Nancy Pelosi named new Speaker of the US House of Representatives - Wikinews, the free news source Nancy Pelosi named new Speaker of the US House of Representatives From Wikinews, the free news source you can write! Thursday, January 4, 2007 Nancy Pelosi Californian Democrat Nancy Pelosi , 66-years-old, has been named the 60th United States Speaker of the House with the votes 233-202. She is the first female House speaker in United States history. The opening of the Congress in 2007 marks the first time in a dozen years that the Democrats have control of the entire Congress. In her speech she said it was time for a new America: "Now it is our responsibility to carry forth that vision of a new America. A new America that seizes the future and forges 21st century solutions through discovery, creativity, and innovation, sustaining our economic leadership and ensuring our national security. A new America with a vibrant and strengthened middle class for whom college is affordable, health care accessible, and retirement secure. A new America that declares our energy independence, promotes domestic sources of renewable energy, and combats climate change.

A new America that is strong, secure, and a respected leader among the community of nations," said Pelosi in her speech. She finished her speech by calling all the children, including her own grandchildren, to the microphone and declaring "For all of America's children, the House will be in order." Rep. John Boehner of Ohio was named the new Republican minority leader. Related news Nancy Pelosi: First Woman Speaker of the House By Jone Johnson Lewis Updated December 23, 2016. Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman from California's 8th District, is noted for her support of issues like environmentalism, women's reproductive rights, and human rights. An outspoken critic of Republican policies, she was a key in unifying Democrats leading to taking control of the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections. Known for: First woman Speaker of the House (2007) Occupation: politician, Democratic Congressional Representative from California Dates: March 26 , 1940 - Born Nancy D'Alesandro, the future Nancy Pelosi was raised in an Italian neighborhood in Baltimore. Her father was Thomas J. D'Alesandro Jr.

He served three times as Baltimore's mayor and five times in the House of Representatives representing a Maryland district. He was a staunch Democrat. Nancy Pelosi's mother was Annunciata D'Alesandro. She had been a student in law school who did not complete her studies so she could be a stay-at-home homemaker. Nancy's brothers all attended Roman Catholic schools and stayed home while attending college, but Nancy Pelosi's mother, in the interest of her daughter's education, had Nancy attend non-religious schools and then college in Washington, DC. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge Nancy married a banker, Paul Pelosi, after she was out of college and became a full-time homemaker while her children were young. They had five children. The family lived in New York, then moved to California between the births of their fourth and fifth children. Nancy Pelosi got her own start in politics by volunteering. She worked for the primary candidacy in 1976 of California Governor Jerry Brown, taking advantage of her Maryland connections to help him win the Maryland primary. She ran for, and won, the position of Democratic Party chair in California. When her oldest was a senior in high school, Pelosi ran for congress.

She won her first race, in 1987 when she was 47 years old. After winning respect of her colleagues for her work, she won a leadership position in the 1990s. In 2002, she won election as House Minority Leader, the first woman ever to do so, after raising more money in that fall's election for Democratic candidates than any other Democrat was able to do. Her goal was to rebuild the party's strength after Congressional defeats through 2002. With Republicans in control of both houses of Congress and the White House, Pelosi was part of organizing opposition to many of the administration's proposals, as well as organizing towards success in Congressional races. In 2006, the Democrats won a majority in Congress, so in 2007, when those Democrats took office, Pelosi's former position as minority leader in the house was transformed into her becoming the first woman Speaker of the House. Political Career: From 1981 to 1983, Nancy Pelosi chaired the California Democratic Party. In 1984, she chaired the host committee for the Democratic National Convention , held in San Francisco in July.

The convention nominated Walter Mondale for president and selected the first woman nominee of any major party to run for vice president, Geraldine Ferraro . In 1987, Nancy Pelosi, then 47, was elected to Congress in a special election. She ran to replace Sala Burton who had died earlier that year, after naming Pelosi as her choice to succeed her. Pelosi was sworn into office a week after the election in June. She was appointed to the Appropriations and Intelligence Committees. In 2001, Nancy Pelosi was elected minority whip for the Democrats in Congress, the first time a woman had held a party office. She was thus the second ranking Democrat after Minority Leader Dick Gephardt. Gephardt stepped down in 2002 as minority leader to run for president in 2004, and Pelosi was elected to take his place as minority leader on November 14 , 2002. This was the first time a woman was elected to head a party's Congressional delegation. Pelosi's influence helped raise funds and win a Democratic majority in the House in 2006.

