by contributor Donna Shor
Photo credit: James Raimo
“You’re a national treasure,” Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz at the party celebrating her just-published book The Next Generation: A Wake-Up Call For Saving Our Nation. “You were our wake-up call when you came to Congress in 2005.”
Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Nancy Pelosi
Outspoken Debbie. a breath of fresh air on the Hill, has always been ready to speak and vote as her conscience dictates. She has been an office holder since school days and at twenty-six was the youngest woman elected to the Florida Legislature.
She is known to have an unexpected take on a subject: She is solidly pro gun, pro choice, pro gay rights and pro legislation to benefit children.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
The book, though abounding with campaign anecdotes, and Debbie’s always frank opinions on political personalities, never loses sight of its core theme that there are steps that must be taken to insure a healthier nation―in every sense―and a better world for our children. She herself has three children, which has sensitized her to many of the issues confronting children and parents.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Steve Schultz and Sen. Mary Landrieu
A mentor told her twenty years ago, when she first considered whether to launch a campaign, to make a list of the reasons why she wanted to serve in government. These were her top priorities:
1. Improve the quality of our children’s public education 2. Expand access to quality, affordable health care. 3. Make government more responsive to people’s needs.
Janice-Hahn, Dee-Dee-Myers, Rep. Suzanne-Bonamici and Maria-Cardona
She tells us that she finds these goals as basic and necessary today as ever.
Henry Munoz and Laura Santucci
Senator Mary Landrieu opened her Capitol Hill home for the book’s well-attended launch and warmly welcomed the crowd. The diminutive author who wrote the book with Julie M. Fenster, best-selling author of political biographies, looks teen-aged size herself. The Senator also riffed on her cover title “For the Next Generation” saying “You look like “The Next Generation” yourself!”
The author signs a book for Rep. Joe Garcia
When political savant Jim Messina introduced her, he said to laughter: “We all know how meek and mild she is,” speaking of the feisty congresswomen.”
Then Wasserman-Schultz told the audience “We have almost a sibling relationship; and just as with a brother, we’ve laughed together, fought side by side together and I guess even fought together.” Mary Landrieu called out “Who won?”
Rep. Steny Hoyer, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Mary Landrieu and Steve Schultz
Rep. Susan Davis, Rep. Susan Bustos, Abby Livingston – Roll Call, Kassie Hunt – NBC News, Jennifer Bendery – Huffington Post, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Janice Hahn
A few others in the crowd of politicos and reporters: Hilary Rosen, Tammy Haddad, Debbie Dingle, Annie Groer, Nikki Schwab, Eleanor Clift, her brother Steve Wasserman, Republican adviser Ana Navarro, Rep.Lois Capps, ABC News Polson Kannath and Voice of Russia’s Kim Brown.
