Assessing our first female speaker of the House (and the sexism she faced)

[swag]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/11/assessing_our_first_female_spe.html

By Dana Goldstein

. . .

Unfortunately, Pelosi’s openly feminist approach — as well as her disingenuous self-portrait of a housewife who just sort of stumbled upon political power (in fact, she was a canny operator who, over 23 years in Congress, carefully out-strategized the competition to ascend to the top of the party’s hierarchy) — allowed conservatives to caricature her all too easily. The attacks were vicious. A Republican National Committee campaign, “Fire Pelosi,” made careful, mocking use of her official title, “Madam Speaker.” When she criticized Gen. Stanley McChrystal for one of his many intemperate public comments about the administration’s Afghanistan strategy, ignoring chain of command, the Republican National Campaign Committee spokesperson said, “Taxpayers can only hope McChrystal is able to put her in her place”—barefoot and in the kitchen, presumably, far away from important matters of war and peace.

Most recently, Pelosi’s Ron Paul-backed Republican challenger depicted her as the Wicked Witch of the West. The ad went viral, and Rush Limbaugh picked up the habit of playing the Wicked Witch’s theme song when speaking about the House speaker.

Pelosi never shied away from what it meant to be the first woman to hold such an important job. She spoke openly about the sexism Hillary Rodham Clinton faced while running for president, noting matter-of-factly: “I’m a victim of sexism myself all the time, but I just think it goes with the territory. I don’t sit around to say, ‘but for that.’” And I must admit, I’ve had a soft spot for her ever since, standing in a scrum of reporters at the Capitol in 2008, all shouting questions in her direction, she called on me, noting that I was the only woman among the group.

So as her political career likely draws to a close, let’s raise a glass to Nancy Pelosi. Her legacy as the first female speaker of the House will, I believe, be vindicated by history, which will also remember her as a tough and effective leader of the Democratic caucus.

[joeybee12]

1. Amen...the Repukes are sexist filth...KNR

[gateley]

2. I've come to admire her so much I made her my avatar as soon as Boehner

"won". It's a great loss to us all. I'd vote for her as President. I hope she doesn't retire, we need her! Recommend!

[47of74]

3. I've noticed one thing about conservative males

A strong, intelligent, and independent woman sends them screaming to defend their manly territory. They're fine with Princess Dumbass of the North Woods type women, but the moment someone like Pelosi comes along they cannot stand it, which is why you saw all this vitriol directed Pelosi's way.

[old mark]

4. I think she did a great job given what she had, and the shit she got from both

the House and the WH. She is a great Democratic politician, and deserves top be remembered well...the GOP HATES her - she must have been doing it right.

mark

[glitch]

5. + infinity. I don't always agree with her but I admire her grit. And I wouldn't count her out.

Her career is not likely coming to an end, unless she wants it to, it would probably be because she's just sick of all the hideous people she has to deal with. I couldn't do it, my head would explode.