Nancy Pelosi

It wasn't like a cabinet meeting, which is wonderful, but everybody is appointed by the president there at the president's will. I was there at the will of the House Democrats. So two different branches of government. And he recognized that. He said, you know, he started welcoming me. And here's the first time we've ever had a woman president.

It wasn't like a cabinet meeting, which is wonderful, but everybody is appointed by the president there at the president's will. I was there at the will of the House Democrats. So two different branches of government. And he recognized that. He said, you know, he started welcoming me. And here's the first time we've ever had a woman president.

at a meeting like this, and I know we're going to hear some new ideas. And as he's going on like that, I felt very crammed in in my chair. I couldn't understand why it never happened before or since. Very crammed into my chair. And all of a sudden, I realized it was Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul. Everybody was on that chair with me.

at a meeting like this, and I know we're going to hear some new ideas. And as he's going on like that, I felt very crammed in in my chair. I couldn't understand why it never happened before or since. Very crammed into my chair. And all of a sudden, I realized it was Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul. Everybody was on that chair with me.

They were right there. And I could hear them say, at last, we have a seat at the table. Yeah. And then they were gone. And my first response was, we want more. We want more women. We want more diversity and the rest. But the lesson, the reason I tell the story is I'm standing on their shoulders. Imagine they started in the middle of the 19th century for women to have the right to vote. Vote.

They were right there. And I could hear them say, at last, we have a seat at the table. Yeah. And then they were gone. And my first response was, we want more. We want more women. We want more diversity and the rest. But the lesson, the reason I tell the story is I'm standing on their shoulders. Imagine they started in the middle of the 19th century for women to have the right to vote. Vote.

It took a long time, and it's been a long time. I'm standing on their shoulders, all of us in Congress are standing on their shoulders, and others are standing on ours. When I first went to Congress, there were 23 women, 12 Democrats, 11 Republicans, out of 435 members of the House. What the hell? What is this?

It took a long time, and it's been a long time. I'm standing on their shoulders, all of us in Congress are standing on their shoulders, and others are standing on ours. When I first went to Congress, there were 23 women, 12 Democrats, 11 Republicans, out of 435 members of the House. What the hell? What is this?

So we made a decision on our side that we would reach out, that we would— We would fund. We would mentor, teach, all the rest of that. Some people self-recruited, and that was beautiful. In this Congress, we had 96 Democratic women, 96. The Republicans got up to 30-something, I think. But we had three times that. We want more.

So we made a decision on our side that we would reach out, that we would— We would fund. We would mentor, teach, all the rest of that. Some people self-recruited, and that was beautiful. In this Congress, we had 96 Democratic women, 96. The Republicans got up to 30-something, I think. But we had three times that. We want more.

And then, of course, we want to see women, whatever it is, whether it's security, whether it's corporate America, whether it's academia, whatever it is. Entertainment, whatever it is, we want to see more women in leadership roles making those decisions. I know. Think of it. This is in 2005. Right. More than 150 years since they started with a woman having the right to vote.

And then, of course, we want to see women, whatever it is, whether it's security, whether it's corporate America, whether it's academia, whatever it is. Entertainment, whatever it is, we want to see more women in leadership roles making those decisions. I know. Think of it. This is in 2005. Right. More than 150 years since they started with a woman having the right to vote.

By the way, I'm wearing a suffragette necklace today. Good, good, good, good.

By the way, I'm wearing a suffragette necklace today. Good, good, good, good.

We owe them so much. We do. We owe them so much, and we all have a responsibility to be suffragists as we move them forward. There's lots more we have to get done. And we have to, at some point, have a woman president.

We owe them so much. We do. We owe them so much, and we all have a responsibility to be suffragists as we move them forward. There's lots more we have to get done. And we have to, at some point, have a woman president.

Well, first of all, poor Paul. I mean, wonderful Paul. This marriage was not something he bargained for. Is this your way of giving him an out right now? No. No, it's just how we laugh about it. Yeah. But see, before, my thought was that I was going to law school and I was going to do this, that. Then I got married, had five children, six years, seven days.

Well, first of all, poor Paul. I mean, wonderful Paul. This marriage was not something he bargained for. Is this your way of giving him an out right now? No. No, it's just how we laugh about it. Yeah. But see, before, my thought was that I was going to law school and I was going to do this, that. Then I got married, had five children, six years, seven days.

Serious. Why did you cut it off at five? Did you think you might have more or that was it then? No, I think five was it. I mean, there are all kinds of things that were going on at that very same time. And by the way, as I say to women, when you're taking inventory of your accomplishments, give yourself a gold star for being a mom because there's no multitasking.

Serious. Why did you cut it off at five? Did you think you might have more or that was it then? No, I think five was it. I mean, there are all kinds of things that were going on at that very same time. And by the way, as I say to women, when you're taking inventory of your accomplishments, give yourself a gold star for being a mom because there's no multitasking.