Profile: Nancy Pelosi '62
House Democratic Leader

by Peggy Lewis '77

She is a mother of five, and a grandmother of five. She is a fan of Jeopardy and the New York Times crossword puzzle. When Washingtonian magazine recently asked her about her most current favorite books she listed John Adams by David McCullough; King Leopold’s Ghost, The Poisonwood Bible, Spin This by her friend Bill Press; Girl With a Pearl Earring; and Look at Me by her friend Jennifer Egan. For movies she listed Traffic, Gladiator, and Shrek.

She is the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. Congress and a Trinity graduate. Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi, class of ’62, is in her seventh full term representing California’s 8th Congressional District, an area covering most of San Francisco. Elected a year ago, October 10, 2001, by her colleagues as the House Democratic Whip, Pelosi is responsible for rounding up votes and keeping them in line for her party’s agenda – a job that is even tougher for the minority party. It has been likened by many as “herding cats” and Pelosi loves it.

She is well aware of the historical and political impact of being the first woman to reach such a high level of leadership.

“This year has meant a lot because of the encouragement my success has meant to younger women,” she said. “There are only five positions of power in the House, two are Democratic, and I hold one of them.”

Pelosi knows that just being at the table of leadership is having a huge impact on women of all ages. “It is really quite exciting to see the reactions of people to a woman in power, young girls especially. They come down the hall and see your name on the door and they are just in awe,” she explained. “They want to take pictures with you and they seem to realize it has not happened before.”

And while she acknowledges the attention she has gotten from being ‘the first,’ Pelosi is also quick to say it is not the reason she is there. “I didn’t do this as a feminist statement,” she said. “I didn’t run as a woman or say vote for me as a woman. I was surprised by all the attention it got.”

In addition to her leadership role, Pelosi also serves as the top Democratic member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and chairs the congressional working group on China. Among the accomplishments she is most proud of – her role in helping to double the budget for the National Institutes of Health and increasing funding for AIDS and breast cancer research.

The quote Pelosi selected for the program for her swearing-in ceremony as Whip, sums it up well, “We have made history. Now we must make progress.”

In the Limelight

Pelosi’s schedule mirrors her ranking, long days, numerous public appearances and frequent press interviews. Whether it is an appearance on Meet the Press, CNN, or National Public Radio, reporters want her views on the news of the day. She is not afraid to stand up to the President, as when she took to the airwaves recently, to say there ought to be more information and questions about the timing of going after Saddam Hussein. She states her case clearly and concisely.

“The President needs to make a better case to the Congress and the American people for the need to invade Iraq,” she explained. “He needs to have the support of Congress and our allies.”

Pelosi is a die-hard Democrat who knows when to tread in bi-partisan waters, when to beat up on the opposition, and how to talk about both. In a recent appearance before the Alliance for Retired Americans, Pelosi briefed some 800 senior citizens from all over the country, about the delicate balance between a war on terrorism with the nation’s domestic needs.

“We stand together shoulder-to-shoulder, Democrats and Republicans, to fight terrorism, to snuff it out wherever it exists, to work to reduce risk to the American people from acts of terrorism,” she said. “As we work to secure what is called homeland security, we cannot have our budget priorities turned upside down.

“I believe our national budget should be a statement of our national values,” she continued. “So it’s such a tragedy to see a budget where the priority is for tax breaks for the highest 2 percent of Americans. Think of it when you are in the grocery store and you see the carton that says 2 percent, think of Republicans. That’s who they are here to work for, the highest two percent of income makers in America, and people of wealth.

“For even part of the tax breaks that they are giving to the highest 2 percent of Americans, we could have a prescription drug benefit under Medicare for the next 10 years for all of America’s seniors.”

The political system is nothing new to Pelosi who has been involved in politics most of her life. Not only was it her major in college, but it’s in her blood. “I’ve been doing this a long time,” she said. “I was born and raised in politics, it’s almost second nature.”

Nancy D’Alesandro was born the youngest child and only girl in a family of six kids. Her father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., served as a member of Congress for five terms and as mayor of Baltimore for 12 years in the late ’40s and ’50s. Her brother Thomas was also mayor of Baltimore from 1967 to 1971. After graduating from Trinity in 1962, Pelosi married San Francisco businessman Paul Pelosi and became active in California politics. She was chair of the California Democratic Party from 1981-83 and elected to the House in June 1987.

