USA: Democratic leader in U.S. House of Representatives says she hopes to work with the Republican administration to change Iraq policy
- ITN Source
USA: Democratic leader in U.S. House of Representatives says she hopes to work with the Republican administration to change Iraq policy
Democrats swept Republicans from power in the U.S. House of Representatives and moved close to victory in the Senate on Wednesday (November 8), dealing a sharp rebuke to President George W. Bush, and putting Democrat Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco in position to be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. Pelosi would be the first woman to hold the post. Under the U.S. Constitution, the Speaker is second in line to succeed the president, should the president need to be replaced. Pelosi said that while Democrats made gains in the House election due to public concern over the status of the war in Iraq, Democrats were in no position to force Bush to change his policy. "It's not about the Democrats in Congress forcing the President's hand. The American people have spoken. It's important for us to work in a bi-partisan way with the President, again, to solve the problem - not to stay the course. That's not working. That's clear. And if there's anything clear in the election results, it was that the more the President campaigned on the war, the fewer votes the Republicans who supported that got. That took its toll on the Republicans. So, the campaign is over, as I say. Democrats are ready to lead. We're prepared to govern, but that means in a bi-partisan way in the system that is self-evident. The President is the President of the United States. I hope he would listen to the voices of the people, and that again, putting aside partisanship, and looking to a partnership to end this war," Pelosi said. Often described by her Republican adversaries as a "San Francisco liberal," Pelosi said that she would represent the entire House - not just Democrats. "While the Republicans like to describe me as the person they feared most, I take great pride in representing the city of San Francisco in the Congress of the United States. I understand my role as leader of the Democrats. But even more important than that, I very very very much respect that I will be the Speaker of the House - not of the Democrats," Pelosi said. Pelosi held her press conference an hour before President Bush announced that Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld would step down as the leader of the Pentagon. Bush said that he would nominate Fomer CUA Director Robert Gates to replace Rumsfeld.
ITN Source | November 9, 2006
