"Yet those who think Pelosi is in any danger of being driven from power, in the manner of such past speakers as Newt Gingrich or Jim Wright, underestimate her strength, steadily cultivated over 22 years in Congress since arriving as a San Francisco backbencher in 1987. Pelosi's hallmark achievement has been to unify Democrats, not just her Bay Area allies but conservative Southern and rural Democrats. There is no sign that they will abandon her now.
Rep. George Miller of Martinez, a top Pelosi confidante, said it was "ludicrous" to think Pelosi is in any political danger. "Obviously, it's an attempt by the architects and promoters of torture to try somehow to shift the blame to Democrats when for six, seven years, this is what they did," Miller said. "She's made her statement, and she made her record very clear."
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, said he was "a little shocked" when asked three days ago whether Pelosi was in trouble. So today, as the Pelosi press conference was blaring on every cable network, he said, "I've been asking around on the (House) floor, and people just look at me like I'm nuts."
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