As an aside: Try Goggling images of Nancy Pelosi. Most of them are pretty bad – they are either shot to make her look bad or doctored to make her look bad. I am not sure why; maybe it is because the right just takes up more space – in the same way that a Hummer takes up more space than a Honda Civic – but I could be convinced that we are even more of a sexist nation than we are a racist nation. Either way, or if something else is going on that hasn't occurred to me, Nancy Pelosi doesn't seem to get the same respect that the great Sam Rayburn got, or great Tip O'Neil or, even Thomas Reed. But there is a funny thing about racism or sexism, or homophobia for that matter, once we get to know somebody and they are no longer an archetype; it is much harder to remain a racist or sexist, or homophobe. End aside.
With all the credit that should go to President Obama – and he has done an extraordinary job of getting the Health Care Bill pushed through – without Nancy Pelosi it wouldn't have happened. Period!
To quote NEWSER,- a sort of web Reader's Digest for those of us that think three paragraphs is just too long –
President
Obama may be the one history remembers for pulling off the biggest
domestic policy reform in decades, but Nancy Pelosi "emerges from this
battle as the real powerhouse in Washington," Julian Zelizer writes for CNN.
Wielding both a "clear ideological agenda" and the "pragmatic political
tactics" to round up votes, Pelosi is the clear heir to Ted Kennedy's
legacy, Zelizer writes.
After Scott Brown's election, with
Harry Reid and Rahm Emanuel backing away from comprehensive health
reform, Pelosi "kept the steel in the president’s back," a Democratic
rep tells Politico.
"When Kennedy died, many Democrats wondered who would take his place as
the party's dealmaker," concludes Zelizer. "Now they have their
answer."
Thanks for this shout out to Speaker Pelosi. I agree. I am so grateful to have her as my Representative. I am astounded at times by the vitriol that many of my fellow San Franciscans throw her way. There was a vocal minority calling for her ouster last election and complaining to this day that she is not sufficiently progressive and we need her out of the House.
I disagree. I believe that politics is the art of the possible. If we insist on only those leaders who do nothing unless it is impossible we will not get far.
End of rant. Thank you.
An aside on your aside: I wonder if there is just generally less respect for all leaders these days, regardless of race or gender? Did Pelosi’s predecessor get the same respect as Rayburn or O’Niell?
I’m not saying we are gender/race-neutral. I get that these factors may lead to even less respect. But I’m also concerned that we seem to be losing respect for respect itself and that that lack of any cohesive factor will make it hard for us to hold our political system together.
Thanks for all the comments, Richard. I think that Nancy Pelosi is the unsung hero of the medical bill (although not as unsung as she was last month). Anytime you want to trade Pelosi for Anna Eshoo, I’m for it.