'It seems to me the choice is clear,' Nancy Pelosi said to a receptive crowd of progressives Tuesday. 'Democrats want to rein in Big Oil, the Republicans say no. Democrats wanted to rein in health insurance costs, the Republicans said no. The Democrats are reining in Big Banks, and the Republicans are saying no.' Hecklers disrupt Pelosi speech

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shouted over vociferous protesters Tuesday as she tried to assure attendees at a progressive conference that Democratic leaders will get the country back on track.

About 20 members of the disability rights group ADAPT began shouting just minutes into her speech, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for Pelosi, who came to speak to a sympathetic liberal audience.

The group is calling for the passage of the Community Choice Act, which would make it easier for the disabled to receive care in their own homes instead of at nursing homes. Pelosi paused to listen to their message but decided to continue the rest of her talk anyway.

"You have made your point," she told them. "I'm going to make my speech over your voices."


The protesters didn't relent, chanting "our homes, not nursing homes," again and again over the next 20 minutes.

A second group of protesters also held a banner right — right in front of the stage — which read "Stop funding Israel terror."

Other audience members at the "America's Future Now" gathering in Washington who were sitting close to the stage stood up during the speech to show their support for Pelosi, clapping again and again as the speaker kept speaking.

"Listen, I'm used to noise," she quipped. "I talk to the Democratic caucus every single day."

When she finally settled into her speech, Pelosi blamed the exploding national debt on the Bush administration and said Democrats' push to invest in education, job creation and health care would bring America out of its financial troubles.

"President Obama and the Democratic Caucus have saved this country from a financial crisis created under the Bush administration," she said.

She blamed Republicans for deregulating big oil, assuring the receptive crowd that BP would be held accountable for its handling of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

And she had harsh words for Wall Street, as the House and Senate get set for a final conference committee on a financial reform bill.

"No longer will recklessness on Wall Street be able to cause joblessness on Main Street," she said. "No longer will those on Wall Street be able to privatize the gain and nationalize the risk, send the bill to the taxpayer if things don?t go their way," she said.

She said the oil spill crisis highlighted the difference between Republicans' and Democrats' approach to problem solving.

"It seems to me the choice is clear," she said. "Democrats want to rein in Big Oil, the Republicans say no. Democrats wanted to rein in health insurance costs, the Republicans said no. The Democrats are reining in Big Banks and the Republicans are saying no."