Pelosi's new image as Italian Catholic mom has Republicans "reeling"

[DeepModem Mom]

San Francisco Chronicle: Pelosi's new image as Italian Catholic mom -- more than a 'San Francisco liberal'
Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross
Sunday, January 7, 2007

Quite a makeover for newly sworn House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as her national image morphed from leader of the San Francisco liberal elite to Italian Catholic mom from Baltimore.

There was her photo-op return to the Little Italy neighborhood where she grew up as Nancy D'Alesandro, the mayor's daughter. There was the visit to St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, where they still recite Mass in Italian several times a year.

"It's clear Republicans are reeling today based on her outreach to Italian Catholics who, as we know, have deserted the Democratic Party in the Midwest in droves,'' said San Francisco power attorney Joe Cotchett, who was among those attending the Pelosi swearing in.

While the marathon events in the nation's capital might have resembled a coronation, those most familiar with how Washington works said Pelosi's time in the spotlight amounted to well-calculated politics that could help her move her agenda in her first 100 days.

"A lot of people don't know much about her, so this is a chance to fill in her profile and biography so she doesn't just become the San Francisco liberal,'' said San Francisco consultant Chris Lehane, a veteran of the Clinton-Gore White House. "This is the one time when the press will be focusing on it.''

And it may be working....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/07/BAGIGNE9A71.DTL&feed=rss.news

[no_hypocrisy]

1. American family values. She's what the republicans wanted to be. n/t

[hunter]

30. No, the Republicans never wanted to be that.

They cared most about winning, so that's the lie they told.

The Republican House and the Bush White House were never places of "family values."

[KingFlorez]

2. She has the image that couldn't grasp

All they could do is pretend they had family values by talking about nonsense over and over, they never actually had a face that represents true family values. Her becoming Speaker is good in more ways than one.

[Monkeyman]

3. Not under the tum of people like Fawell scares them

[sam sarrha]

4. yea it is difficult to look good slap'n down all those grand kids

[JNelson6563]

5. She is what they claim to be

I love it! K&R!

Julie

[gratuitous]

6. Waaahh! Nancy won't follow the script we wrote for her!

The poor GOP! Nobody seems to want to do what they say anymore. They're looking more than a little like the prom queen/head cheerleader on the day after graduation. Suddenly so many people who used to hang on her every word and glance are all preoccupied with their own affairs, and the artificial structure that accorded her so much power has vanished overnight.

[LeeB]

11. Help me out - I'm suffering from a brain stall here . . .

Hi, Gratuitous -

What did you mean by this: "Suddenly so many people who used to hang on her every word and glance are all preoccupied with their own affairs, and the artificial structure that accorded her so much power has vanished overnight."

Thanks - :blush:

[gratuitous]

14. In likening the GOP to the prom queen

The girl in high school who orders all the social strata and rules the interactions of her fellow students suddenly becomes highly irrelevant as soon as high school is over. As the artificial atmosphere of high school disappears after graduation, similarly the artificial power structure of a Republican majority that accorded the GOP and its every utterance power and influence way out of proportion has disappeared. And now, when the GOP tries the ludicrous gambit of caricaturing Nancy Pelosi as a "San Francisco liberal" people seem to be seeing through it before they're even done speaking.

Okay, maybe it's not my best analogy ever.

[Auntie Bush]

15. Cheerleaders and prom queens everywhere are insulted!

[LeeB]

25. Subject: Thank you, thank you. Now I get it.

That's really what I thought you meant but somehow got tangled up in the notion that made no sense to my overwrought (undercoffeed) brain that somehow Nancy was the one who was suddenly lacking power. I think I need a vacation. :-)

[gulliver]

7. Dems doing good politics?!?!

Dropping a pen...

Hmm, fell downward. Not up or sideways.

Pinching self...

Ouch!

[zulchzulu]

8. Anyone in the know knew she has a "Baltimore" accent

I mean, c'mon!

Actually, I always thought she was from lower Pennsylvania accent-wise...but she probably fully says "Phil-a-dephya" instead of "Phew-uh-defyo" as per the citizens of the city of Brotherly Love...

[caledesi]

10. Yes ZZ...she has a Baltimore accent. Lived in Alexandria VA

for about 5 years and worked in Crystal City and heard many a Baltimore accents.

[MiniMe]

17. That would be a "Ballmer" accent

You know those balmore people don't pronounce the "ti" ;-)

[Eurobabe]

31. Proper Philly English is Ful-dul-fia

I spent 18 years there, I know.

AND HOW BOUT THEM FUCKIN' IGGLES!!???

[fishwax]

9. It has been a great image overhaul, though frankly

I like the idea of a San Francisco liberal just fine :)

[Contrary1]

12. Save these paragraphs for the Freeps...

Wnen they start whining even louder:

"...Showing off: In politics as in movies, staging is all-important to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- and his inaugural was no exception.

Produced by Schwarzenegger family friend Carl Bendix, who has done the Academy Awards Governors Ball and other Hollywood events, and emceed by former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, the Friday affair was Hollywood through and through -- including a last-minute prop to help the gimpy governor.

There were two rehearsals Thursday night, and another the morning of the show. Arnold, however, still recuperating from his busted leg, showed up only for the main event. He was hoisted up to the stage by a backstage elevator for the disabled."

[AX10]

13. K & R!

[ribrepin]

16. Great article

She's everything they keep yapping about. Stayed home to raise her kids, still married to her first husband and catholic to boot. And now she's going to make their lives a living hell. I love it!

Recommended.

[mtnsnake]

18. Democrats being clever with image?

It's about fricken time!! Good move by whomever is behind this kind of image making, whether it's Nancy herself or another braintrust. Anything to get voters to return to our Party is fine by me as long as she doesn't shove the religion part down anyone's throats.

[Cha]

23. Bonus, too..

it's all true ..just the voters across the country helped to put a shining light on her.

[mzmolly]

28. I'm not sure what they put in the "Democrat" water,

but whatever it is, I'm likin' it! :beer:

[sendero]

19. I just get more..

... impressed with Pelosi all the time. I think she is going to be one savvy leader.

[mtnsnake]

20. Same here. Pelosi's the type of person who could make a swing voter

swing Democrat after just one listening session, she's that good. After listening to how she handles herself, she's about 99.5% perfect, with only the question of impeachment keeping her from perfect...and that's still something she can follow through on in due time. I like the way Harry Reid handles himself, too. We're fortunate with these two people as our leaders.

[Radical Activist]

21. palomino

The SNL skit was hilarious.

[RedG1]

29. replay of the SNL skit...palomino...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqKCbtO9erQ

[Ishoutandscream2]

22. I understand Lehane's comment

but still, there's nothing wrong with being "the San Francisco liberal." It's a title we should all revel in.

[IndyOp]

24. Yes we should revel in being "San Francisco liberals" and it is good to connect

that label with the realities of being a San Francisco liberal - it means working hard, caring about children, being religious (or not)...

Use the opportunity to expand and clarify for people what it means to be liberal - like President Kennedy:

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label, “Liberal”? If by “Liberal” they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of “Liberal.” But, if by a “Liberal,” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people - their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties - someone who believes that we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I'm proud to say that I'm a “Liberal.”

[Doctor_J]

26. Wait - Newt said that HE, not Nancy, represents American values

That's right - a twice-divorced, serial adulterer, check-kiting deadbeat dad says that his values are more in tune with Americans than a gradnmother of 5 who's been married to the same man for more than 40 years.

Rush better get on this!

[talk hard]

27. trying to pigeon hole her didn't work out 2 well

Pelosi's is obviously smarter than to let them do that to her