After the election, on November 16, a Democratic caucus elected Pelosi unanimously to making her their leader, leading the way for her election by the full House membership on January 3, 2007, with a majority of Democrats, to the position of Speaker of the House. Her term was effective on January 4, 2007. She was not only the first woman to hold the office of Speaker of the House. She was also the first California representative to do so, and the first of Italian heritage. Speaker of the House: When the authorization for the Iraq war was first brought to a vote, Nancy Pelosi had been one of the nay votes. She took the election of a Democratic majority push for an ed to "an open-ended obligation to a war without end." She strongly opposed the proposal of President George W. Bush to transform part of Social Security into investments into stocks and bonds. She also opposed the efforts of some Democrats to impeach President Bush for lying to Congress about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, thereby triggering the conditional authorization for war that many Democrats (though not Pelosi) had voted for.

The pro-impeachment Democrats also cited Bush's involvement in wiretapping citizens without a warrant as a reason for their proposed action. Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan ran as an independent against her for her House seat in 2008, but Pelosi won the election. Nancy Pelosi was re-elected as Speaker of the House in 2009. She was a major factor in the efforts in Congress that resulted in passing President Obama's Affordable Care Act. When the Democrats lost their filibuster proof majority in the Senate in 2010, Pelosi opposed Obama's strategy of breaking up the bill and passing those parts that could esily pass. Post 2010 Pelosi won re-election to the House easily in 2010, but Democrats lost so many seats that they also lost the ability to elect a Speaker of the House of their party. Despite opposition within her party, she was elected as the Democratic Minority Leader for the next Congress. She has been reelected to that position in later sessions of Congress. Selected Nancy Pelosi Quotations • I'm very proud of my leadership of the Democrats in the House of Representatives and proud of them to make history, choosing a woman as their leader.

I'm proud of the fact that we have had unity in our party... We have clarity in our message. We know who we are as Democrats. • It's an historic moment for the Congress, it's an historic moment for the women of America. It is a moment for which we have waited over 200 years. Never losing faith, we waited through the many years of struggle to achieve our rights. But women weren't just waiting, women were working, never losing faith we worked to redeem the promise of America, that all men and women are created equal. For our daughters and our granddaughters, today we have broken the marble ceiling. For our daughters and our granddaughters, the sky is the limit. Anything is possible for them. [January 4, 2007, in her first speech to Congress after her election as the first woman Speaker of the House] • It takes a woman to clean House. (2006 CNN interview) • You must drain the swamp if you are going to govern for the people. (2006) • [Democrats] haven't had a bill on the floor for 12 years. We're not here to whine about it; we will do it better.

I intend to be very fair. I do not intend to give away the gavel. (2006 - looking forward to becoming Speaker of the House in 2007) • America must be a light to the world, not just a missile. (2004) • They'll take food out of the mouths of children in order to give tax cuts to the wealthiest. (about Republicans) • I didn't run as a woman, I ran again as a seasoned politician and experienced legislator. (about her election as party whip) • I realized in over 200 years of our history, these meetings have taken place and a woman has never ever sat at that table. (about meeting with other Congressional leaders at White House breakfast meetings) • For an instant, I felt as though Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton -- everyone who'd fought for women's right to vote and for the empowerment of women in politics, in their professions, and in their lives--were there with me in the room. Those women were the ones who had done the heavy lifting, and it was as if they were saying, At last we have a seat at the table.

(about meeting with other Congressional leaders at White House breakfast meetings) • Roe vs. Wade is based on a woman's fundamental right to privacy, a value that all Americans cherish. It established that decisions about whether to have a child do not and should not rest with the government. A woman -- in consultation with her family, her physician, and her faith -- is best qualified to make that decision. (2005) • We must draw clear distinctions between our vision of the future and the extreme policies put forward by the Republicans. We cannot allow Republicans to pretend they share our values and then legislate against those values without consequence. • America will be far safer if we reduce the chances of a terrorist attack in one of our cities than if we diminish the civil liberties of our own people. • Protecting America from terrorism requires more than just resolve, it requires a plan. As we have seen in Iraq, planning is not the Bush Administration's strong suit. • Every American is indebted to our troops for their bravery, their patriotism, and the sacrifice they are willing to make for our country. Just as our soldiers pledge to leave no one behind on the battlefield, we must leave no veteran behind once they come home.

