For former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), it must be excruciating to watch and hear the news dominated now by Republicans on the Hill. No one is commenting on her clackety high heels, African scarves, or gutsy behavior in favor of watching the current House leadership try to find some camaraderie. But that plucky lawmaker from California is undeterred by lack of attention and instead has claimed, “I’m emancipated!”
Eyes now set somewhere on the horizon, searching for a new perch from which to rip up speeches and make outlandish statements, Pelosi has decided to nickname herself Nancy on the Hill. She will now attend events and give speeches and hold office time for young Democrats to soak up her decades-long experience in slaying dragons and holding press conferences.
Pelosi Finds Her Long-Lost Sense of Humor
The former Speaker has found a new rhythm to her daily routine and is now high on life. During a day-long shadowing by The Los Angeles Times, she giggled, danced, ate ice cream for breakfast, and returned to a junior high school girl mentality. As the newspaper recorded, after swallowing a hot dog for lunch, she joyfully reminded she could basically do whatever she pleased, loudly proclaiming, “Liberated! Freedom! Free at last!” Seriously? Coquettish behavior and simultaneously channeling the late and great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Perhaps it was a good time to step away from grooming the next group of young, idealistic Democrats. She’d have them mixing up their analogies and adages as if possessed by Yogi Berra. Yet none of it makes her seem remotely human.
The Times watched her touch up her hairdo, wiggle her hips, and tap her stilettos to the beat as Resistance Revival Chorus performed in her honor. “You never can dance too much,” she barks over the music to be heard. No one has filed an insurance claim for the ophthalmologist as of yet.
Perhaps her scaled-down staff and new office open-door policy will lessen the robotic nature she has acquired over the three decades in leadership. “How can I help?” one can imagine her asking as she smiles and gestures toward a comfy chair as she holds out a giant cookie. No, that doesn’t fit with the tiny but tough grandmother that seems more like a Hansel and Gretel character than a guidance counselor. But she insisted to the LA paper, “I love it, listening or meeting with or hearing from members, especially the new members. We just see them so hopefully, and I just tell them things like keep the home fires burning, remember that — that’s your strength — reach across the aisle. Those kinds of things.”
Where did she learn that message? No one has seen her practice it for years.
But Still a Vengeful Politician
Nancy Pelosi (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Pelosi is not a sweet soon-to-be retiree with either across-the-aisle or in-her-own-lane politicians. She apparently was quite the critic while watching her president struggle during a speech from the comfort of her office, wagging her finger and advising him to shape up and do things differently. Moreover, she is a cagey old lady: she understands politics, whereas Biden seems to be stumbling through his political positions. Biden, unfortunately, made a snarky comment about Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and sent Nancy to lecture the television, “He’s going to raise her a million dollars by mentioning her name.” All probably true: Joe Biden might be the biggest asset to the GOP.
But Pelosi’s real vindictiveness is directed at former President Donald Trump. She won’t speak his name as a rule and does not condone the use by anyone, even Joe Biden. Poor Uncle Joe said, “former president and — and maybe future president,” during a rambling speech earlier this month in Philadelphia. It would appear that Nancy believes if she says “Trump” three times while turning in a circle, he will indeed become the next president of the US. That is some superpower to possess. But she slipped in front of the newspaper reporter and demanded that it not be printed. “Don’t write that down. Just say she burped.”
Bye, Bye Mrs. American Pie
The former Speaker of the House made history and should be recognized as a trailblazer for the game and so-called political profession. She is gutsy, brash, rude, and out of touch with the little people – but there is no denying she made history and persevered.
But despite the wishes of the Republican Party and half of the US electorate, Pelosi isn’t quite finished driving everyone mad. She has indicated she will be writing a book to fillet conservative views and remind her fans that she knows how to save democracy if they just buy a copy when it is released. And although the woman is overstuffed with hubris and belching on a former power now digested, she does have regrets: “My only regret – real regret – is that I wasn’t leaving it in the majority. I fully intended to do that, and we came very close.”
Emancipation works both ways, Nancy.
