Absolutely. Pelosi muscled through one of the biggest pieces of legislation in American history. If that doesn't secure her in the pantheon of great speakers, nothing will.

Sadly, we'll still see more of Newton Gingrich on the teevee, whose biggest accomplishment as speaker was getting his butt kicked in 1998.

Thank you, Steve, for this post. I have watched Speaker Pelosi closely since the President's election. He owes her a great deal; the country owes her a great deal. She has worked consistently, positively, and untiringly to get things done--and those things are all legislation the nation can be proud of. I have come from being the usual doubter of her potential success to an unstinting admirer. Hurray for the Speaker. Job well done.

Thank-you, Madame Speaker, for your leadership, and for being such a powerful role model for young (and not so young) women. Your smarts, dedication and tenacity encourage and inspire us all. Wonderful remarks last night, met with smiles and awe, then and now.. :))

"I'll take all 68," Pelosi declared.

I don't say this often about anyone, but in this case I really mean it--God bless Nancy Pelosi!

I believe I heard some members talk about the education or student loan reform last night as well--was the loan reform included in the reconciliation package? If so, that is huge, if they really eliminate the private middlemen from the picture. How many billions will that save?

She's not just a role model for women. She's a role model, period. Her accomplishments have come with a complete lack of grandstanding and self promotion. She goes about her business with seriousness and class. We need more people like her in the government.

"They tend to name buildings after leaders with records like these."

Unless, of course, they are women. While I am encouraged to see the extent of the recognition that Pelosi is getting, I don't have any illusions that that her accomplishments, in the end, will be given the credit they deserve. And you know what? I'm sure she doesn't care. I remember an interview I saw just before she became speaker, and the interviewer was trying to draw her into some political posturing question. Her response was "Look, I didn't come here to play games or gain a position or power for myself, I came here to accomplish things that I believe need to be done." At the risk of blatant sexism, I would say that part of the reason for her effectiveness is that she had accomplished the thing that will be most important to her as a person long before she came to Washington, in bearing and raising 5 children. I am not saying that is the most important thing she will have ever DONE - that is a silly, hollow applause line that (mostly male) politicians use - but I am saying that is she was a person in full long before she arrived at the position she holds now, and the strength, tenacity, and unyielding grip on what is really important in life is what allowed her to acheive this victory, not for herself, but for all Americans, including those who are vilifying her today for it.

Between Pelosi and Obama, two of the Republicans' most sinister stereotypes have been thoroughly dismantled. For all time.

Bee-yoo-tee-full!

She's astounding. I was not at all convinced when she started her tenure that she'd be tough enough (remember the majority leader flap?), but she's proven me very happily wrong. She's not only tough enough; she's the best speaker in recent history. And she confounds Republicans because she eludes all their gross stereotypes of women with power who know how to use it.

I rarely think, "The speaker's a woman" -- but I'm thinking it today. Those of us with XX chromosomes are particularly grateful that the first one has done so well. It makes it easier for the ones who come after.

shortstop, could I trouble you to just sign my name to everything you say? It'd make my life a whole lot easier.

chrenson, most assuredly back atcha on that. You've been on fire even more than usual lately.

I loathe the Republican party, and their defeat in this, is all I can applaud. But the Democrats have shown here that they are as corporate owned and controlled as the Republicans.

Yes they have passed legislation and now they can brag about passing legislation, but it is a HUGE giveaway to the health and pharmaceutical corporations. And absolute failure in any liberal sense of health care reform.

And to think she was able to accomplish all of this without a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.

There's no question in my mind that historians will rank her as one of the great Speakers.

I wasnt impressed with her when Bush was there, mainly because she took looking into torture/impeachment off the table when it was clear to everyone. She just didnt have it.

Having said that, for HCR, she came through in flying colors. Its not what is in HCR but the fact how she stood up and worked thru it.

Kudos to her for a job well done.

Also, this site is very informational and helpful.

And absolute failure in any liberal sense of health care reform.

Baloney--and millions of other real liberals agree with me. Much more progressive reform will now be easier to enact with the door opened by this legislation--and there are many real progressives in congress who know this and are prepared to act, including Grayson with a Medicare buy-in and others with a public option.

This is only the beginning and will only get better, but maintaining control of congress is critical--which is now much easier with a real law passed and not the GOP imaginary boogeyman.

Yes, she stands very tall as the finest Speaker of the House. However, give some credit, as well, to another lady, Kathleen Sebelius, who fought hard. Interesting that both ladies came up through political families and learned, at early ages, the machinations of politics.

And, now, will Mr Rahm, please, take a very long hike into the hinterlands and let the Adults run operations.

And that, like a black man with power, a strong woman drives the wingnuts crazy -- bonus!!

Bottom line, in terms the kids will understand--Pelosi just pwned the Repubs, totally. And the fact that she's a woman and it makes the knuckledraggers even more crazy is just a bonus.

And to think she was able to accomplish all of this without a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.

coffee sprayed on monitor, worktable, window, stack of papers, , lamp, mouse, kleenex box...