(2005) • Democrats did not connect well enough with the American people.... We're ready for the next session of Congress. We're ready for the next election. (after 2004 elections) • The Republicans did not have an election about jobs, health care, education, environment, national security. They had an election about wedge issues in out country. They exploited the loveliness of the American people, the devoutness of people of faith for a political end. Democrats are going to ban the Bible if they are elected. Imagine the ridiculousness of that, if it won votes for them. (2004 elections) • I believe that the president's leadership and the actions taken in Iraq demonstrate an incompetence in terms of knowledge, judgment and experience. (2004) • The president led us into the Iraq war on the basis of unproven assertions without evidence; he embraced a radical doctrine of pre-emptive war unprecedented in our history; and he failed to build a true international coalition. • Mr. DeLay's display today and his repeated ethical lapses have brought dishonor on the House of Representatives. • We must be sure that every vote that is cast is a vote that's counted.

• There were two disasters last week: first, the natural disaster, and second, the man-made disaster, the disaster made by mistakes made by FEMA. (2005, after Hurricane Katrina) • Social Security has never failed to pay promised benefits, and Democrats will fight to make sure that Republicans do not turn a guaranteed benefit into a guaranteed gamble. • We're being governed by decree. The president decides on a figure, he sends it over and we don't even get a chance to look at it much before we're called upon to vote on it. (September 8, 2005) • As a mother and grandmother, I think 'lioness.' You come near the cubs, you're dead. (2006, about Republican early reaction to reports of Congressman Mark Foley's communication with House pages) • We will not be Swift Boated again. Not on national security or anything else. (2006) • To me, the center of my life will always be raising my family. It is the complete joy of my life. To me, working in Congress is a continuation of that.

• In the family I was raised in, love of country, deep love of the Catholic church, and a love of family were the values. • Anybody who's ever dealt with me knows not to mess with me. • I pride myself in being called a liberal. (1996) About Nancy Pelosi: • Two thirds of the public have absolutely no idea who I am. I see that as a strength. This isn't about me. It's about Democrats. (2006) • Representative Paul E. Kanjorski: "Nancy is the kind of person you can disagree with without being disagreeable." • Journalist David Firestone: "The ability to make merry while reaching for the jugular is an essential characteristic for politicians, and friends say Ms.

Pelosi learned it from one of the classic political bosses and characters of an earlier era." • Son Paul Pelosi, Jr.: "With five of us, she was a car-pool mom for somebody every day of the week." Women in Congress Family Father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., was a Roosevelt Democrat and three-term mayor of Baltimore, the first Italian American to hold that office Mother attended law school Brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, was mayor of Baltimore 1967-1971 Nancy Pelosi and husband Paul have five children, Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul, and Alexandra. Nancy Pelosi began political volunteer work when her youngest began school; she was elected to Congress when her youngest was a senior in high school Hillary Clinton's nomination puts 'biggest crack' in glass ceiling - CNNPolitics.com 1 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Before marrying Bill Clinton, she was Hillary Rodham. Here she attends Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Her commencement speech at Wellesley's graduation ceremony in 1969 attracted national attention. After graduating, she attended Yale Law School.

Hide Caption 2 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Rodham was a lawyer on the House Judiciary Committee, whose work led to impeachment charges against President Richard Nixon in 1974. Hide Caption 3 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In 1975, Rodham married Bill Clinton, whom she met at Yale Law School. He became the governor of Arkansas in 1978. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Chelsea. Hide Caption 4 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Arkansas' first lady, now using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton, wears her inaugural ball gown in 1985. Hide Caption 5 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons celebrate Bill's inauguration in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991. He was governor from 1983 to 1992, when he was elected President.

Hide Caption 6 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Bill Clinton comforts his wife on the set of "60 Minutes" after a stage light broke loose from the ceiling and knocked her down in January 1992. Hide Caption 7 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In June 1992, Clinton uses a sewing machine designed to eliminate back and wrist strain. She had just given a speech at a convention of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Hide Caption 8 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton jokes with her husband's running mate, Al Gore, and Gore's wife, Tipper, aboard a campaign bus. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton accompanies her husband as he takes the oath of office in January 1993. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons share a laugh on Capitol Hill in 1993. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton unveils the renovated Blue Room of the White House in 1995.

Hide Caption 12 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. The Clintons' business investment was investigated, but ultimately they were cleared of any wrongdoing. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons hug as Bill is sworn in for a second term as President. Hide Caption 14 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first lady holds up a Grammy Award, which she won for her audiobook "It Takes a Village" in 1997. Hide Caption 15 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons dance on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 1998. Later that month, Bill Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Hide Caption 16 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton looks on as her husband discusses the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 26, 1998. Clinton declared, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." In August of that year, Clinton testified before a grand jury and admitted to having "inappropriate intimate contact" with Lewinsky, but he said it did not constitute sexual relations because they had not had intercourse. He was impeached in December on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Hide Caption 17 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first family walks with their dog, Buddy, as they leave the White House for a vacation in August 1998. Hide Caption 18 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight President Clinton makes a statement at the White House in December 1998, thanking members of Congress who voted against his impeachment. The Senate trial ended with an acquittal in February 1999.

