PELOSI AIMS FOR A UNIFYING IMAGE SPEAKER'S INAUGURAL WEEK SKIPS BAY AREA.

Byline: LISA FRIEDMAN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Nancy Pelosi, California's first Speaker of the House, will showcase her East Coast roots this week during a series of inaugural festivities expected to draw high-profile officials and celebrities from the Southland.

Kicking off today with a Mass at her alma mater, Trinity Washington University, and ending Friday with a Baltimore street-renaming ceremony in her honor, observers will be hard-pressed to find evidence of the latte-sipping liberal Pelosi of caricature.

And that, analysts say, is by design.

``She could have kicked this off in San Francisco,'' pointed out Bruce Cain, who directs the University of California's Washington Center.

``The fact that they've consciously chosen to start her in mainstream Democratic Baltimore, I presume, has a political purpose to present her as a bicoastal, unifying figure,'' Cain said.

``She wants to suggest to people where her roots are,'' said Norman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. ``Baltimore, to a larger group of Americans, is going to seem like a blue-collar city, which San Francisco does not.''

Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the inaugural events reflect nothing more than hometown pride. Pelosi is the daughter of former Baltimore Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro and was born and raised in ``Charm City.''

``She's also always been very, very proud of San Francisco,'' Daly said, noting that Mayor Gavin Newsom will be declaring Thursday ``Nancy Pelosi Day.''

More than 500 Californians are expected to attend the historic inaugural Thursday at the Capitol as well as receptions in her honor.

Golden State attendees include Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, outgoing Treasurer Phil Angelides and former state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton.

Many, including Villaraigosa, are then flying back to Sacramento to attend Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's inauguration.

Aides said Villaraigosa intends to combine the trip with lobbying on behalf of Los Angeles and a meeting with the nation's attorney general to discuss gangs.

But Pelosi, of course, is the real draw, acknowledged mayoral spokeswoman Janelle Erickson.

``Obviously, (the mayor's) particularly proud of California's own speaker,'' Erickson said. ``California has a true friend in Speaker Pelosi.''

Hollywood also is making a showing for the inaugural festivities. A celebratory concert at the National Building Museum on Thursday will feature actors Richard Gere and Joey Pantoliano (of ``The Soprano's'' Joey Pants fame); singer Carole King; and musicians Bruce Hornsby and Bob Weir.

Tony Bennett also will be on hand, singing his signature ``I Left My Heart in San Francisco.''

Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, whom Pelosi designated to a senior leadership position, said the mass of Californians flocking to D.C. underscores the hope for a strong political relationship between the East and West coasts.

``One of our own has done well, and now hopefully that means California will be more prominent in the minds of policymakers,'' Becerra said.

As for the downplaying of Pelosi's left coast affiliation?

``It's just reflective of the fact that she is now the speaker,'' Becerra said. ``Her agenda has to be much broader-based. She represents everyone now.''

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com

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