Nancy Pelosi at UCLA

1) Nancy Pelosi talking with Brad Sears, Executive Director of The Williams Institute, UCLA.

2) Russell Johnson of Wyoming with Speaker Pelosi.

3) Pelosi about to hug a young woman admirer.

Since January, 2007, Nancy Pelosi has been second in line to succeed the President of the United States of America--if he died and the Vice President also died.

Thus she is the highest ranking woman in the US government--the first woman to be Speaker of the House.

An email invited me to hear her speak at UCLA, and I showed up tonight, interested to see her in person. She's been travelling to many of the states over the Passover/Easter Congressional break, and her schedule put her on this stage for an hour, then signing her autobiography and shaking hands for 75 minutes, then off in two tan Cherokee-like vehicles surrounded by two police cars.

I hadn't paid that much attention to her before today. After all, in Caliornia we have two women US Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, as well as other political celebrities like Ariana Huffington and Maria Shriver.

Nancy Pelosi was elected to serve as Congresswoman from San Francisco in 1987, shortly after I moved from the SF area to southern California. I took her for granted, being more interested in Feinstein and Boxer, both elected to the US Senate in 1992.

As it turned out, Nancy was great to meet in person.

After being elected Speaker of the House, she was dragooned into writing a brief story of her life, which she shaped as a message to lead other women into achieving goals for themselves and for all women.

Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters is the title (New York: Doubleday, 2008). Buy it. In only 174 pages of sixteen brief chapters, you'll be inspired and gain an understanding of how she got to where she is today.

Give it to someone for Mothers Day or for a birthday.

A few quotes from her tonight, also in her book in slightly different words:

"Nothing has had a more wholesome influence on Congress and politics than the increased participation of women."

"Whatever your choice is, it's the best choice for you" (on the subject of women choosing to be homemakers or work outside the home).

"I wrote the book to convince women of the uniqueness of your gifts, the urgency of your contribution, the need to reach your own personal fulfillment."

A great part of her talk was describing the "old bulls" in Congress twenty years ago and how in a weekly dinner group of 15 men and 3 women (all members of Congress) the men asked each other their opinions on various issues but never asked the women, even when the subject was childbirth.

They spoke about their experiences at the birth of their children but did not ask the three women, who said to each other later, "They don't even know what they don't know... they don't even have a clue that they don't have a clue" (see Ch. 12 of the book).

In regard to issues of gay rights, such as the right to marry, she said, "We need to shorten the distance and time it takes for the inconceivable to become inevitable."

The event was hosted by The Williams Institute, a think tank dedicated to the field of sexual orientation law and public policy at UCLA.

Christine Littleton, chair of the Department of Women's Studies at UCLA (150 majors, 60 minors, 2 Ph.D.s granted so far), welcomed Nancy Pelosi. There is also a Center for the Study of Women associated with the department.

When Nancy wrote "To Marie" on the book I handed her, she said, "Hi, Marie."

"That's my daughter," I said. She smiled at that--she has four daughters and a son, and she's really dedicated to inspiring the next generation.

"She's part of the Feminist Coalition at Pitzer College," I added.

"But what's your name?" she asked and made a point of saying "Hi, Anne" and grasping my hand with a warm squeeze before turning to the next person in line holding a book to be autographed.

What kindness from a busy woman whose main preoccupations are the economic recovery of the US and the intricacies of international relations!