Post-Election Analysis

The Chicago Tribune's Clarence Page weighs in on the Democratic victory.

Tavis: Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House, out of California - now that she is in charge, now the Democrats are in charge, do you expect to see a wholesale change and, if so, how quickly on Iraq policy?

Clarence Page: Well, she's facing some headaches, first of all. For one thing, John Murtha, Congressman from Pennsylvania who has emerged as a hero for those who want an alternative plan in Iraq, wants to be Majority Leader. Steny Hoyer, Congressman from suburban Maryland just outside Washington, is next in line to be a Majority Leader and he is a real inside player kind of guy. You're going to see an interesting battle there, first of all, internally for who's going to be in that pivotal direction-setting position.

Then there are a lot of different ideas floating around as to what to do in Iraq and Democrats have not shown any unity. Imagine that. I mean, Democrats disagreeing with each other. There's a lot of disagreement among Democrats over what to do. Now, you know, with great power comes great responsibility, so she's got a lot of headaches ahead. It's going to be interesting to see how she handles it, but I think she's going to do well. Republicans are saying, you know, she's a hothead and a radical. She's not. She's, you know, second generation politician who knows how to play inside and outside, so it's going to be fun to watch.

Tavis: The problems, one could argue, go even deeper than who gets these leadership positions in the House. How do you read this conversation or this, as we say in Black America, this "come to Jesus" meeting, that the Democrats have to have about who they are going to be in the House and beyond, given that there were a number of Democrats obviously that picked up seats. That gave them control of the House, but many of those Democrats are conservative Democrats, Clarence, and those politics, as you know, are different than the ones that Ms. Pelosi and other Democrats share.

Page: This is an old argument among Democrats going back at least to the days of Scoop Jackson versus the George McGovern wing back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was going through different leaderships and permutations and all. But today, after a defeat, people point fingers and blame others for losing. After a victory, everybody claims credit.

Now there's a continuing battle between the progressive wing of the party and the centrist wing. Yeah, it was a centrist who won in those swing districts. That's how you win swing districts, by going down the middle of the road, not like say running in Berkeley or Harlem. But at the same time, the base of the party says, "Hey, we're the ones who brung you. You got to dance with the one that brung you." So, yeah, that debate is going to go on.

Tavis: Speaking of the base of the party, the group that brung you, Democrats would not be where they are without the overwhelming and long-time support of the African American community. To that point, there are a number of African Americans who are poised for the first time to head major committees. John Conyers, House Judiciary out of Michigan. Out of Harlem, you referenced earlier, Charlie Rangel, House Ways and Means Committee -

Page: - the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Tavis: Powerful House Ways and Means Committee. So this week not a bad week for the Congressional Black Caucus.

Page: Well, that's right. This is long overdue in so many ways. You know, Charlie Rangel and John Conyers were waiting in the wings back in the early Clinton days and then, boom, Newt Gingrich snatched it away from them. Everybody's wondering will John Conyers make good on his vow to try to have impeachment hearings in regard to President Bush and the war in Iraq.

I don't think it's going to happen, but you will see accountability. John Murtha and others are saying we need to have some questions answered and the Republican Congress wasn't asking any questions. So there are going to be some news pictures of the Bush administration people being sworn in and giving Congressional testimony.

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