Hide Caption 19 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton announces in February 2000 that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat in New York. She was elected later that year. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton makes her first appearance on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Hide Caption 21 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Sen. Clinton comforts Maren Sarkarat, a woman who lost her husband in the September 11 terrorist attacks, during a ground-zero memorial in October 2001. Hide Caption 22 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton holds up her book "Living History" before a signing in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2003. Hide Caption 23 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton and another presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, applaud at the start of a Democratic debate in 2007.

Hide Caption 24 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton talk on the plane on their way to a rally in Unity, New Hampshire, in June 2008. She had recently ended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama. Hide Caption 25 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama is flanked by Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a news conference in Chicago in December 2008. He had designated Clinton to be his secretary of state. Hide Caption 26 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, as secretary of state, greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a meeting just outside Moscow in March 2010. Hide Caption Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons pose on the day of Chelsea's wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010. Hide Caption 28 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In this photo provided by the White House, Obama, Clinton, Biden and other members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

Hide Caption 29 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton checks her Blackberry inside a military plane after leaving Malta in October 2011. In 2015, The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. Clinton later said she used a private domain out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails. Hide Caption 30 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives for a group photo before a forum with the Gulf Cooperation Council in March 2012. The forum was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hide Caption 31 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton bow during the transfer-of-remains ceremony marking the return of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who were killed in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012.

Hide Caption 32 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton ducks after a woman threw a shoe at her while she was delivering remarks at a recycling trade conference in Las Vegas in 2014. Hide Caption 33 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, now running for President again, performs with Jimmy Fallon during a "Tonight Show" skit in September 2015. Hide Caption 34 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton testifies about the Benghazi attack during a House committee meeting in October 2015. "I would imagine I have thought more about what happened than all of you put together," she said during the 11-hour hearing. "I have lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been wracking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done." Months earlier, Clinton had acknowledged a "systemic breakdown" as cited by an Accountability Review Board, and she said that her department was taking additional steps to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Hide Caption 35 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight U.S. Sen.

Bernie Sanders shares a lighthearted moment with Clinton during a Democratic presidential debate in October 2015. It came after Sanders gave his take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 36 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton is reflected in a teleprompter during a campaign rally in Alexandria, Virginia, in October 2015. Hide Caption 37 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton walks on her stage with her family after winning the New York primary in April. Hide Caption 38 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight After Clinton became the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, this photo was posted to her official Twitter account. "To every little girl who dreams big: Yes, you can be anything you want -- even president," Clinton said. "Tonight is for you." Hide Caption 39 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama hugs Clinton after he gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

The president said Clinton was ready to be commander in chief. "For four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment and her discipline," he said, referring to her stint as his secretary of state. Hide Caption 40 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony in New York on September 11. Clinton, who was diagnosed with pneumonia two days before, left early after feeling ill. A video appeared to show her stumble as Secret Service agents helped her into a van. Hide Caption 41 of 43 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton addresses a campaign rally in Cleveland on November 6, two days before Election Day. She went on to lose Ohio -- and the election -- to her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton walks on stage with her running mate, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Balloons fall from the ceiling of the Wells Fargo Center after Clinton's speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton arrives for her speech.

Hide Caption 4 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention During her speech, Clinton ripped into Republican nominee Donald Trump for his convention pitch "I alone can fix it." She said: "He's forgetting every last one of us. Americans don't say: 'I alone can fix it.' We say: 'We'll fix it together.' " Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton acknowledges the crowd before her speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton's husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, applauds along with their daughter, Chelsea. Hide Caption 7 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton is the first woman in U.S. history to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party. "It's true," she said in her speech, "I sweat the details of policy -- whether we're talking about the exact level of lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan; the number of mental health facilities in Iowa; or the cost of your prescription drugs. ... Because it's not just a detail if it's your kid, if it's your family. It's a big deal.

