There is a lot to say about Nancy Pelosi. I’ve written about her . . . well, probably for as long as I’ve been writing. I wrote a smidge about her in some political notes yesterday. Today, I’ve had two memories, involving Speaker Pelosi and the 43rd president, George W. Bush.
By tradition, a speaker of the House introduces a president on State of the Union night this way: “Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.” In January 2007, Bush began his address as follows: “Tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first president to begin the State of the Union message with these words: ‘Madam Speaker.’” That was very Bush.
In June 2012, Pelosi marked 25 years since her first election to Congress. In some forum with an audience, she spoke with Rachel Maddow. I can’t find the video — better Googlers than I can. But here is an article about the event. Pelosi described Bush as “really a lovely man.” As I recall, her crowd gasped a bit, or tittered. So, she repeated: “No, he is. George W. Bush is a lovely man.”
Make of these memories what you will. Some will like them, some won’t — as is virtually always the case in human affairs. The memories I have related are not the most important things. But then, if we confined ourselves to writing about the most important things, we would scarcely write at all.