NBC and CBS Champion Pelosi for 'Making American History' as First Female Speaker

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sat for interviews Wednesday with reporters for all the networks. NBC's Brian Williams and CBS's Katie Couric put the most emphasis on her presumed “history-making” ascension to House Speaker and allowed her to offer the most-benign descriptions of the policies she will pursue. “Our conversation with Nancy Pelosi, a woman on the verge of making American history,” Williams trumpeted in teasing the NBC Nightly News. Over video of President Bush, with Vice President Cheney and House Speaker Hastert behind him at a State of the Union address, Williams relayed how Pelosi “says she is most excited to change this picture, to put a female face in this frame of three male faces for the very first time." Williams sycophantically gushed to her: "Let's talk about history because I know history was riding along with you as you watched the results last night. I know you have thought today about your mother. I know you have thought today about your father, your own children and grandchildren."

A smiling and spellbound Couric wondered: "A lot has been made of the fact that you, if elected, and it appears that you will be, that you will be the first woman Speaker of the House and the highest ranking woman in the United States government. What does that mean to you?" Pelosi replied: "It's pretty exciting, I have to say. I'm just so excited that a Democrat will be Speaker of the House." To which Couric oozed: "So you're a Democrat first, a woman second?" (Transcripts follow)

Williams and Couric noted how Pelosi has insulted President Bush, but both also characterized Pelosi's left-wing policy agenda in the most-benign ways possible. Williams concluded the segment: "Congresswoman Pelosi of California, the presumptive next Speaker of the House, has said this nation's Iraq policy is failed. Today she pointed out the troops in the field should not think they have lost the support of their nation. Instead she says last night's vote means the U.S. must find a new Iraq policy."

Couric, without citing any “nasty things” Bush has said about Pelosi, asserted that “Pelosi has a long list of priorities for her new job. One potential obstacle, she and the President have said some pretty nasty things about each other." Couric cued up Pelosi to sound bipartisan: "What are you anxious to get going on in a bipartisan way? I know your partisan agenda, but in a bipartisan way." But viewers may not know of Pelosi's “partisan agenda” since Couric did not, and CBS has not, outlined it. Couric next hinted at that agenda, as she asked: "The Republicans used two 'T' words -- 'terror' and 'taxes' -- to tell people the kind of alternative they would get if they voted the Democrats into power. Are you going to raise taxes?" Pelosi insisted that “raising taxes would be a last resort” and Couric did not challenge her.

Pelosi was also interviewed Wednesday by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and ABC's Terry Moran, whose interview was excerpted on World News and will/has aired on Wednesday's Nightline.

The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video for the November 8 NBC and CBS sessions with Pelosi conducted in a U.S. Capitol office:

NBC Nightly News:

Brian Williams: "Last night's election was surely one for the history books. In so many ways the nation has a new presumptive Speaker of the House, the first woman in that job, and, as Nancy Pelosi reminded us when we sat down with her here in the building behind us in the Capitol today, the first Italian-American as well. I asked her what she meant by her stated goal of, quote, 'draining the swamp' early on Capitol Hill. I also asked her about her early morning phone call today from the President."

Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader: "I didn't have much sleep, but I didn't need much. I was very exhilarated by the outcome of the election."

Williams: "Would you concur with the President that the call was cordial?"

Pelosi: "Oh, yes, the call was very friendly. He extended a hand of friendship, which I reciprocated and told him what I had said earlier in the evening, that I looked forward to working with him in partnership, not in partisanship."

Williams: "Leader, what does 'drain the swamp' mean?"

Pelosi: "'Drain the swamp' means to turn this Congress into the most honest and open Congress in history. That is my pledge. That is what I intend to do."

Williams, narrating: "She is about to become a grandmother of six -- in fact, any moment now. And the woman in line to become the next Speaker of the House says she is most excited to change this picture, to put a female face in this frame of three male faces for the very first time."

Williams to Pelosi: "Let's talk about history because I know history was riding along with you as you watched the results last night. I know you have thought today about your mother. I know you have thought today about your father, your own children and grandchildren."