And it should be a big deal to your President." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton gives a thumbs-up to the crowd. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton embraces her daughter before speaking. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Bill Clinton becomes emotional Thursday as he listens to Chelsea introduce her mother. Hide Caption 11 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Chelsea Clinton said her mother is a "listener and a doer, a woman driven by compassion, by faith, by kindness, a fierce sense of justice, and a heart full of love." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Singer Katy Perry performs "Rise" on Thursday. Hide Caption 13 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Khizr Khan holds his personal copy of the U.S. Constitution as he speaks Thursday. His son, Humayun S. M. Khan, was one of the 14 American Muslims who have died serving their country since 9/11. In his remarks, Khan criticized the Republican nominee: "If it was up to Donald Trump, (my son) never would have been in America. ... Donald Trump, you are asking Americans to trust you with our future.

Let me ask you: Have you even read the U.S. Constitution? I will gladly lend you my copy." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talks at the convention on Thursday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks to the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates cheer on Thursday. Photos: The Democratic National Convention LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride takes the stage. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates hold up signs in support of presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Hide Caption 19 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton and U.S. President Barack Obama wave to the crowd Wednesday after Obama gave a speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Obama and Clinton hug after Obama's speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Obama and Clinton acknowledge the crowd. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton points to Obama as she walks on stage after his speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates stand as Obama speaks.

Hide Caption 24 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention "This year, in this election, I'm asking you to join me -- to reject cynicism, reject fear, to summon what's best in us; to elect Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and show the world we still believe in the promise of this great nation," Obama said. Hide Caption 25 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Obama told the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center that he is "more optimistic about the future of America than ever before." He contrasted it with the "pessimistic vision" of America he heard during the Republican convention last week. "There were no serious solutions to pressing problems -- just the fanning of resentment, and blame, and anger, and hate," he said. Hide Caption 26 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Obama said Clinton is more ready than he was to become President. "For four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment and her discipline," Obama said, referring to her stint as secretary of state. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention The crowd welcomes Obama.

28 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, waves to the crowd along with his wife, Anne Holton, after giving a speech on Wednesday. Hide Caption 29 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention During his speech, Kaine said: "Hillary Clinton and I are compañeros del alma. We share this belief: Do all the good you can. And serve one another. Pretty simple. That's what I'm about. That's what you're about. That's what Bernie Sanders is about. That's what Joe Biden is about. That's what Barack and Michelle Obama are about. And that's what Hillary Clinton is about." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates hold posters during Kaine's speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Kaine comes out to the stage on Wednesday. Hide Caption 32 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, right, cheers during the speech of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Hide Caption 33 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention "I understand the appeal of a businessman President.

But Trump's business plan is a disaster in the making," said Bloomberg, an independent. He said the Republican nominee is a "risky, reckless, and radical choice." Hide Caption 34 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention U.S. Vice President Joe Biden also went after Trump, saying "this guy doesn't have a clue about the middle class -- not a clue. Actually, he has no clue, period." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Biden walks to the podium before delivering his speech. Hide Caption 36 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention A delegate wears a Bernie Sanders mask on Wednesday. Sanders finished second to Clinton in the presidential primaries. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Broadway performers sing "What the World Needs Now Is Love" on Wednesday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords waves to the audience before speaking on Wednesday. Hide Caption 39 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention People hold up prints that pay respect to those who were killed in the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooting of June 2015. Two survivors of the shooting were speaking to the crowd.

Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention A delegate wears stickers in support of Clinton. Hide Caption 41 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is escorted to the podium by his wife, Landra, on Wednesday. Hide Caption 42 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Clinton appears live on a video screen Tuesday night. Just a few hours earlier, she officially became the party's presidential nominee. She is the first woman to lead a major party's presidential ticket. "I can't believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet," she told the crowd. Hide Caption 43 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Actress Meryl Streep addresses the crowd before Clinton's video message. Streep said Clinton will be the first female President of the United States, "but she won't be the last." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former U.S. President Bill Clinton waves to the crowd before giving a speech on Tuesday. Hide Caption 45 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention The former President told the crowd about how he met his wife for the first time.

He also called her "the best damn change-maker I've ever met in my entire life." Hide Caption 46 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Bill Clinton arrives on stage to give his speech. In his speech, he portrayed his wife as a woman who tirelessly ran a family and a career. "She always wants to move the ball forward," he said. "That is just who she is." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright waves to the crowd after speaking on Tuesday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean re-enacts his infamous "Dean Scream" during his speech. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Actresses America Ferrera, right, and Lena Dunham walk on stage to deliver remarks. Hide Caption 50 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Florida delegate Bernard Jennings holds a cardboard cutout of Hillary Clinton over the face of his young son Ethan on Tuesday. Hide Caption 51 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention "Mothers of the Movement" -- mothers whose unarmed children have been killed by law enforcement or due to gun violence -- take the stage Tuesday.

Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Actress Elizabeth Banks walks onto the stage Tuesday. Hide Caption 53 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders waves to the crowd after the Vermont delegation cast its roll-call votes Tuesday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Sanders smiles while attending roll call. He moved to name Clinton the official nominee. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention The crowd cheers after Clinton was formally nominated. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention A delegate cries during the roll-call vote Tuesday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention A staff member tallies Alabama's votes during roll call on Tuesday. Hide Caption 58 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates hold up signs referring to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the running mate of Republican nominee Donald Trump. Hide Caption 59 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Sanders delivers the headline speech on Monday. "I understand that many people here in this convention hall and around the country are disappointed about the final results of the nominating process," Sanders said. "I think it's fair to say that no one is more disappointed than I am.

But to all of our supporters -- here and around the country -- I hope you take enormous pride in the historical accomplishments we have achieved." Hide Caption 60 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Sanders spoke out against Republican nominee Donald Trump and said Clinton must become President. "If you don't believe this election is important, if you think you can sit it out, take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump would nominate and what that would mean to civil liberties, equal rights and the future of our country," Sanders said. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Sanders acknowledges the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center. Hide Caption 62 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren talks to the crowd in Philadelphia. "We are not going to be Donald Trump's hate-filled America," she said. "Not now. Not ever." Hide Caption 63 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention First lady Michelle Obama gives a speech. "This election -- every election -- is about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four or eight years of our lives," she said.

"And I am here tonight because in this election, there is only one person who I trust with that responsibility -- only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be President of the United States. And that is our friend, Hillary Clinton." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Obama waves to the crowd. Hide Caption 65 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention In his speech Monday, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker included a message about togetherness. "Patriotism is love of country. But you can't love your country without loving your countrymen and countrywomen," he said. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Singer Paul Simon performs "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates hold up signs Monday. Hide Caption 68 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention U.S. Sen. Al Franken appears on stage with comedian Sarah Silverman. Franken, of course, has a comedic background as well, having once starred on "Saturday Night Live." Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Anastasia Somoza, an advocate for people with disabilities, comes out to speak.

Hide Caption 70 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Former pro basketball players Jason Collins, left, and Jarron Collins wave to the crowd. Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in the NBA, said he told the Clintons about his sexual orientation before coming out publicly. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention A delegate wears a pin showing her support of Clinton. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention Delegates hold signs reading "Love trumps hate" on Monday. Hide Caption Photos: The Democratic National Convention A delegate supports Sanders at the convention. Hide Caption 74 of 76 Photos: The Democratic National Convention Tape on a delegate's mouth makes a statement Monday about the Democratic National Committee. Recently leaked committee emails appeared to show favoritism toward Clinton in the primary race, and many Sanders supporters entered the convention upset. The controversy has caused Debbie Wasserman Schultz to step down as the committee's chairwoman at the end of the convention. Hide Caption Today in History - Unix Calendar Today in History Archbishop William Laud beheaded at Tower of London.

1901 First great Texas oil gusher discovered in Beaumont, Texas 1904 Singer, actor, dancer and the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz Ray Bolger born in Dorchester, Massachusetts 1920 League of Nations ratifies Treaty of Versailles 1945 Grammy Award winning songwriter and singer, Rod Stewart born in London, England 1946 First United Nations General Assembly convenes in London 1949 Writer, feminist activist and actress, Linda Lovelace born Linda Sue Boreman in Bronx, New York 1952 Four-time Grammy Award winning songwriter, musician and singer, Pat Benatar born in Brooklyn, New York 1960 First CDC 1604 delivered to Navy 681 Death of St. Agatho, Pope 1072 Palermo, Sicily, taken by the Normans 1209 Death of St.

William Bourges 1276 Death of Pope Gregory X 1295 Monks of Paisley, in Scotland, chartered 1430 Order of the Golden Fleece established by Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy 1615 Sir Thomas Roe, first English ambassador to India, received by Jahangir, Moghul Emperor 1645 Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War fighter (lead the Green Mountain Boys) born 1776 "Common Sense" by political philosopher Thomas Paine was published. The pamphlet advocated independence from England. 1796 On this day in 1796, Beethoven and Haydn performed together at a concert in Vienna. 1840 The Penny Post mail system is started. 1861 Florida seceded from the Union. 1863 London's Metropolitan, the world's first underground passenger railway, opened to the public. 1870 John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil. 1877 Frederick Gardner Cottrell, invented the elecrostatic precipitator, used for polution control and air ionizers. born 1883 Silent screen actor Francis X.

