Hundreds leaped out of their seats as former speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, entered the First Parish Church in Cambridge for an intimate conversation on politics, the future of democracy, and unity.
Pelosi appeared alongside Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey for a panel discussion organized by Harvard Book Store to promote Pelosi’s new book “The Art of Power” on Wednesday.
The event was delayed by over 20 minutes, as the sold-out crowd of 600 stretched down the block waiting to enter.
In the streets surrounding the event, separated by police barricades, were roughly three dozen pro-Palestinian protesters. The protesters came from various pro-Palestine organizations, including Somerville for Palestine and Massachusetts Peace Action.
Multiple Cambridge police officers stood by the exterior doors to the venue, which were locked after the event began.
In two separate instances throughout the talk, pro-Palestinian protesters in the audience interrupted to yell at Pelosi, calling for an arms embargo on Israel.
Protesters draped a banner over the balcony of the second floor reading “Arms Embargo Now,” before being swiftly escorted out by security.
One audience member stood up and yelled at Pelosi.
“Speaker Pelosi, thank you for speaking out on Gaza,” the protester yelled as some audience members clapped and others booed. “How are you going to use the ‘Art of Power’ to stop the bombs,” they said before continuing to yell “Stop the Bombs. Stop the Killing.”
The crowd shushed and booed the protester as Healey attempted to pivot to discuss Pelosi’s greatest accomplishment. The protester was later removed.
Harvard Book Store’s policy for the event was to remove individuals who maintained a “continued disruption,” Cassie Davis, the director of events for Harvard Book Store, told The Beacon.
Pelosi praised President Joe Biden’s policy in the Middle East.
“He has been spectacular in so many respects … and he has been a friend of Israel as we all have … but he also has been very concerned about a two-state solution for the region … [and] a strong supporter of humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi then directly addressed the pro-Palestine protesters.
“I say to them, ‘One day, would you say something about the hostages?’ No. They’re just on a thing about Joe Biden, which makes me question,” Pelosi said. “I know that many of them are sincere. But not all of it. A lot of it has a political purpose against Joe Biden, and now they’re transferring that to Kamala Harris.”
Chris, an Emerson alumni and protester with Somerville for Palestine, who was outside the event, said, “As one of the Democratic members of Congress, [Pelosi] hasn’t really pushed back against Biden’s supplication of weapons and diplomatic cover to Israel’s ongoing campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians.”
After attendees took their seats and were given books, Davis introduced Pelosi and Healey.
She praised Pelosi’s political work as the first female speaker in United States history, and her involvement in legislation like the Affordable Care Act and investigations of the Jan. 6 insurrection, both subjects which took central focus in the panel discussion.
“For those of us awed by her political morals, it is confirmation that no modern figure has practiced the art of power so effectively,” Davis said.
“The Art of Power” focuses on Pelosi’s achievements and detailed memories of her time working within the Capitol’s walls. In her talk, Pelosi connected her stories to the presidential election in a couple of weeks.
She referred to the Affordable Care Act, in which she persuaded Republicans to vote for an ambitious liberal legislation. “It was hard, but it was about respect,” Pelosi said. “We pushed open the gates because we had the courage of our members.”
Pelosi added that the legislation was only possible because of outside mobilization of supporters. Criticizing identity politics, she said that she could pass controversial bills because she could appeal to legislators by emphasizing, “It wasn’t about another agenda, it was about the purpose of the bill.”
While she used the Affordable Care Act as an example of bipartisan cooperation, she warned the audience of the dangers if the cooperation ends.
“The Art of Power” also reveals detailed accounts of the Jan. 6 insurrection from Pelosi’s perspective.
“It was something so historic,” she said, “so terrible, and now misrepresented by revisionist history as a ‘day of love.’”
Pelosi was referring to former President Donald Trump, whose continuous attempts to portray the Jan. 6 attack—in which hundreds of his supporters stormed the Capitol and assaulted officers—as a “day of love.”
“The trauma that occurred because of it, on members, on staff, the press, or anybody that happened to be there was horrible,” Pelosi said.
“I will never forgive them for causing the trauma of my own staff, under tables, behind locked doors with furniture pushed up for hours, not being able to talk in the dark, scared for days,” she added.
Looking to the upcoming house elections, Pelosi said that it is “absolutely essential” that the Democrats win the majority in the House and install Hakeem Jeffries as speaker, to ensure “decorum” and the certification of the electoral college going forward.
Pelosi, who joked that she did not “want to talk politics in church,” continued to use the panel to criticize Trump and motivate listeners to help get Harris elected.
She mentioned multiple cases in which Republicans collaborated with Democrats.
“The country needs a strong Republican Party, not a cult,” she said.
Pelosi, who at many times in her career shared she was the only woman in the room, also expressed a call for more women to pursue politics.
“When women succeed, America succeeds,” Pelosi said. “The other thing, in my experience, is we have better policies.”
Among the attendees were some figures in the Massachusetts legislature, most notably retired Rep. Barney Frank, who collaborated with Pelosi on hate crime legislation under the Obama administration.
Also present was Rep. Marjorie Decker (D-25th Middlesex), who said Pelosi’s theme of the talk was unity.
“She talked about Republicans that aren’t necessarily embracing Harris, but understand that their vote for Harris is embracing democracy,” Decker told The Beacon.
“The main thing I think that Nancy Pelosi wanted us to take away from the conversation is people should vote on Tuesday. And there’s no question about how she wanted them to vote,” Jeff Mayersohn, the owner of Harvard Book Store, said in an interview with The Beacon.
With less than two weeks to Election Day, Pelosi urged supporters to get involved with getting-out-the-vote initiatives.
“The mobilization is in your hands,” she said. “People say [to me] ‘I have my fingers crossed,’ I say, ‘Uncross them and make some calls.’”
She concluded her remarks with another rallying cry for the upcoming election.
“We have to just win, baby. Just win the election,” Pelosi said. “People have said I’m the most significant woman in politics in our country’s history. In 12 days, that will no longer be true.”
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