ABC7 Interview With Nancy Pelosi

Oct. 27 (KGO) -- A historic change may take place in Washington on election night -- Democrats may take control of the House of Representatives. If it happens, San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi could become one of the most powerful people in the country. ABC7's Mark Matthews sat down with her today.

No other woman has ever held the job of Speaker of the House. But if Democrats win just 15 of the 50 Republican seats that are in contention, Nancy Pelosi could find herself third in line to the White House.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is maybe just a few days away from becoming speaker of the House. A possibility she says she doesn't dwell on.

Nancy Pelosi: "If the election were today, I think we would win, but it's not today."

As minority leader she's spent much of her career vigorously attacking the president and his administration. A pair of boxing gloves hang on her office wall. Her tenacity and force have served her in uniting House Democrats. I asked her if as speaker she'd need to shift gears to a kinder gentler Nancy Pelosi.

Nancy Pelosi: "Well I'm kind and gentle, I'm also truthful and that people sometimes have a problem with, and I'm sorry for them."

She says her goal is civility defined by fairness allowing the minority party to have a voice. Something she says that has been lacking in the Republican controlled House.

Nancy Pelosi: "We know the abuse of our democratic system that Republicans have exacted, and we know it isn't right and we wouldn't do it to them."

Former Republican congressman Tom Campbell served in the House on the other side of the aisle from Nancy Pelosi. He says Pelosi should take note of what happened to another strong fighter Republican Newt Gingrich.

Tom Campbell: "In order to take over in 1994 he was an attacker. And it was very difficult to move towards the model of now let's work together productively. The question is can the leader of the revolution be the one who then immediately makes the peace. In political systems it's very rare."

In the case of Newt Gengrich, his own party removed him in favor of the more conciliatory Dennis Hastert.

Today, Nancy Pelosi is still minority leader and still on the attack.

Nancy Pelosi: "The Republicans will not be constrained by money, by truth or by any sense of decency."

Nancy Pelosi is of course keeping a close eye on the congressional races. She says out of 50 Republican seats that are not considered competitive, in 33 of them the Democratic challenger is ahead in the polls.

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