U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi's decision to step away from her leadership role with Democrats in the House is an enormous opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the past and plan for the future.
Pelosi, from San Francisco, has been a historic figure in American politics. She was the first woman ever elected as speaker of the House, a position she assumed in 2007. She deftly used her position to guide her caucus, and the country, through enormous challenges and changes over the past 15 years.
Thursday, she said she would keep her seat but ask others to lead her party. "We must move boldly into the future," she said on the House floor, surrounded by members of both parties, some in tears. "A new day is dawning on the horizon."
She stumbled once or twice — tearing up President Donald Trump's State of the Union address was a bit over the top — but in important ways her presence changed the country forever as she led her party both in and out of the majority. The 2008 economic meltdown might have permanently cratered the economy had not Pelosi guided Congress through a rescue debate.
She led the effort to enact the Affordable Care Act — telling President Barack Obama he must be bolder if he expected the House Democrats to risk their majority by supporting the landmark legislation — and helped Democrats fight its repeal. She worked tirelessly to protect women's rights, and civil rights, and voting rights. She united the fractious wings of her party to enact COVID-19 relief proposals, infrastructure improvements and climate change reform.
For this, she was mercilessly caricatured by Republicans, in campaign after campaign. "Nancy Pelosi liberal" was a common campaign epithet.
She did not waver: not then, not when nihilists attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and not as an assailant attacked her husband with a hammer weeks ago. But she concluded Thursday that it was time to move on.
We congratulate Pelosi for her career, her courage — and her decision.
