Nancy Pelosi

Noted for being the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi is an American politician serving in the House of Representatives since 1/4/07.

“Message to America's Daughters” - 8/4/2008

Transcript

NANCY PELOSI: Well, they are and that’s really the part of my message to America’s daughters is that you just don’t know, but you should be ready, and you don’t know what may be in the private sector, the academic world. It could be in any way that a new opportunity … I’m sure Anne has stories that she could tell us reaching the heights that she has in the private and non-profit sector and you, too, but in fact I never, in fact I avoided it because I knew what it took. I don’t want to say it takes a toll on the family, but it’s all consuming politics. But fortunately for me it came later in life. Right now, it seems like I was pretty young at the time, but at the time they were saying, “Later in life she ran for Congress.” That was 21 years ago. 
So the thing is that for young women it’s so essential that we have many more women and thank you again for what you do, many more women recognizing opportunity that is there. It’s so important that they evaluate, that they recognize their own uniqueness and the contribution that they can make that is so important to our country. There’s nothing more wholesome for the political process than the increased participation of women in politics and government.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you support Hillary Clinton for vice president?

NANCY PELOSI: I support whomever Barack Obama wants for vice president. 
So this is very important that women recognize their value, take stock, and be ready, and then understand what the need is. The need is tremendous. The need is tremendous. Imagine, when I went there were 20 women in Congress out of 435, and then now there are four times that thanks to the work of Swanee and others but we need many, many more. 
We especially need young women coming there, working moms. I met some of my own daughters and young women who work and manage a home. I’ve never been able to do that. I did it sequentially; well, with five it would have been hard. Those voices have to be at the table so their experience is part of the decision making about how we go forward in our country, recognizing the challenges and the aspirations of America’s families. So it is something that I always thought part of my role when I went there as a woman was to increase the number of women and certainly now as Speaker. 
As for the gentleman’s question, I’m sorry he left. I think that all of this has been so magnificently served by the candidacy of Senator Clinton with her intellect, her stamina, her political savvy, her eloquence and the rest.  She emerged, I think, from this presidential race with much respect in America. [laughter]   I also think she showed that while it didn’t happen this time, it may for her at another time, but that a woman can do this. A woman can be president and it also showed that the American people are ready for it. And I’ve always said the American people were way ahead of the political establishment in terms of a woman president of the United States.  [laughter]