For Washington Women, Dinner With a Taste Of Real Power

Speaking of power swans, Bachelet is already a superstar not just in her country but throughout much of Latin America. The 54-year-old divorced mother of three daughters, the youngest of whom is 13, she packs a life story that is full of adventure, pain, accomplishment and triumph.

Raised in a military family (her father eventually became a general), she moved around as a child -- spending two years in Bethesda in the early '60s. After Gen. Augusto Pinochet led the coup that overthrew the nation's government in 1973, her father was sent to jail. She and her mother were later imprisoned and physically and psychologically tortured.

Once freed, they lived in exile. When Bachelet finally returned, she became a doctor, ran a clinic for children persecuted under Pinochet's dictatorship and was asked to serve as minister of health and then of defense.

At the Ritz-Carlton, the women are photographed standing next to her -- some far, far, far more than once -- and line up at the head table between courses to get autographs.

Clinton -- one of the featured speakers -- is introduced to whoops, especially from the tables full of younger women in the back. (Of course, this being a nonpartisan event, others stay rooted in their seats during the standing ovation for the senator.)

Wilson earlier pointed out that her own vivid memory of the day in 1984 that Geraldine Ferraro was named to the Mondale presidential ticket isn't shared by most of the young women she knows. Will they get their moment in 2008? Clinton certainly doesn't mind poking at all the speculation about her candidacy.

"When I was told she was running for president," Clinton says of Bachelet, "I thought to myself: 'Good for her!' "

She also notes the presence of Davis, who was invited to introduce Bachelet because she's the closest this country has come to a female president: She plays one on television.

"Now," Clinton says, "Geena Davis starred in one of my most absolute favorite --"

And before she can get the next word out, the crowd breaks into cheers and laughter.

"Of course," she continues, I'm talking about 'A League of Their Own.' "

Clinton's point, though, is about one line in that movie, when Tom Hanks as the cantankerous coach tells Davis, one of his baseball players, "It's supposed to be hard, or everyone would be doing it."

That, Clinton says, is an apt description of a woman who tries to rise in politics -- even if Bachelet somehow makes it look easy, laughing, smiling, kissing cheeks.

"She's a very warm, outgoing person willing to take pictures with everybody, and she seems especially happy to meet young woman," Schakowsky says. "She's joyful."

She also is just about crushed by high-heeled, power-suited women who seem liberated to be at an event celebrating, well, a very cool chick. (Trust us, Bachelet would embrace that description.)

Earlier in the day, asked if she was eager to meet anyone in particular at the night's festivities, Bachelet quickly responds: "All of them! I think all women have so much strength."

She most certainly got her wish.