Oct. 26, 2006 If her party gains control of the House in 12 days, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will become the first-ever woman House speaker.
Though a savior to Democrats and a huge fundraiser mdash; third only to the Clintons mdash; Pelosi is not well-known, unless you've seen the Republicans' ads.
Republicans seem determined to make her name and politics radioactive.
The war of words over the Iraq conflict and other issues seem to have become increasingly personal between Pelosi and President Bush.
"The speaker of the House, the congresswoman, would be someone who thinks capturing Osama bin Laden wouldn't make this country safer," Bush has said.
One Georgia political advertisement calls her as a "liberal San Francisco congresswoman."
But the barbs don't bother Pelosi.
"I couldn't care less," she told ABC News.
"I think it shows how desperate the Republicans are, that they have to have the president of the United States become their political hit man. I really think it's a compliment to the effectiveness that I have."
"To listen to the president this morning shows yet again he is in denial," she said.
Pelosi is especially combative on Iraq, a war she voted against. She insists the troops should start coming home. She disagrees with those who say that now is not the time to pull the troops out.
"There are a range of experts who say the reverse. This war in Iraq is just getting worse," she said. "President Bush is digging a hole deeper and deeper and deeper in Iraq.
He's so far from daylight he doesn't have a clue."
When asked if she thinks she's been fairly tough on Bush lately she said, "Oh, that wasn't tough."
Pelosi said she believed that she would be able to work with Bush if she became speaker of the House, despite their disagreements.
"I respect the office of the president of the United States," she said. "As speaker of the House mdash; if the Democrats win the House mdash; I would have a responsibility to work with the president."
She insists her tone would soften as speaker and has made one outright pledge should Democrats win.
"We have taken impeachment off the table," she said. "Impeachment takes Republicans off the hook."
As for her image, Pelosi and her aides like to emphasize the "other" Nancy Pelosi: the mother of five, and grandmother of five, with another grandchild on the way.
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