Let’s Not Celebrate More Women in the Senate

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Years ago, as a novice representativefrom California, Nancy Pelosi sat quietly at many a caucusmeeting while her colleagues discussed how they were going tobring peace to the Middle East and a chicken to every pot.

At one such conference, talk turned to family leave -- andas a mother of five, she expected she would finally get askedher opinion. No such luck. Many meetings later, Pelosi wouldbecome speaker of the House, and by that time her gender wasnoted but largely immaterial. She was a powerful speaker becauseshe ruled with an iron hand and did what previous powerful malespeakers had done -- only backward in high heels and an Armanisuit, to paraphrase Ginger Rogers.