Pelosi: Democrats ready to lead
Set to become the US' first female speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi says Democrats are "ready to lead" in partnership with Republicans, "not in partisanship".
President George Bush called Pelosi with congratulations this morning after Democrats took firm control of the House, rebounding after a dozen years in the minority.
Pelosi, 66, who made history four years ago when she became the first woman to lead a party caucus in either house of Congress, will become third in line of succession to the president when she is elevated to the speaker's position at the beginning of the new Congress in January.
It will be the highest elective office ever reached by a woman in the US.
Pelosi will be formally re-elected as her party's leader, and its nominee to be speaker, when the Democratic caucus meets on November 16 to choose its standard-bearers for the next Congress.
Democrats, Pelosi said, "intend to lead the most honest, the most open and the most ethical Congress in history".
She said the Democrats' legislative priorities for the 110th Congress that opens in January include raising the minimum wage, adopting the 9/11 Commission's anti-terrorism agenda and working for cheaper drug prices through Medicare's prescription drug coverage.
Pelosi struck a conciliatory tone as voter results came in last night.
"The campaign is over. Democrats are ready to lead. We are prepared to govern," she said last night.
"We will do so working together with the administration and the Republicans in Congress in partnership, not in partisanship."
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