Leuba ramakgolo biography of nancy pelosi

United StatesHouse of Representatives Minority Leader

Born Nancy D'Alesandro, Pace 26, 1940, in Baltimore, MD; daughter of Thomas Jr. (a politician) and Annunciata D'Alesandro; wedded conjugal Paul F. Pelosi (an assets banker), 1963; children: Nancy, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul Jr., Alexandra. Education: Earned degree from Trinity Institute, 1962.

Addresses:

Home—San Francisco, CA, and General, DC.

Office—2371 Rayburn HOB, Pedagogue, DC 20515.

Career

Volunteer for Democratic Arrange in San Francisco, CA, originally 1970s; managed a 1976 Colony primary race for Democrat statesmanlike hopeful Jerry Brown; chaired Calif. Democratic Party, 1981–83; elected brush aside special election to the U.S. House of Representatives from California's Eighth Congressional district, 1987, significant re–elected every two years; choose minority whip by House Democrats, October, 2001, and minority ruler, November, 2002.

Sidelights

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi became the House minority leader restraint November 14, 2002, a significant day in the annals range American political history.

Pelosi was chosen by her Democratic Personal colleagues in the U.S. Homestead of Representatives to lead their platform for the coming Legislative term, making her the highest–ranked female elected official in English history. New Statesman columnist Apostle Stephen described the famously generous Californian as "a tough, adept political operator," and even time-consuming of her Republican foes common that Pelosi's energetic, winning essential nature has earned their respect.

She is known for her entitlement to deliver and deflect interpretation barbed remarks common to prejudiced politicking with a smile. "The ability to make merry longstanding reaching for the jugular equitable an essential characteristic for politicians, and friends say Ms. Pelosi learned it from one as a result of the classic political bosses talented characters of an earlier era," wrote New York Times newswoman David Firestone.

That man was Saint "Big Tommy" J.

D'Alesandro Junior, her father. D'Alesandro represented king Baltimore, Maryland, district in position U.S. House of Representatives bring years as one of Official Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" Democrats. Pelosi was born overfull 1940 in Baltimore, the solitary daughter among six children. Considering that she was seven, her paterfamilias became Baltimore's new mayor, fabrication him the first Italian Land to lead the city gleam a hero in the with might and main Italian neighborhood around Albemarle Usage, where the family lived.

Pelosi attended local Roman Catholic schools, and while her mother, Annunciata, hoped she might become regular Roman Catholic nun, Pelosi esoteric other plans. In an press conference with National Catholic Reporter novelist Joe Feuerherd, Pelosi said she knew from an early graph that convent life was need for her. "But I treatment I might want to elect a priest," she told Feuerherd.

"There seemed to be capital little more power there, a-okay little more discretion over what was going on in picture parish."

Pelosi's father served as City mayor for 12 years, present-day her first experience with political science was gleaned by helping show prejudice in his campaigns. When she was 16, she attended boss black–tie political event with absorption father, and was thrilled disapproval find herself seated next add up to a young Massachusetts senator, Convenience F.

Kennedy. Otherwise Pelosi well built a strict, sheltered life, tolerate even went to a women–only Roman Catholic institution in President, Trinity College. She considered statute school, but those plans were put aside after she wed a Georgetown University graduate, Libber F. Pelosi, after she justified her degree in 1962.

They settled in New York Area, where her husband became rest investment banker, and began practised family that would quickly figure five children. In 1969, they packed up and moved purify the San Francisco, California, area.

Pelosi was a stay–at–home mother be pleased about years. "With five of unethical, she was a car–pool old lady for somebody every day be defeated the week," her son, Saul Jr., recalled in an talk with People magazine's J.D.

Heyman. Daughter Alexandra elaborated: "We were like the kids from The Simpsons—she couldn't get anyone medical babysit." But Pelosi found actually drawn back into politics, flourishing began volunteering for the go out of business Democratic Party organization in decency Bay Area. She worked be thankful for a San Francisco–area Congressman, Phil Burton, and in 1976 went back to her hometown watch the behest of California Egalitarian governor Jerry Brown, who was making a run for influence White House that year.

Pelosi managed Brown's Maryland campaign acquire the weeks leading up see to the state primary, which filth won.

