Posted on 12/22/2006 8:11:07 PM PST by MadIvan
Somewhere, beneath the tinkling of champagne glasses and the crooning of Tony Bennett at the new year “inauguration” of Nancy Pelosi, will be heard the sound of knives being sharpened.
The four days of celebrations surrounding her swearing-in as the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives on January 4 have been carefully designed to introduce her properly to the American people.
Republican strategists are in little doubt that the scale of these events, perhaps more usually associated with the arrival of a new president, will help them to paint Ms Pelosi and the victorious Congressional Democrats as arrogant.
One suggested that it would serve as a reminder of the high-partying celebrity-fuelled Clinton era — “and the kind of Washington we would see if Hillary is elected president in ’08”.
The festivities will begin on January 2 with a civic lunch in Baltimore, the home town of Ms Pelosi, where a street will be named after her. She will then join an extended family dinner at an Italian restaurant.
The next day she will attend Mass at Trinity College in Washington, a tea for 400 women politicians and activists, and a dinner at the Italian Embassy. There, she is scheduled to be serenaded by Tony Bennett singing I Left My heart in San Francisco — a reference to her Congressional district.
Ms Pelosi will attend a non-denominational service at St Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill on January 4, and then eat brunch with hundreds of supporters at the Cannon House Office Building and the Library of Congress.
At noon the House will convene to elect her as the Speaker. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will then hold a fundraising dinner at the Building Museum, where 1,200 guests will pay $1,000 (£500) each to salute her between performances by Jimmy Buffett, Carole King and Mickey Hart. Finally, on January 5, she will hold an invitation-only “People’s House” at her offices.
All the events, with the exception of the fundraising dinner, are being paid for by the Pelosi campaign war chest.
Brendan Daly, her spokesman, said that the scale of the celebrations werewas fitting for a historic moment. “We’ve never had a woman speaker before. This is a big deal,” he said.
The programme is intended to reflect her personality, which supporters claim has been caricatured by opponents as that of a wealthy San Francisco liberal.
The events will emphasise her blue-collar Baltimore background, her Italian-American ethnicity and her faith. There are suggestions that it will restore some of the tarnished lustre of the Democrats as a party hospitable to families, working-class Catholics and women.
Since the Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections last month, public interest in — and scrutiny of — Ms Pelosi has risen sharply. Replicas of her pearl necklace are selling for $6,000 in Los Angeles.
She has suffered criticism for aggressively backing an unsuccessful bid by John Murtha to oust her deputy, Steny Hoyer, and for pursuing a public feud with fellow Californian Congresswoman Jane Harman, who was refused the post of Intelligence Committee chairman.
Mike Murphy, a Republican political consultant, did little to conceal his contempt for the celebrations, telling the Washington Post: “What? No fireworks? I’m glad they cancelled the tickertape parade. They probably couldn’t find biodegradable tickertape and a hybrid convertible.
“She has every right to throw a new-Speaker celebration, but it’s 500 per cent from what is normal. It’s an aggressive act to grab the spotlight.”
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Too bad Frank Sinatra has gone to his reward.
Regards, Ivan
I highly doubt that Chavez or Ahmanutjob would have a more lavish victory party!!!
I love how it says that this is to show her "roots" in a working class environment....
I bet her wardrobe for the 4 days would cost more than most families in America make in a year.
They looked more like Pop Beads
As I said on the related thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1757498/posts :
It's not a party, it's a coronation! Who does she think she is, Nancy Napoleon Pelosi? Pope Pelosi? Queen Nancy the First?
What? We never had a black female Secretary of State until Condoleeza Rice and I don't recall a four day party to celebrate that. These liberals are 50 years behind the times.
I wonder if the Feds will be taking down car license numbers outside.
I think the Dem women are infected with pop beaditis!!!
I bet if 3 other women showed up wearing a designer dress exactly like Nancy's she would send her henchmen to throw them out of the party until they went home to change..
I would almost take up a collection to PAY Jane Harman to show up in a dress just like Nancys!!! LOL
Apparently, her lunch in Baltimore is supposed to dispel her image as a "San Francisco Liberal" and show that she din't come from a life of privilege.
What they fail to point out is that she raised as the daughter of the MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, riding around in escorted limousines....
No privilege there.....
I totally agree with you....I think she is really aiming for Queen..it fits, coming from San Francisco...plus, Queens don't have term limits.
Your description of the democrats is to kind.
Multi Millionaire and Employer of Illegal Aliens
Pelosi is so going to trip over her arrogance.
There will be those within her own party who will do her in and we will have a front row seat to watch and laugh.
Regards, Ivan
The festivities will begin on January 2 with a civic lunch in Baltimore, the home town of Ms Pelosi, where a street will be named after her.
A street being named after her ! what are they naming it Asshole Ave. ???
Didnt her father control all of the Unions in Baltimore.
And..if I remember correctly...her first job was for her father, calling up people to remind them what had been done for them...or some kind of job leaning on people...LOL
If our country wasn't in such peril...I would almost enjoy the next 2 years watching Nancy Pelosi screw up week after week..
And, Hillary knocking off opponent after opponent..(in the library with a candlstick by the butler)...
However, the terrorists will see this as the perfect opportunity to slither their way into our world...and try to bring it down while the dems are acting the fools.
ROFL .. that would be too funny
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