'The greatest of all time!' Internet celebrates as Nancy Pelosi's portrait is unveiled at the Capitol
WASHINGTON, DC: The portrait of outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was unveiled Wednesday, December 14, in Statuary Hall at the US Capitol. This is a historic moment as she is the first woman whose portrait hangs in the Speaker's Lobby of the Capitol. The portrait of Pelosi, who recently announced her intention to relinquish leadership of the House Democratic Caucus for the 118th Legislature and is in the final weeks of her term as Speaker of the House, holds a gavel and is an oil painting on canvas by Ronald Sherr.
Speaking at the ceremony, Pelosi said, “This painting will stand out as a woman in that Speaker’s Lobby. I’m really honored my members had the courage to elect a woman Speaker. That is not without courage.” She added, "somewhere out there there’s someone who will be, someone in this Congress is a future woman Speaker to be. I’m honored to be the first but it will only be a good accomplishment if I’m not the last," quotes The Hill. Former Republican House Speaker John Boehner, who handed off the gavel to Pelosi in 2007 when she became the speaker, applauded her as “one tough cookie.” He said, as stated by PBS, "You’ve been a fierce warrior for your party. But when the stakes were highest, you were willing to put the interests of the nation first and take the heat for it. Leaders lead, Madam Speaker. And you, Madam Speaker, have led. I’m honored to be here today as a longtime colleague and a fellow American to say thank you for that.”
