Pelosi’s Next Act – An Encore

By Colleen O’Connor

What’s a woman to do?

Specifically, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Just off a near miracle election that defied all odds, almost all odds makers and every doomsday prediction cited by pollsters that the House Democratic majority could lose as many as 45 seats.

In 2018, then House Minority Lead, Pelosi promised to stay around.

“As long as (Trump’s) here, I’m here.”

She did acknowledge that it’s “up to the caucus” to select her party’s leader and that “it’s time for new blood” in the party but added that given the current political climate she should remain in her role.

Some would argue that logic still applies. Trump is still here and the political climate still shaky.

Even more so, with Trump announcing his third run for the Presidency, while facing dozens of criminal and civil investigations, over 60 court loses about “rigged elections,” contempt of Congress cites from the January 6th committee, and multiple threats, all in an attempt to avoid his “loser” status — just re-confirmed this election cycle.

Additionally, the Trump family just struck a deal with a Saudi-based real estate company to license its name to a housing and golf complex that will be built in Oman.

Trump is still around.  What can Pelosi do?

Idea #1

Follow the lead of Queen Victoria (the longest serving British Monarch before Queen Elizabeth) both of whom used longevity to hold their countries together.  And both of whom (assessing the alternative heirs (“using a cold eye” as my father would say) and stayed put.

Redrafted succinctly in Season 5 of The Crown, as the “Victoria Syndrome.”

On August 11, 1991, England’s Daily Mail ran a front-page banner headline: “Queen Should Abdicate in Favour of Prince of Wales.”  Indeed, Prince Charles pushed the narrative, backed it up with iffy polling data, offended his mother, and wound up having to wait for decades to grab the throne with an expiration date!

Now that is power. And Pelosi still holds it. President Biden and Majority Senate Leader Schumer have both asked her “to stay.”  She demurred.

She wants to keep her family safe and be with her husband while he faces a “long recovery” from the brutal hammer attack.

How to reconcile the contradictory promises?

Idea #2

Use the cold eye here, too.  There is no “Pelosi-in-the making.”  Not just her longevity, depth of experience, fundraising hauls, or massive legislative accomplishments with a hugely diverse and demanding caucus.  She prevails against all odds.

Even her nemesis, Newt Gingrich now says, “She’s been the strongest Speaker in History.”

And the current “lame duck” Congress will only add to that assessment.

While still holding a majority in both Houses, Congress can and probably will, pass the “Marriage Equality Act,” a budget reconciliation bill that precludes a shut-down and expands the debt ceiling, possible codification of Roe v. Wade as a rebuke to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs vote, Women’s Equality Act, Affirmative Action, and dozens of new federal judges, etc.

That alone will be an amazing Encore.

With a razor-thin margin of victory for the GOP, and in-fighting still raging, a slip, a passing, another retirement, a special election, something could swing the House Democratic.  Wait and see.  The balance can tip.

Pelosi has already confirmed she will keep her San Francisco House seat, in the new Congress, (having won with over 80%) where she can still wield political power and keep her family safe using 21st century tools.

She can phone in. Zoom in. Fly in. Text in. Or retain status as Minority Leader. Any and everything to keep Trump at bay.

As Pelosi herself opined, “There are all kinds of ways to exert influence. Speaker has awesome power, but I will always have influence.”

She can follow the great female English Monarchs, Victoria, and Elizabeth II, while simultaneously protecting her family and her country

An Encore indeed.