Rep. Pelosi poised to make history

Williams: Share with the folks watching this drama that's been unfolding in New York while you've been a little busy here in Washington and points west.

Pelosi: Well, I have been busy here in Washington and points west in this campaign, but everybody knew, whether it was my staff or the people who I was to appear for, that the minute I got the call, I would rush to New York because my daughter would be having our sixth grandchild — her first baby. So, with every family, first things first. It's such an excitement to have this new baby — that it comes at a time when we are starting a new Congress is, I think, a good omen — a constant reminder that we're here for the children. They're a constant inspiration. We're responsible to them to build a better future. But to get right back to being the grandmother Speaker of the House, I think it's about time we had an Italian-American grandmother speaker of the House — one with a brand new baby to energize.

Williams: Back on the business side. How much was last night's vote about an issue like stem cells?

Pelosi: Each election is different in the House races. So we have our "Six for '06," minimum wage and the economy in certain districts. Stem cell research and affordability of health care in other districts. But in most places in the country, the issues address the concerns of America's working families. And one big concern they have is, of course, the direction we're going in Iraq because of the loss of life and limb and reputation and dollars and the opportunity cost that that war is foisting on the United States. You analyze these races one race at a time, but there is no question that the war in Iraq has become an issue in every family in America because of the priorities that are neglected and because of the failure of the policy there.

Williams: Will you be able to govern a Democratic Party in the House that has been out of power now for quite a while? You have all kinds of disparate interests reporting to you and your gavel.

Pelosi: The beauty of the Democratic Party is in the mix. The diversity that we have is our strength and when we reach consensus — and that's how we build our unity, by discussing it among ourselves and building consensus — nothing comes from on high in the Democratic Party. It's a Democratic process. When we reach our unity on an issue, we are very, very strong and we did last year on Social Security. We fought the president successfully on that. And we have our unity around "Six for '06" — our energy independence, our innovation agenda. We have plenty of areas of agreement to go forward. But make no mistake, I say to our members of Congress — each of them and our new members who are coming in — you are all independent representatives of your districts. Your title and your job description is one and the same — representative. We need the vitality and the dynamism of all the disparate thinking of our country to reach consensus that is very strong for a public policy that meets the needs of the American people.

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