How Nancy Pelosi took on Donald Trump re. Jan 6— and won - MSNBC

The Jan. 6 hearings volition spell down successful past arsenic an invaluable grounds of however our ideology teetered dangerously connected the brink and offers Americans a wide representation of what truly happened that perilous time erstwhile then-President Donald Trump's supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol. But the grounds besides reveals an important representation of 2 profoundly antithetic models of American leadership; that of an aspiring strongman —Trump — and a genuinely beardown pistillate — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Trump showed the satellite precisely the benignant of person helium was connected Jan. 6, refusing to concede defeat, inciting a coup to subvert the volition of the people, past refusing to intervene portion watching the mayhem unfold from the safety of his White House eating room. Trump’s behaviour that time was appalling but hardly retired of character. He was ne'er funny successful nationalist work oregon American ideals. He built his powerfulness by subjecting the GOP to authoritarian-style enactment discipline, demanding unwavering idiosyncratic loyalty, punishing interior dissent and celebrating, adjacent encouraging, violence against anyone who opposed him.

In those aforesaid hours connected Jan. 6 of past year, and passim her tenure arsenic House Speaker, Pelosi’s enactment stands successful melodramatic contrast. At 81 years old, successful her 17th legislature term, she built her powerfulness implicit decades by garnering the respect of a divers conjugation of colleagues, incenting sometimes unusual governmental bedfellows into coalitions and partnerships to execute transformational nationalist argumentation for the American people. From cosmopolitan healthcare to the extremity of 'don’t ask, don’t tell,' nary talker has wielded brushed and hard powerfulness much effectively. Now we cognize that connected Jan. 6, she saved ideology too.

As video filmed by her girl Alexandra Pelosi and released by the Jan. 6 committee shows, she not lone kept her calm successful the look of imminent idiosyncratic menace but remained laser-focused connected her work to sphere the bedrock principals of American ideology by certifying Joe Biden's statesmanlike triumph that night. Not for a infinitesimal does she enactment her self-interest first.

Trump often made Pelosi the people of his ire, and arsenic House Speaker and 3rd successful enactment to the presidency, she was successful existent information connected Jan. 6. "They’re pounding connected the doorway trying to find her,” 1 of her aides hiding nether a table whispered into a phone.

Even portion being rushed to safety, Pelosi displayed a steely resolve. Again and again she pushes for 1 happening – that Congress bash their work and certify the election. "There has to beryllium immoderate mode we tin support … immoderate assurance that authorities tin relation and that we tin elite the president of the United States" she told members astir her. Meanwhile, Trump supporters similar Richard "Bigo" Barnett were occupying her office, putting his feet connected her table successful contempt and disrespect. "Nancy, Bigo was here, you b----," helium wrote successful a enactment near connected the table that day.

Against the backdrop of the abusive, violent, brutish and lawless enactment of Trump, a pistillate person wielding a wholly antithetic benignant of power, taking complaint and putting state archetypal successful an unprecedented situation is inspiring.

In the upcoming midterm elections, Americans volition beryllium asked to take which of these enactment models they want. Many candidates astir the state are similar Trump, gathering their powerfulness connected fear, intimidation and lies. Also, connected the ballot are those who question to enactment state up of party, who privation to service and get things done for the American people. It remains to beryllium seen which exemplary Americans volition chose.

Questions person been swirling successful Washington astir the Speaker’s future. She has publically committed to stay successful the speakership until aft the autumn midterms. If Democrats clasp the majority, the president, and the full Democratic enactment should beryllium begging her proceed arsenic Speaker. As the Jan. 6 video reinforced, determination is nary person successful Congress much effective, dedicated, and yes almighty than the pistillate truthful galore sought to harm.

History has a wont of overlooking, undervaluing, adjacent dismissing the contributions of almighty women. Discounted arsenic weak, beardown women similar Pelosi are excessively often relegated to the sidelines portion self-centered, domineering, dangerous, ultra-macho men are hailed arsenic great. In the astir captious infinitesimal for our state since the Civil War, it was a woman’s enactment that prevailed to each our benefit. To place the value of her enactment that day, and truthful galore days earlier and since, does a disservice to some the facts and to past itself. She saved democracy, not by unit and intimidation but by sticking to principles and values greater than herself.

As the archetypal pistillate Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi changed the look and exemplary of enactment successful Washington and beyond. Now we recognize wherefore hers is the close 1 to guarantee enduring ideology too. As the midterm elections approach, let’s anticipation Americans, and history, instrumentality note.

Lauren Leader is co-founder and CEO of All In Together, a non-partisan, non-profit women’s civic enactment organization. She tweets astatine @laurenleaderAIT

Ruth Ben Ghiat @ruthbenghiat is prof of past astatine New York University and writer of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present. She publishes Lucid, a newsletter astir threats to democracy.