Gender and Politics

Does gender make a difference in politics?

“We have to believe it’s easier now for women in every field,” Pelosi commented. “Women help each other, our successes are intertwined.” Pelosi explains she admires just about every woman she knows in politics. “If I just knew one woman, she’d be an inspiration. Women in this business are fabulous, they are idealistic, they glow in it. They are for families, they care, they get it. Women provide the power of example.”

One of the most amazing things about Nancy Pelosi is how she has managed to balance work and family. She didn’t run for public office until her youngest daughter was a senior in high school. She was a stay-at-home mom who volunteered in politics in her spare time.

“It was important for me to be there for them,” she said. “I went to Congress in my 40s. I could never have done it earlier. I am in awe of young women today who are balancing very difficult careers and family. When I went to Congress my children were grown. While I was chair of the Democratic party in California, they were in school.”

Pelosi is described by colleagues as “gracious but organized” and she talks a lot about the importance of being organized, skills she says her children gave her. “Having five children puts you in a routine,” she said with a laugh. “It’s hard to get help with five little ones at home. No one wants to take on all that. It is hard to find someone willing to come in and even watch them for a little while, so you have to take care of them yourself. And to do it, you find you have to be so efficient. You have to be organized, to keep them on schedule and get everything else done – the grocery shopping, the cooking, the laundry – it all has to be organized.

“And I was very good at it,” she added. “I was very organized. By the time they got to school between 9 and 3 you find you have time and you’re so organized you think, ‘I can do anything, I can change the world!’ My children trained me to be disciplined and to have a routine which is very helpful to this day.”

Pelosi noted that she wouldn’t be where she is today without her children. “My children were a tremendous help to me,” she said. “As a family, we were all in this together. My children made and served the hor d’oeuvres, stuffed the envelopes, answered the door and took the phone calls. They were a tremendous help. It would have been impossible to do it without them.”

Pelosi sees her career in public service uniquely tied to her family, and makes no apologies for her political agenda, which she summarizes in three words: children, children, children.

“I thought my work in politics was a continuation of caring for my family,” she said. “It is all about the children. It is about working on things and having an impact on families. There are things you can do as a parent but then you reach a point where there are things you can’t do unless you are in public service. You can’t ensure the quality of the air they breathe is healthy, or the water they drink is clear of harmful chemicals, or guarantee them a world at peace or relate to other nations and ensure their well being unless you are in public service. So I believe that my public service is a continuation of my life as a mom.”

Pelosi is a realist in her approach to her own career and in her advice to young women just starting out. “Public service is a noble calling,” she explained. “It is the Lord’s work. I have always believed that, and it comes with tremendous rewards.
“But make no mistake, it is hard work,” she continued. “My advice to young women who are thinking about a commitment to public service: ‘have a life first.’ Don’t make public service your whole life, first. Don’t give in to being totally consumed by it, because you can be.

“Have a family. Nurture your family and if you are single, develop friendships and relationships,” she added. “Make sure your life in public service is not a total sacrifice of your whole life. Devote time to having a balanced life. Because the success of politics can overwhelm you. You cannot have your personal well-being depend on your political success. This is hard. There will be disappointments and you can’t tie everything to it. You must have a sense of self beyond the politics.”

Pelosi attended all-girls Catholic schools through college and she says it has made all the difference. “Let me just say, I loved Trinity College. It was an absolute joy to go there,” she said. “For me it was a break from politics. My family was steeped in politics and so it was a nice break. Yet, we were in Washington, D.C., so I was active with the College Democrats.

“All of us, we felt very nurtured at Trinity. Our friendships are stronger today than they were then. My best friends from Trinity are still my best friends.”

Peggy Lewis is director of communications at the Alliance for Retired Americans and teaches broadcast journalism at Howard University. She is a 1977 graduate of Trinity College and spent 16 years as a television reporter/anchor before moving into the media relations field. She has worked at the Children’s Defense Fund, the U.S. Department of Labor, the White House and for Hillary Rodham Clinton when Maggie Williams ’ 77 was the First Lady’s chief of staff. She serves as vice president of the Alumnae Association Board of Directors.