Dems Take Charge On Capitol Hill
Jubilant Democrats on Thursday elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the first woman leader of the House of Representatives, the crowning celebration of newfound power the party won in the November electoral sweep.
"I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship, and look forward to working with you on behalf of the American people," Pelosi said. "In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country."
Both Democrats and Republicans pledged cooperation despite years of bitter partisanship and gridlock, to try to get the 110th Congress off on a productive note.
The convening of the Democratic-led Congress also opened a new chapter in the presidency of George W. Bush, who faces divided government as he cements his legacy in his final two years in the White House.
"The election of 2006 was a call to change — not merely to change the control of Congress, but for a new direction for our country," Pelosi said. Nowhere were the American people more clear about the need for a new direction than in Iraq. The American people rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end."
Mr. Bush had a light public schedule Thursday, intended at least in part to let the new Congress have its day.
House Democrats also were ready to impose a ban on gifts from lobbyists and a clampdown on travel funded by private interests — measures crafted in response to the ethics scandals that weakened Republicans in last fall's elections.
"They have a very ambitious schedule of things to do. They are going to ban all travel on corporate airplanes. They are going to make congressmen who slip in secret funding requests, what we call 'earmarks', identify themselves," CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said. "It's ambitious but on the other hand there are a lot of loopholes."
The nation has high hopes for the new Congress, according to a new CBS News poll. Sixty-eight percent of those polled said they had optimistic feelings about the 110th Congress, while just 25 percent said they were pessimistic. Nearly half expect that this Congress will accomplish more than usual over the next two years.
"This is an historic moment — for the Congress, and for the women of this country," Pelosi said. "It is a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years."
On the other end of the Capitol, Sen. Harry Reid, a soft-spoken but tough inside player — took the reins of the notoriously unwieldy Senate, promising to "work in a bipartisan basis in an open fashion to solve the problems of the American people."
Addressing his colleagues Thursday afternoon, Reid vowed to get the Senate back on track after an unproductive past two years.
"Last November, the voters sent us a message — Democrats and Republicans," Reid said. "The voters are upset with Congress and the partisan gridlock. The voters want a government that focuses on their needs. The voters want change. Together, we must deliver that change."
"The Democrats are back," Pelosi said earlier Thursday. She will lead a fractious House divided 233-202, with Democrats claiming control for the first time since 1994.
Democrats maintain a tenuous hold on a Senate divided 51-49, with ailing Democrat Tim Johnson slowly recovering in a Washington hospital weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage. There are 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans and two independents, who both vote with Democrats.
The fragile Senate margin ensures little Democratic-sponsored legislation can pass without support from at least some Republicans.
"Our efforts are going to be to work in a bipartisan basis in an open fashion to solve the problems of the American people," Reid said.
Taking the oath of office were 10 new senators — eight of them Democrats, Republican Bob Corker and independent Bernie Sanders. Joe Lieberman returned to the Senate for a fourth term after losing a raucous Democratic primary in the northeastern state of Connecticut but winning in November running as an Independent.
Vice President Dick Cheney swore in the new and returning senators, beginning with a group including Senate President Pro Tem, Robert C. Byrd, a Democrat — third in the line of presidential succession — elected for a record ninth term. In the gallery overhead, former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea applauded and waved to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who was sworn in for a second term.
The House has 55 new members, all but 13 of them Democrats.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. "I accept this gavel in the spirit of partnership, not partisanship, and look forward to working with you on behalf of the American people," Pelosi said. "In this House, we may belong to different parties, but we serve one country."
Both Democrats and Republicans pledged cooperation despite years of bitter partisanship and gridlock, to try to get the 110th Congress off on a productive note.
The convening of the Democratic-led Congress also opened a new chapter in the presidency of George W. Bush, who faces divided government as he cements his legacy in his final two years in the White House.
"The election of 2006 was a call to change — not merely to change the control of Congress, but for a new direction for our country," Pelosi said. Nowhere were the American people more clear about the need for a new direction than in Iraq. The American people rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end."
Mr. Bush had a light public schedule Thursday, intended at least in part to let the new Congress have its day.
House Democrats also were ready to impose a ban on gifts from lobbyists and a clampdown on travel funded by private interests — measures crafted in response to the ethics scandals that weakened Republicans in last fall's elections.
"They have a very ambitious schedule of things to do. They are going to ban all travel on corporate airplanes. They are going to make congressmen who slip in secret funding requests, what we call 'earmarks', identify themselves," CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said. "It's ambitious but on the other hand there are a lot of loopholes."
The nation has high hopes for the new Congress, according to a new CBS News poll. Sixty-eight percent of those polled said they had optimistic feelings about the 110th Congress, while just 25 percent said they were pessimistic. Nearly half expect that this Congress will accomplish more than usual over the next two years.
