How about Ilhan Omar as Speaker of the House?

[MineralMan]

I mean, if we're going to break with tradition, why not choose a newly-elected, young Muslim woman for the job? That would show everyone!

Now, I really like Omar. She's a smart, thoughtful person who achieved a great deal by being elected to the House. I hope she becomes an important voice in that body.

Right now, we need the most experienced Speaker we can get. There are many tough rows to hoe in the new Congress. Experience will be important.

[TheBlackAdder]

1. I think Dems need to hit the ground running. There's always time to groom a successor later.

[dawg day]

3. Yes-- Pelosi can actually teach a younger person this term--

And that person then can take over in 2021 and do great work with the new Democratic president.

But fighting this rearguard action to keep Trump from wrecking everything? This isn't the time for an amateur.

[dawg day]

2. Speaker of the House isn't an honorary position or an exemplar.

It's bureaucratic and Machiavellian. How, after all, does Mitch McConnell with an approval rating lower than that of lice keep getting re-elected and using power? Because he's been around a long time, is ruthless and canny, and holds a lot of IOUs. Much as we despise him, he's good at getting what he wants.

Pelosi knows procedures too. She knows how to get things done and how to stop things from getting done. The opposition to her seems frankly naive on some people's part, and a powerplay on other people's part (Tim Ryan and other possibles).

This shouldn't be ideological, and neither should the speaker. Ryan was supposed to be ideological with his Randian principles, and he was an absolute failure (fortunately-- if he'd been as cynical and ruthless as McConnell, he would have been a lot more destructive).

Someone basically of good heart but smart in that bureaucratic way and more ruthless than your ordinary Democrat-- that's who will be effective.
That is, Pelosi.

[Cousin Dupree]

4. How about Nancy Pelosi?