'... House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi gave an interview in which she set forth the broad new agenda, just in case martial law is not declared: "The gavel of the speaker of the House is in the hands of special interests, and now it will be in the hands of America's children." Make them wash off the jam first...'
- James Lileks, "After Regime Change, the Party of the National Mom," Newhouse News Service (25 October 2006)
'Nancy Pelosi concluded her speech marking the start of her tenure as the first female speaker of the House of Representatives with an altar call. She invited all of the children brought by members to come to the well of the House and touch her new gavel. The children swarmed to the front in their sweater vests and velvet dresses. It was a fitting gesture to mark not only a change in congressional power but in the over 200- year tradition of white male leadership. Acknowledging her own children, Pelosi thanked them for giving her the support to "go from the kitchen to the Congress." At one point Madame Speaker had five grandchildren hanging from her, one an infant, whom it must be said she wielded on her arm with total ease. (Male politicians look so strange when they kiss the obligatory baby; Pelosi looked like she might do tricks with it.)
'The children clotted the well and tight space between the desks. Only a few of the dozens of kids were going to get to touch that gavel. The proceedings had to move on, which Pelosi gamely made happen even though her grandchildren were trapped by the other congressional spawn who never got their turn. One grandson took it upon himself to try to restore order in the House by banging on her microphone a few times...'
- John Dickerson, "Pelosi's Big Day: Suffer the congressional children," Slate (Thursday 4 January 2007)
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