Bushman (The Rosary, Neptune's Daughter, The Thirteenth Man, Dick Tracy, Hollywood Boulevard, David and Bathsheba, Sabrina, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini) born 1887 The Automobile Club of America, installs signs on major highways. 1903 Argentina bans the importation of American beef, because of sanitation problems. 1904 Actor and dancer Ray Bolger (The Wizard of Oz) born 1907 Two companies are convicted of holding an illegal monopoly on licorice paste, which is widely used as flavoring in cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco. 1908 Actor Paul Henreid (The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Deep in My Heart, Casablanca) born 1910 Wilbur Wright appeals for tighter patent laws. 1911 Major Jimmie Erickson shot the first photograph from an airplane whiles flying over San Diego, California. 1912 The World's first flying-boat airplane, designed by Glenn Curtiss, makes its maiden flight at Hammondsport.

1918 In Washington, the House passes suffrage (274-136) 1920 The League of Nations came into being as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect. The United States did NOT join the League. 1925 Jazz musician Max Roach born 1927 Singer Johnnie Ray (Cry, Please, Mr. Sun, The Little White Cloud That Cried, Walkin' My Baby Back Home, Just Walking in the Rain) born 1927 Singer Gisele (LaFleche) MacKenzie born 1928 Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak ( Where the Wild Things Are) born 1928 The Soviet Union ordered the exile of Leon Trotsky. 1931 Nicholas Slominsky conducted "Three Places in New England" by Charles Ives. The Boston premiere featured Slominsky conducting the polyrhythmic parts with each hand defining a different beat.

1935 Opera singer Sherrill Milnes born 1935 Rock singer-musician Ronnie Hawkins born 1938 Baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie McCovey born 1939 The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly was held in London. 1947 The musical fantasy "Finian's Rainbow," with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, opened on Broadway. 1948 Rock singer-musician Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) born 1949 Boxer George Foreman (oldest heavyweight champion at age 45 -- 11/5/94) born 1949 The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) announced a new 7-inch, 45 rpm phonograph record. Soon, the 45, the record with the big hole in the middle, would change the pop music business. 1951 Donald Howard Rogers piloted the first passenger jet on a trip from Chicago to New York City. He got to the Big Apple in one hour and 42 minutes.

1953 Rock singer Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) born 1964 Panama breaks ties with the U.S. and demands revision of canal treaty. 1967 Actress Trini Alvarado (The Frighteners, Little Women, Stella, The Chair, Mrs. Soffel, Rich Kids) born 1967 Massachusetts Republican Edward W. Brooke, the first black elected to the U-S Senate by popular vote, took his seat. 1969 The final issue of "The Saturday Evening Post" appeared after 147 years of publication. 1978 The Soviet Union launched two cosmonauts aboard a "Soyuz" capsule for a rendezvous with the "Salyut Six" space laboratory. 1979 Rapper Chris Smith (Kris Kross) born 1982 Actor Josh Ryan Evans born 1984 The U.S. and the Vatican establish full diplomatic relations for the first time in 117 years. 1984 The premiere recording of Frank Zappa's classical composition "The Perfect Stranger" was made by the Ensemble InterContemporain under the direction of Pierre Boulez.

He claimed the composition was about a vacuum cleaner salesman visiting a housewife, as viewed by the dog. 1984 Singer, Cyndi Lauper became the first female recording artist since Bobbie Gentry to be nominated for five Grammy Awards. 1987 Saying he felt "just fine" after recent surgery, President Ronald Reagan warned Congress in his weekly radio address that he was ready to do battle over his new trillion-dollar budget. 1988 Soviet media reported on an interview given to Chinese journalists by Mikhail S. Gorbachev, who praised the state of Sino-Soviet relations and called for a summit. (However, the Beijing government turned aside the summit call, saying Soviet-backed Vietnamese forces first had to withdraw from Cambodia.) 1989 Cuba began withdrawing its troops from Angola, more than 13 years after its first contingents arrived.

1990 Chinese Premier Li Peng lifted Beijing's seven-month-old martial law, and said that by crushing pro-democracy protests, the army had saved China from "the abyss of misery." 1991 Five days before a UN deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait, peace efforts intensified, with UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar setting off on a mission aimed at averting war. 1992 President George Bush returned home from his grueling 12-day journey to Australia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan, boasting of "dramatic progress" on trade issues. 1993 An unidentified 62-year-old man at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center underwent the world's second baboon liver transplant; however, the man died less than a month later without regaining full consciousness. 1994 On the first day of a two-day NATO summit in Belgium, leaders signed a document inviting nations of the former Warsaw Pact to join in a "partnership for peace." 1994 Talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators resumed in Taba, Egypt.

