Pelosi Talks Service, Politics
As Card introduced Pelosi, he emphasized her family’s commitment to public service and Pelosi’s response to an invitation to run for her congressional seat in a special election after the illness of a friend.
“I may not share the partisanship or her philosophy,” Card said. “But I share the service she represents.”
Pelosi spoke about the courage it takes to be a leader and a public servant. She referenced President Bush, Gen. Earl Rudder, Robert Gates, Chet Edwards and other Aggies — notably the Aggie engineers whose work saved lives at the World War II battleground of Pointe Du Hoc.
The conversation focused on Pelosi’s ascent into the political world, her life as a woman in politics and as a representative of San Francisco.
In 2002, when Pelosi took her seat at a White House meting in the cabinet room, she said she finally realized what she was representing.
“I could hear [all of the women who have come before me] say, ‘At last, we have a seat at the table.’” Pelosi said.
Pelosi encouraged confidence and sharing individual perspective.
“Young women, be ready. Have confidence in who you are because no one is like you,” Pelosi said. “It really is urgent that women take responsibility for leadership and the decisions that have to be made for our country.”
The audience pre-submitted questions for Pelosi. The only question Card selected challenged the leader’s stance with contraception, faith and the Health and Human Services Act. Several student protestors held pro-life posters when Pelosi arrived at the event.
“The issue is about women’s health. Not contraception,” Pelosi said. “Family size and timing is an issue of each person’s conscience.”
Pelosi said 98 percent of Catholic women in childbearing years use contraception.
“There is a sisterhood of an understanding of this issue amongst women,” Pelosi said. “Everybody knows that the management of a family should respect the discretion of the mother. Why should the federal government enforce something that the church couldn’t even enforce?”
Students from the Bush School in attendance said they were pleased with the candor of Pelosi’s message.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” said Taylor Davis, public service and administration graduate student said. “I don’t agree on her policy, but as a woman, she is very inspirational.”