Pelosi: "Well, as you may know, I was raised in an Italian Catholic family in Baltimore, Maryland. Our faith was very important to us, our patriotism, love of faith, love of family, love of country. We took pride in our Italian-American heritage, and to be the first woman Speaker of the House and the first Italian-American Speaker of the House, it's quite thrilling for me."

Williams: "Congresswoman Pelosi grew up around politics. Her father was the mayor of Baltimore and a member of Congress himself. She says she's ready to watch over her party and preside over what she calls great change."

Williams: "You've said some rough things about the President. You have indicated he is a dangerous man. You have intimated he can't be trusted. How do you then sit down with this man and reason with him and bargain with him beginning in the Oval Office this week?"

Pelosi: "Well, when I go into that office, I will bring with me the wishes of the American people. They want a new direction in Iraq. They want a new direction in our economy where many more people participate in the prosperity of our country. They want the American dream to be fulfilled by having more affordable education, better access to health care. They want energy independence and all that that means for our country. They want a dignified retirement."

Williams: "Do you think they said all of those things with their votes last night?"

Pelosi: "I think they said a lot about wanting honesty and civility in government, and I think that they rejected not only the policy in Iraq, but the incompetence that has gone with it."

Williams: "Congresswoman Pelosi of California, the presumptive next Speaker of the House, has said this nation's Iraq policy is failed. Today she pointed out the troops in the field should not think they have lost the support of their nation. Instead she says last night's vote means the U.S. must find a new Iraq policy."

:

Katie Couric: "More now on the history that was made by the Democrats last night. For the first time, a woman will become Speaker of the House, second in the line of succession to the presidency. Nancy Pelosi is 66 years old. She's represented San Francisco in California's Eighth Congressional District for almost 20 years. She first ran for office after her five children were grown. She also has five grandkids with number six on the way and overdue. Congresswoman Pelosi has a long list of priorities for her new job. One potential obstacle, she and the President have said some pretty nasty things about each other."

Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader: "I never called the President a liar. That I never did. I said it's time for the President to tell the truth to the American people. I think that much of the truth has been withheld from the American people."

Couric: "But you have called him 'dangerous' and 'incompetent,' right?"

Pelosi: "That's right. Well, if you take a look at the implementation of the policy in Iraq, if you look at Katrina, you look at the rest, I think that there was a lack of judgement on how we proceeded in both cases. Now it's, the election is over, the campaign is over, Democrats are ready to lead, we're prepared to govern and we look forward to working in a bipartisan way with the President and the Republicans in Congress."

Couric: "What are you anxious to get going on in a bipartisan way? I know your partisan agenda, but in a bipartisan way."

Pelosi: "I think we do have to address the issue of immigration. It's a challenge in our country. People want answers, and there is bipartisan comprehensive reform that we can do working together that I think the President would support. And we shall see when we bring them up. Raising the minimum wage, even the President said today that might be an area that we can come to agreement."

Couric: "The Republicans used two 'T' words -- 'terror' and 'taxes' -- to tell people the kind of alternative they would get if they voted the Democrats into power. Are you going to raise taxes?"

Pelosi: "Raising taxes would be a last resort. There are plenty things in this budget that we could remove and substitute better things for. For example, we could roll back the subsidies for big oil and use that money for investment in alternative energy. Investing in education brings more money to the public treasury than any tax incentive you can name. So we can find other ways to support better priorities without heaping mountains of debt. We want to actually have tax cuts for middle income families in our country. "

Couric: "A lot has been made of the fact that you, if elected, and it appears that you will be, that you will be the first woman Speaker of the House and the highest ranking woman in the United States government. What does that mean to you?"

Pelosi: "It's pretty exciting, I have to say. I'm just so excited that a Democrat will be Speaker of the House."

Couric: "So you're a Democrat first, a woman second?"

Pelosi: "Well, in terms of the politics, in terms of the change it will make for the American people, yes. But as a woman, I'm very, very thrilled because I carry a special responsibility. I've broken the marble ceiling. This Congress is steeped in tradition and history. It's very hard for a woman to succeed to the level that I have, and I think it sends a message to all women that if this can happen, anything can happen."