Nancy Pelosi denies she had any direct role in convincing Joe Biden to leave the Presidential race, but after reading The Art of Power (2024) I bet Pelosi had a big role in that decision… from afar. And after reading The Art of Power I’d would have suggested to the former Speaker of the House that The Art of Politics would be a more accurate title.
Politics can get a little dry. I suspect most readers are going to find Pelosi’s writing about getting the Affordable Care Act of 2010 passed a bit tedious. But anyone running for office will find the tactics Pelosi used both powerful and effective.
The part of the book that held my attention–I was on the edge of my seat!–was Pelosi’s hour-by-hour account of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. As the mob shouted Pelosi’s name and threaten her life and the lives of the other members of Congress, those representatives with military training were making pikes from the wooden stands that held anti-Covid-19 hand sanitizer in case they had to defend themselves from the attackers.
Pelosi holds Trump and his cult responsible for the vicious attack on her husband, Paul. In 2022, a far-right conspiracy theorist, David DePape, broke into the Pelosi’s San Francisco house while Nancy, his target, was in Washington. DePape delivered three hammer blows to Paul Pelosi’s head with such force that DePape later expressed surprise that his victim survived.
Republicans have spent millions of dollars on ads personally attacking Pelosi over the years. But their vile attacks continued after the attack on Paul Pelosi. Donald Trump Jr. shared a meme of a hammer on social media that was captioned: “Got my Paul Pelosi Halloween costume ready.” Sick.
There’s a price to be paid if you decide to pursue a career in public life, but currently the hostility is so high, rational people would have to consider whether putting their families and themselves at risk is worth it. The Art of Power provides some insights into what life in Washington, D.C. is like today. GRADE: A
Pelosi’s sort of machine politics has its downside, but the attack on her husband and the Capitol break-in are the kind of thing that make her look, obviously, good in comparison. Her hostility toward the more leftist elected reps and senators in the Democratic Party doesn’t endear her to me.
Todd, Pelosi’s book could also have been titled THE ART OF WINNING. Pelosi is distant with the Progressives in her party because she thinks they can’t win.
And by not cooperating, ensures that…to what end? Other than self-fulfilling self-confirmation…
It seems that the most successful (By which I do not mean productive, responsive, or responsible) have perfected the art of saying anythng — ANY THING — with a straight face.
Dan, all successful politicians have Poker Faces.
In this political climate, I wouldn’t even want to be a yard sign out!
Put a yard sign out.
/stupid predictive text!
Deb, I think you’d make a great yard sign. I’d pay attention to you.
Jerry, we all pay attention to Deb!
Deb, I agree. I’m seeing fewer TRUMP 2024 signs than I saw four years ago. No HARRIS signs in my neighborhood.
No, I can’t see getting involved in politics in this day and age. We do have a couple of local guys (City Councilman and State Senator) who are very good, very devoted to community service, but anything beyond that level, forget it. Our horrible Congresswoman, unlike all past members who have held this seat, does not even make a pretense of caring about the Brooklyn section of her district, and is mainly just a Trump sycophant.
Jackie is a big fan of Nancy Pelosi. I told her that you would definitely read the book.
Jeff, I’ve admired Nancy Pelosi for years. THE ART OF POWER delivers plenty of insights so Jackie would be enthralled!
We’ve followed Nancy Pelosi for years, since she was a Baltimore girl before moving west. I don’t always agree with her middle of the road positions, but she was the model of a great Speaker of the House.
Jeff, I totally agree with you! Nancy Pelosi ran the House like a well-oiled machine. Look at the mess Kevin McCarthy and Mike Johnson have made of it!
Well, they were/are trying to serve too many masters. That, fwiw, isn’t the job. Nor is the job trying to quash a large segment of the voter support and one’s colleagues in one’s own party.
Todd, Nancy Pelosi was also a prodigious fund-raiser for the Democrats over the years.
Neoliberals have an edge that way.
She is one of my heroes. What she has achieved for a mother of many children and from her generation is remarkable.
I have only seen one yard sign around here and that was for the Democratic Senate candidate. Everyone is far too upset to risk a lawn sign around here. Very worried about the convention.
Patti, I’m hoping this Democratic National Convention doesn’t resemble the 1968 convention!