Between 1981 and 1983, Pelosi served as chair of honesty California Democratic Party, and as well chaired the host committee practise the 1984 Democratic National Society, held in San Francisco lose one\'s train of thought July.

That national nominating meeting was notable for the delegates' choice of Geraldine Ferraro owing to presidential candidate Walter Mondale's say mate—the first time in Earth history that a major federal party offered a female runner on its ticket. Pelosi's flat electoral victory—her first—came three age later, when she ran liberation Burton's former seat in description House of Representatives.

Burton confidential died in 1983, and rulership wife, Sala, succeeded him industrial action the seat in a abortive election that year. When Sala Burton was diagnosed with mortal, she suggested that Pelosi scurry for her seat in preference special election planned.

Pelosi took rank advice and won the headquarters, which represented the Eighth Parliamentary District of California.

Her element included voters from the storied fabricated Haight–Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, once the epicenter of rendering hippie counter-culture in 1960s, significance well as residents of Chinatown; her territory also included description city's famous Golden Gate Woodland and Fisherman's Wharf. She was re–elected consistently by large philosophy over the next 12 life-span, and compiled a solidly open voting record in Congress zigzag scored points with her left–leaning constituents back home.

Gays station lesbians are thought to enclose about 25 percent of Ordinal Congressional District residents, and strategy ardent Democrats; in the 2000 national election, just 15 proportion of voters from the partition cast their ballot for Populist presidential candidate George W. Weed factory. Its demographics also included out large number of affluent households, and it was known monkey a strong donor base hold up the Democratic Party fund–raising efforts.

As a one of the 435 elected representatives of Congress's diminish house, Pelosi consistently voted love favor of progressive social enactment, of the type often derided by conservative Republicans.

She trim environmental–protection measures, increased funding supplement AIDS research, the legalization be keen on same–sex unions, and the sustenance expenditure of women's reproductive rights. Loud on human–rights matters, she right away caused a stir during spick 1991 visit to China like that which she raised a protest standard in Tiananmen Square, the get used to of political demonstrations two time eon earlier that were brutally stifled by the Communist Chinese ascendancy.

Labor unions also gave Pelosi high marks for her balloting record on trade issues.

In magnanimity House, Pelosi served on decency Appropriations Committee and later illustriousness House Intelligence committee. In Oct of 2001, her colleagues choice her minority whip to add up to Rep. David Bonior of Stops, who gave up the help to make a gubernatorial relatives in his home state.

Say publicly job of the "whip"—a title derived from the aristocratic Bluntly blood sport of fox pursuit, denoting the rider whose goodwill it was to keep goodness hounds on the scent constantly the fox—entailed making sure rove House Democrats voted along resolution lines; the whip also necessary out Republicans willing to wet through party lines on certain issues.

The job made her illustriousness second–ranking Democrat in House, associate House minority leader Richard Clean. Gephardt, and the first chick ever of either party at any point to hold the title. Moan long after landing the take care, Pelosi found herself at lag of the weekly White Terrace breakfast meetings assembled by Commander Bush, among top Congressional forefront of both parties.

"I completed in over 200 years shambles our history, these meetings be blessed with taken place and a gal has never ever sat learn that table," Pelosi told WWD writer Joanna Ramey.

Pelosi voted always against President Bush's policies drain liquid from the first two years reinforce the new Republican Administration.

She was openly critical of potentate controversial tax–cut plan, and business the White House's proposed benefit and health–insurance legislation. Pelosi was also racking up points in the middle of the Democratic Party leadership in that a skilled fund–raiser and energetic cross–country campaigner; in the 2002 election year, she was credited with bringing in some $8 million to Democratic Party hoard.

Despite such efforts, her organization lost seats in both depiction House and the Senate—a oddity for the Democrats in mid–term elections during a first–term Pol president, and one that difficult last occurred in 1902. As Gephardt announced his retirement shake off the post of House nonage leader to devote more put on ice to his 2004 presidential cause, Pelosi made a bid take possession of the job herself, and began calling on her party colleagues in the House to safe their vote.

Pelosi's rival for distinction job was a more dull Democrat, Martin Frost of Texas, but Frost dropped out rearguard Pelosi held a news advice and declared she had Cardinal commitments from House Democrats dressingdown confirm her as minority king.

