Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emeritus?

[brooklynite]

Puck News

Sometime around noon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will walk out onto the House floor to take her final bow after 19 years as head of the Democratic caucus with a speech about passing the torch from one generation to the next, I’m told. But instead of riding high into retirement, as has long been assumed, or becoming ambassador to Italy—a diplomatic posting the White House has been holding open for her—Pelosi will announce that she plans to stay in Congress as a backbencher, roaming the halls in a sort of emeritus role and helping to guide Democrats through their turn in the minority.

The decision to step down from leadership was reached over the weekend, as I reported on Monday, after Pelosi crafted a retirement speech with the help of the celebrity historian and presidential biographer Jon Meacham, a favorite of the Democratic elite, including Joe Biden, for exactly these types of moments. I was told there were multiple drafts of the speech, signifying Pelosi’s indecision and the fluidity of the midterm election results.

But the decision to stay on as a backbencher was only reached days ago. On Wednesday, the move was floated in the New York Times under the headline “Will Pelosi Stay or Will She Go? Perhaps a Little Bit of Both.” By that point, I’m told, Pelosi had torn up the Meacham draft, repurposing the best pieces of it for her own handcrafted speech that threads the needle to account for her post-speakership, chairman-like role.

[Walleye]

1. Sounds ideal to me

[Tanuki]

2. Emerita

[2naSalit]

13. +

[OnDoutside]

3. Good that she won't totally walk away....I wonder what Jefferies

chances are of being Minority Leader ?

[brooklynite]

4. Don't know who else is running, but Jeffries is in the top tier.

[OnDoutside]

7. Yes, I've been really impressed by him since his inclusion in the

Leadership team.

I thought Pramila Jayapal would make the step up but her involvement in that Ukraine letter showed poor judgement imo, and clearly she's a bit off that yet.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

5. 99.9%

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. Her are my choices for House Leadership on the Democratic side....

Jamie Raskin
Adam Schiff
Hakeem Jefries
Ayanna Pressley
Eric Swalwell

I am sure there are more, but these Democrats are passionate, humble, and tell the TRUTH. They are the Republicans worse nightmare.

[brooklynite]

8. "passionate, humble, and tell the TRUTH"

But those aren't the criteria for leadership. The job is developing policy and legislation, wrangling the votes and getting things passed.

[Ninga]

14. I differ. Nancy has the exact persona (and exemplary policy and legislation skills) needed

when speaking to the voters to inform or rebuff or what ever is needed at that moment.

Leadership based on technical skills alone is not leadership.

[Jersey Devil]

9. Schiff has said he does not want a leadership role

His eye is on the Senate seat currently held by DiFi.

[OnDoutside]

11. Which would be entirely suited to his abilities. I hope he gets it.

[Ninga]

12. Nancy has charisma and passion and energy. While Adam is brilliant, it's not enough.

[OnDoutside]

20. I was referring to the Senate.

[Ninga]

10. Hakeem Jeffries has charisma and is excellent extemporaneously, speaking off the cuff with

passion and memorable turn of phrase. He gets it in a big way much like Nancy.
So does Eric Swalwell and Jamie Raskin.

It is critically important when the new minority leader steps to the podium they warrant the attention not so much for brilliance, but equally, charisma.

[Genki Hikari]

18. It's not a popularity contest.

The vote will probably go to someone with seniority who has been in a leadership position in the House, as in a majority leader, whip, or committee chair.

So Steny Hoyer, James Clyburn, or one of these people:

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/12320-1

That's how these things work.

Maybe someone who's a subcommittee chair, but that's an if.

James Clyburn would have stood a good chance of becoming minority leader, because he has seniority, leadership experience and he would be the first black majority leader.

But they'll probably go for someone younger who's been in leadership already.

[Genki Hikari]

19. My bets for the future leadership

Gregory Meeks
Bobby Scott
Mark Takano
Nydia Velázquez

Not flashy, but already proven leaders within the party.

[NoMoreRepugs]

15. There will NEVER be another like her - I know that sounds preposterous but I firmly believe it.

That mold is broken. Her standing up to that Orange Bag of Shit without EVER backing down was incredible.

[RockCreek]

16. Katie Porter

She may be relatively new to the House (entering her third term), but she's got it down!

[CaptainTruth]

17. She has MORE than done her job.

I don't think there will ever be another speaker like her.