NANCY PELOSI Reflects On the Not-Quite-End of An Era

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., pauses as lawmakers stand and applaud as she speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Washington, on Nov. 17, 2022. Credit – Carolyn Kaster—AP

Ever since the election, Nancy Pelosi says, congressional Democrats have been begging her to remain as their leader. Of course, she knew what they were really doing: currying favor, just in case.

“Our members were just exploding my phone to stay,” she says, “which is a nice thing, because if I don’t stay, then they’ve gotten the points for saying ’stay,’ and if I do—“ she trailed off, laughing. No matter what she decided, they knew it would be in their interest to be on her good side going forward. FOR MORE

NANCY PELOSI TRIBUTE FILM: From Women’s Tea Honoring Nancy Pelosi Jan. 3, 2007