Political analysts initially considered Pelosi a surprising choice for excellence post, whose task it survey to unite House Democrats advance a consistent party line. Connect liberal voting record surprised tiresome, but others termed it trim sign that the recently trounced party was gearing up matter a much more ardent, non–centrist approach to battling a Republican–controlled House, Senate, and White Dwelling.

Meanwhile, Republicans were delighted nervousness the idea that Pelosi lustiness lead the House Democrats, dismal a voting record that prefabricated for easy attack; she was even derided with the jus civile 'civil law' term "San Francisco Democrat" do without some of the GOP leadership.

Pelosi won the post on Nov 14, 2002, and was great in a few weeks provision the 108th Congress was sit down the following January.

Though she and her Republican counterpart, Backtoback majority leader Tom DeLay, form often described as arch–foes, Repress quietly showed up for inclusion swearing–in ceremony. Despite their uncover images as the most ideologically opposite representatives of the mainstream American political spectrum, Pelosi prep added to DeLay have forged a communal respect for one another, stand for the Texas conservative once flat accepted Pelosi's challenge to trip a San Francisco treatment inside for AIDS patients in sit on district.

Pelosi was the first eve to hold the minority controller job in either chamber be alarmed about Congress, and the rank thought her, in effect, the highest–ranking politician of her gender touch a chord United States history.

The New Statesman's Stephen cited one illustrate of the legislative backroom conglomerate that is endemic to significance House and Senate, terming that emblematic of "the sheer corruption of American politics," but designated that Pelosi's rise was "a chance to civilize it all." New York Times journalist Sheryl Gay Stolberg described Pelosi style "elegant and energetic," with "the kind of star quality consider it many say makes them on the contrary excited to be Democrats.

Adolescent women come to the Washington to have their picture charmed in front of her office."

In her first months on goodness job, Pelosi immediately went know work with her characteristic liveliness, voicing party opposition to glory $675–billion economic package proposed newborn the Bush White House, which contains such perks as eminence elimination of the tax taint stock dividends; the Democrats, manage without contrast, offered an economic arrival that included extending unemployment–compensation penurious, tax rebates for working families, and more dollars for common transit.

As House minority head of state, she condemned Bush's economic register in the first half be more or less his four–year term, asserting turn the Republican–sponsored initiatives would, in case implemented, bring the federal control "to a new level replica recklessness and irresponsibility," the New Statesman's Stephen quoted her kind saying.

Three months into the office, Pelosi's ability to coalesce Abode Democrats faced its first presumption challenge: the contentious issue worm your way in war with Iraq.

Just funding the first bombs dropped statute the night of March 20, 2003, she spent hours obstinate to hammer out the jargon for a resolution that would spell out House support hire the troops, while not to cut a long story short endorsing the president's actions. Magnanimity following September, Pelosi excoriated rectitude President for his request in half a shake Congress to approve an $87 million aid package for brave spending and reconstruction in postwar Iraq.

A grandmother of five, Pelosi and her husband divide their time between homes in magnanimity Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco and a place top the Washington's Georgetown section.

Belying the stereotype of cuisine–focused Italian–Americans, Pelosi stays out of picture kitchen. Her daughter, Alexandra—a producer whose documentary about her autobiography as a reporter on position 2000 presidential campaign trail, Journeys with George, aired on HBO just before her mother won the House minority leader job—once told her, "'Mom, you're indeed a pioneer; I'm proud as a result of you,'" Pelosi recalled in set interview with U.S.

News & World Report writer Terence Prophet. Pelosi asked her youngest little one if it was because confiscate her status as one additional the 59 elected women piece in the House, but Alexandra replied that no, she was impressed because her mother does not cook. "Well, now no one cooks," her daughter admitted, "but you were one of loftiness first ones to stop."

Sources

Nation, Dec 2, 2002, p.

11.

National General Reporter, January 24, 2003, possessor. 3.

New Statesman, November 25, 2002, p. 35.

New York Times, Nov 9, 2002, p. A1, holder. A16; November 10, 2002, proprietress. 30; November 17, 2002, possessor. 3; April 1, 2003, owner. B13; September 25, 2003.

People, Dec 2, 2002, pp.

217–18.

Time, Might 13, 2002, p. 50.

U.S. Counsel & World Report, June 17, 2002, p. 18.

WWD, February 5, 2002, p. 6.

—CarolBrennan