House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that she would be rooting for the San Francisco 49ers in their upcoming Super Bowl showdown with her hometown Baltimore Ravens, but admitted it was a tough decision.
"I'm rooting for the 49ers; I'm not rooting against Baltimore," Pelosi said at a press conference Wednesday. "My father built Baltimore Memorial Stadium as mayor, brought the Colts there, brought the Orioles there. I'm a Baltimore sports fan as my second team."
Pelosi's father, Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., was mayor of Baltimore from 1947 to 1959, and represented the city in Congress for four terms. Pelosi was born and wed in Baltimore, but moved to San Francisco in 1969.
The minority leader noted that Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) had sought a bet on the outcome of the contest, to be held Feb. 3, but said she could not actively root against Baltimore.
"I most certainly will be rooting for the 49ers, not rooting against the Ravens. I was rooting for both of them to go to the Super Bowl, and then they both did," Pelosi said.
The California Democrat admitted politics — and family rooting interests — were partially behind her decision.
"My constituency is San Francisco; my children were raised going to games with [former 49ers quarterback] Joe Montana," Pelosi said.
But Pelosi said her torn loyalties were nothing in comparison to what's facing the parents of Jim and John Harbaugh, the first-ever pair of siblings to coach against one another in a Super Bowl.
"The only consolation I have is the Harbaugh parents must be having a more difficult decision," Pelosi said.
