Every once in a while I come across a piece of writing that is just a pleasure to read. Eugene Robinson's piece on Nancy Pelosi is an affectionate tribute to the first woman speaker of the house. It is biased but it is also honest and he makes it clear that he is speaking of Nancy as a person and as someone who is a lot like the rest of us, just ordinary people trying to do the best we can with what we've been given.

The piece would be better for more examples. I've heard the same thing from people who have an inside perspective on some of the legislative accomplishments in the House. So I know there are more examples than the one he cited.

This opinion piece has minimal journalistic merit. I give it 5 points for originality! Nobody considers Pelosi a successful speaker. The current and last Congress are generally considered among the worst in recent times, and she bears a significant share of the blame. Her style was dictatorial, refusing to let members see legislation until the votes and excluding the moderate Democrats (who largely were defeated for re-election due to her) from any influence. "We'll have to pass the bill to know what is in it" will be what she is remembered for. And ObamaCare is ranked with the Fugitive Slave Act and Smoot-Hawley Tariff as the worst bills ever passed by Congress; it was largely dictated by her.