|
 |
Pelosi Breaks Glass Ceiling: Wins House Democratic Whip Election
By Kit Kadlec
Medill News Service
WASHINGTON -- Democrats elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as the next
House minority whip Wednesday, making her the highest-ranking woman in the
history of Congress.
The chamber's Democrats selected Pelosi 118-95 in a tight race against
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer. She will start the job Jan.15, when current whip
Rep. David Bonior will leave the post to run for governor in Michigan.
As minority whip, Pelosi will try to drum up support among House Democrats
for bills the party leadership supports and work on policy issues with
Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy said her group was
energized by the announcement.
"We plan to carry this energy through the 2002 elections when the good ol'
boys will lose their stronghold on Capitol Hill," Gandy said in a news
release. "Feminists are already preparing to elect reinforcements who will
bring Congress back to its senses -- and our new Minority Whip will lead the
way."
Currently 62 of 435 House seats are occupied by women, with four vacant.
Yet Becky Dell'Aglio, director of Women's Rights at Work, cautioned that
adding more women to higher political positions wouldn't automatically
equate to better women's rights.
"There (are) a lot of feminists who think as long as there are more women in
positions of power, their issues will be realized," she said. "But I think
it depends on the kind of woman in power, or the kind of man in power. Their
politics are more important than gender."
Dell'Aglio nevertheless was impressed by the election of Pelosi -- a strong
advocate for women during her eight terms in the House.
Gandy also praised Pelosi as "one of the House's strongest feminist leaders."
Pelosi "has advocated for women's issues across the board -- abortion
rights, health care, economic justice, international human rights, lesbian
and gay rights and stopping violence against women," Gandy said in the news
release. "And that's just mentioning a few."
Pelosi did not mention women's issues in her floor speech accepting her new
position, but hinted she will be pushing for them in the future.
"We made history," she said. "Now we have to make progress."
|
|
|
|
