| Page 3 of 3 < |
Pelosi Has a Mom's-Eye View
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
What was life like with five older brothers?
"It was great. I highly recommend it. I had to hold my own because they were very protective. I liked my independence, so I had to assert that from time to time. We used to have an MYOB club -- Mind Your Own Beeswax -- because they were always asking, 'Where are you going? Who are you going with?' 'MYOB!' "
How did they react to your being elected speaker?
"My colleagues said, 'Your parents would be so proud. Your family would be so proud.' It jarred me a bit because my parents didn't raise me to be speaker, or even to run for office. They raised me to be holy and good -- that was their measure of success.
"So my brothers were thrilled, but they were thrilled with whatever each of us did. . . . They knew that the highlight of my life [was] being a mom. . . . That was the main event. This is what I'm doing now that I'm done with my life's work."
This is your fallback job?
"Well, I never set out to do it, [but] it is thrilling to be the first woman speaker. And I stand on the shoulders of so many other women over the years -- from the suffragettes to the women over the course of time who worked hard for women to succeed, whatever their plan, including staying home to take care of their children. And I view my role as an enormous responsibility to the women who come after me."
What about being a mother gives you particular strength or perspective for the job you have now?
"My focus is very clear: It's on the future and what is our responsibility to our children. It's not just as a mom, though. It's in the tradition of America: a commitment to the future, to the American dream, that every generation has a responsibility to make things better for the next generation."
What do you do for fun?
"I eat chocolate ice cream. I do the crossword puzzles. I like to walk."
Do you read KidsPost?
"I really do! I wish there was something like it when I was a child. [Kids are] the leaders of tomorrow. This is their future. And they have to know-- it's important to know things. To get in the habit of reading the newspaper is very important."