The first hours of the new Democratic-held House were devoted to Pelosi's election and remarks — for which the Californian received numerous standing ovations, especially from the House's record 71 women lawmakers, thrilled that one of their own had finally ascended to the speakership. Some of the women senators also came to the House side to cheer Pelosi's history-shattering moment.
Read the CBS News poll results
"This is an historic moment — for the Congress, and for the women of this country," Pelosi said. "It is a moment for which we have waited more than 200 years."
On the other end of the Capitol, Sen. Harry Reid, a soft-spoken but tough inside player — took the reins of the notoriously unwieldy Senate, promising to "work in a bipartisan basis in an open fashion to solve the problems of the American people."
Addressing his colleagues Thursday afternoon, Reid vowed to get the Senate back on track after an unproductive past two years.
"Last November, the voters sent us a message — Democrats and Republicans," Reid said. "The voters are upset with Congress and the partisan gridlock. The voters want a government that focuses on their needs. The voters want change. Together, we must deliver that change."
"The Democrats are back," Pelosi said earlier Thursday. She will lead a fractious House divided 233-202, with Democrats claiming control for the first time since 1994.
Democrats maintain a tenuous hold on a Senate divided 51-49, with ailing Democrat Tim Johnson slowly recovering in a Washington hospital weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage. There are 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans and two independents, who both vote with Democrats.
The fragile Senate margin ensures little Democratic-sponsored legislation can pass without support from at least some Republicans.
"Our efforts are going to be to work in a bipartisan basis in an open fashion to solve the problems of the American people," Reid said.
Taking the oath of office were 10 new senators — eight of them Democrats, Republican Bob Corker and independent Bernie Sanders. Joe Lieberman returned to the Senate for a fourth term after losing a raucous Democratic primary in the northeastern state of Connecticut but winning in November running as an Independent.
Vice President Dick Cheney swore in the new and returning senators, beginning with a group including Senate President Pro Tem, Robert C. Byrd, a Democrat — third in the line of presidential succession — elected for a record ninth term. In the gallery overhead, former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea applauded and waved to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who was sworn in for a second term.
The House has 55 new members, all but 13 of them Democrats.
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I'm taking about the ignorant Keith Ellison, who insisted on being sworn in on the Koran. So what did the boy do? He chose Thomas Jefferson's Koran.
Hello!!!
One, Thomas Jefferson was a SLAVEHOLDER, Keith. But of course that wouldn't trouble you because he was a Democrat.
Two, Furthermore, your blessed Islam is a faith that condones Slavery. The first slavers were Arab Muslims. Slavery is still practiced today in Saudi Arabia. And in Darfur, innocent Blacks are starved, slaved, and slaughtered by your Islamofascist friends in Khartoum.
But Boy Ellison insisted on the Koran. Boy Ellison, elected by a district of pimps and drug dealers, should be honest enough to be a congressman in Saudi Arabia, or maybe Darfur. NOT in the USA.
And Princess Plastic Pelosi beamed as this plantation slave was sworn in.
But I'm sure, just like Obama, he will grovel to the mutual friend in the White Sheets, Grand Kleagle Byrd of the KKK. Just another Amos and Andy show - or is the shuckle and jive show.
Now, let's see the true haters - the Neo-Fascist Dems start shrieking that this former Civil Rights worker who wrote this is a RACIST. I want a good laugh - because Boy Ellison is NOT funny - nor smart.
With the exception of a few arguments (abortion, death penalty, etc), there's very little difference between Democrats & Republicans.
BOTH Democrats & Republicans have the exact same philosophy about running this country from a socialist style power-center called "Washington,DC" (aka "centralized government")
What BOTH political parties have forgotten, is the fact that:
"Washington, DC did NOT create the states,,,,,, it was the states that created Washington, DC."
WE NEED TO SEND POWER BACK TO THE STATES.
...............
"not all Republicans believe in God but they do believe in moral values someting last I checked liberals do not".
This fact is clearly evident by the action of Republican Foley.
I don't understand why Republicans like Condi Rice,who are Pro-life when it comes to abortion favor killing of innocent women,children and elderlies by American money and weapons when their religious belief favor that massacre.Has anybody forgot the statement issued by Condi Rice when she compared the killing of innocent WOMEN,CHILDREN and ELDERLY people in LEBANON by AMERICAN WEAPONS and AMERICAN TAX PAYERS' MONEY to"BIRTH PANG".Has JESUS returned back as a result of that massacre?What type of moral value is that which justifies mass massacre for the 2nd coming of CHRIST?Do you want to bring that moral value into politics which justifies to bring people from different European countries into Palestine to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the CRIMES comited by Hitler.Why these believers of MORAL VALUES are giving American TAX PAYER"S MONEY to an ISLAMIC RADICAL "MALIKI" for the killing of US troops deployed in IRAQ.Why is giving money to kill US troops is morally right while women's right to chose abortion is wrong?