1994 In Manassas, Virginia, Lorena Bobbitt went on trial, charged with malicious wounding of her husband, John (she was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity). 1995 Russia announced a 48-hour truce in breakaway Chechnya, but the cease-fire fell apart after only a few hours 1995 President Clinton declared flood-stricken areas of California major disaster areas. 1996 Russian troops allowed a convoy of Chechen rebels and 160 hostages to head for Chechnya, then surrounded them in the village of Pervomayskaya. (After a five-day standoff, Russian troops launched a massive military assault that resulted in the deaths of most of the rebels and some of the hostages.) 1997 Dallas police ended their investigation into Dallas Cowboys stars Erik Williams and Michael Irvin, saying a woman's claim that Williams raped her while Irvin held a gun to her head was false. 1998 Michelle Kwan won the ladies' US Figure Skating Championship in Philadelphia; Tara Lipinski came in second and Nicole Bobek, third.

1998 In his weekly radio address, President Clinton denounced Chicago physicist Richard Seed's expressed desire to clone humans, calling it "morally unacceptable." 1999 Republicans and Democrats disagreed over whether to call witnesses in President Clinton's impeachment trial, with Republicans pressing to hear testimony from Monica Lewinsky and others, and Democrats saying such testimony could unnecessarily prolong the proceedings. 2000 America Online announced it was buying Time Warner for $162 billion. 2000 Peace talks between Israel and Syria recessed in West Virginia without agreement on new borders or any other major elements of a land-for-peace treaty. 2002 The White House revealed that Enron Corporation had sought the administration's help shortly before collapsing with the life savings of many workers. 2002 Marines began flying hundreds of al-Qaida prisoners in Afghanistan to a U.S. base on Cuba.

2005 Life discovered in extreme environment 2005 Guatemala nominates Rigoberta MenchÃº for OAS Secretary General 2005 Abbas wins election, offers Israel 'hand of peace' 2005 CBS fires four in fake Bush story fallout 2005 Radiobras Brazilian news agency moved to Free Software 2005 Wells Fargo and Barclay's rumoured to be in merger talks 2005 UK New Year's Day murder suspect jumps from seventh floor window 2006 Cyclone Clare batters Western Australia 2006 "Shock jock" Howard Stern makes his satellite radio debut 2006 Annoying someone online becomes federal crime 2006 FL professor & wife accused of spying for Cuba 2006 Reporter abducted in Baghdad Saturday morning 2006 Story of mouse burning down house proven false 2006 4 injured when bus overturns in Charlotte, NC 2006 Florida bank stand-off ends with hostages rescued 2006 Murdoch's News Corp.

Ends Automated Censorship of MySpace 2007 Apple introduces iPhone and Apple TV 2007 Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, 8th district Califorinia and 66-year-old grandmother) becomes the first woman elected speaker of the House of Representatives 2007 Iranian news agency reports UFO has crashed in Kerman province 2007 Teamsters Union comments on Tigger incident 2007 Teamsters site suggests Tigger pardoned 2007 Third Canadian found dead in Mexico 2007 Air New Zealand movie censored the word God 2007 Strongest earthquake in 150 years hits Costa Rica 2009 Magazine closures, cuts, for January 5-9, 2009 2009 Canadian trio claim South Pole record for trans-Antarctic trip 2010 Two Palestinians reportedly shot dead by Israeli troops 2010 China overtakes Germany as world's biggest exporter 2010 Two charged in Heathrow bomb threat 2010 U.S.

Vice President Biden's mother dies, aged 92 2010 US warns of attacks on Sudan-Uganda flights 2010 6.5 magnitude earthquake hits off California coast 2010 Two dead after building collapse in Kenya 2010 Gordon Brown says the UK won't run out of gas 2010 Adult H1N1 swine flu death takes Northern Ireland death toll to seventeen 2010 Explosion in Afghanistan kills two 2010 Two suspected rebels killed in gunfight with authorities in Kashmir 2010 Chevron shuts down some oil production in Nigeria following attack 2011 Oldest ex-Major League Baseball player, Billy Werber dies at age 100 2012

Question: Name the Californian Congresswoman, who in January 2007 became the first female Speaker of the US House of Representatives?
Answer: Nancy Pelosi