancy, you’re the greatest options trader of all time,” Strenger said, maintaining a satirical tone. “I just want to know what stocks I should buy.” The crowd – and security – didn’t seem to find the humor in his request. Security guards eventually stepped in and escorted Strenger away, but not before he added a jab about Pelosi’s wealth compared to her congressional salary.
Pelosi, whose husband Paul has made headlines for his well-timed stock trades, mostly kept her composure. She briefly responded to Strenger’s remarks before security moved him aside.
The interaction went viral, drawing a range of reactions online. Reddit users were divided – some found Strenger’s questioning amusing and brave, while others thought he lacked confidence, noting his trembling voice.
One commenter remarked, “Too much butter, not enough toast,” criticizing Strenger’s lengthy buildup before dropping the real question. Others focused on Pelosi, with many still skeptical about the timing of her trades and questioning whether elected officials should be allowed to invest in individual stocks.
Nancy Pelosi, who receives between $174,000 and $197,000 a year as a senior member of Congress, has come under fire for her family’s substantial fortune, particularly her husband’s profitable trading. Paul Pelosi’s purchase of Nvidia call options last November, now worth $6.6 million, has only added fuel to the fire. Calls for a ban on congressional stock trading have not been quelled by Nancy Pelosi’s insistence that her husband’s investments are unrelated to her position in Congress despite these suspicions.
The Pelosis’ investments have become so notorious that an ETF tracking the trading activities of Democrats in Congress, aptly named “NANC,” has been launched. There’s even proposed legislation nicknamed the PELOSI Act aimed at restricting stock trading by lawmakers and their spouses. But for now, as Strenger learned firsthand, Pelosi isn’t about to start giving out trading tips at public events – even if she’s touted as the “greatest options trader of all time.”
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