May I preface this by saying I am still in favor of Single Payer. However, to criticize this opening of the door, is akin to the criticism by an African-American historian on that marvelous Civil War series by Ken Burns. She was ever so critical of Lincoln for not adopting the advice of Frederick Douglas on the issue of slavery. She thought Lincoln had drug his feet and had not gone far enough fast enough. This is nothing short of after the fact handicapping.

Speaker Pelosi opened the door. Now, let others help to start rearranging the furniture.

And absolute failure in any liberal sense of health care reform.

Any and all shortcomings in the bill passed yesterday [and there are plenty] can and should be laid squarely at the feet of conservatives. And that includes the Democrats who voted against it last night.

However, there is no mistaking the momentum this provides liberals, progressives, etc. to at the very least keep these changes coming. There will be a Public Option. There will be more corporate regulation. Hell, there may well be single-payer one day. And they will all be built on this foundation.

I move that Nancy Pelosi Day be celebrated annually on March 21. Is there a second ?

House Speaker Pelosi turns 70-years-old, i think -- on 26 March. She's quite a leader, and quite a wonderful person.

I hope she has another great 70 years after Friday...

While I'm still not pleased on how she handled the torture issue, she's done a damn good job making sure bills get through.

IMHO, her biggest asset as SotH is her willingness to build the votes for something first, then vote, thus pretty much guaranteeing success.

Not sure if that's how it's always been done, but damn ... it should be, because it works. Well.

Now, let's get a REAL jobs bill and some financial regulation with actual teeth (and, yes, I'm looking at you, Senate).

Those who criticize Congress for being a "Do Nothing" set, do not understand the many bills passed by Pelosi's leadership which are lying very quietly at the doorstep of the Senate. It is the RepuG Solons who are "Doing Nothing".

Recall when "Speaker Pelosi" was our code for taking control of the House, and the dishonest conservatives -- but I repeat myself -- who frequented here scoffed.

Even Obama seemed to lose sight of the fact, against a torrent of Republican bullshit, that Democratis ideas are popular, and the cheap-labor conservatives' dreams of redistributing income upwards isn't. The Republicans have some powerful weapons -- fear and anger -- but they have no argument but bullshit spread by a compliant -- if not cooperative -- media.

As we discuss financial reform, here's something for the Democrats to keep in mind: The inevitable conservative cries of "class warfare!" are nothing but a smoke screen to try to prevent Democrats from making the case that the looters -- the top 1% -- already are engaging in class warfare and don't want the productive classes -- that is, everyone else -- to fight back.

I'm proud to cast an affirmative vote for Nancy Pelosi in every election, even though she wins my district by default.

Between Pelosi and Obama, two of the Republicans' most sinister stereotypes have been thoroughly dismantled. For all time.

Sadly, the GOP will see all of Pres. Obama's + Speaker Pelosi's achievements as *confirmation* of their most sinister stereotypes.

-Z

And to think she was able to accomplish all of this without a degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.

FTW.

Both of my children watched the run up to the passing of this bill, they saw the ugliness and shame of the tea partiers first hand. One thing they can take away from this was the class with which Pelosi and Obama led the charge - not to mention the members of Congress who made the right choice by voting for this bill. Definitely a moment in history!

Nice summary.
I'm not sure I've given her proper credit.
She was chewing gum, walking, rubbing her tummy, and patting her head all at once, it seems.

The GOP is so screwed.

"I'm proud to cast an affirmative vote for Nancy Pelosi in every election, even though she wins my district by default."

I'll say the same for John Lewis, my rep. Even though I'm in red Georgia and my senators are useless GOPers, at least my rep is a reliable liberal vote. I wrote him today to thank him - and as a white person, to remind him we aren't all like the teabagger scum he ran into in Washington last weekend. I suspect the teabaggers just reminded him what it's like to fight for justice - he's seen a lot worse.

This is a very nice change from the way many progressives were seeing Pelosi less than a year ago.

Just a reminder that Nancy's been a politician all her life, doing constituent work for her father starting when she was in grade school.

Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi's move to San Francisco was our gain and Baltimore's loss.

We're so proud of our Nancy.

Back in the 2008 election, Pelosi was the one who accorded "Presidential" stature to Obama. McCain pulled his "suspending his campaign" gimmick, and figured that he could claim that he was responsible for the bailout plan that would come out of the White House summit. He probably figured that he'd have no problem rolling the fractious Democrats (Reid, Dodd, etc.). Pelosi instead demanded that Obama be invited to the summit and at that summit said that Obama spoke for the Democrats, thus torpedoing any opportunity for the Senate Democrats to waver, and thereby eliminated any wiggle room for McCain. Obama seized the opportunity and showed his knowledge of the situation vastly exceeded that of both Bush and McCain. That's the point when all the carping about Obama's inexperience ceased and he looked as Presidential as McCain or Bush. That moment was only possible because Pelosi imposed a unified Democratic position behind Obama !

Nancy Pelosi--America's Kick-Ass Grandma!

Speaker Pelosi has proved to be a strong, pragmatic leader, unifying her House Democratic caucus more than any other leader in the last 50 years to pass critical legislation moving America in a New Direction after eight years of Republican rule.
acekard