Women elected to offices feted

WASHINGTON - They came by the thousands, cheering rowdily and congratulating each other on their big achievement: getting dozens of Democratic women elected to Congress and governorships, and several women appointed to the Cabinet in the new administration.

And - oh, yeah - helping to elect Barack Obama, too.

As massive crowds thronged the National Mall for a concert honoring Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, more than 2,000 women (and a smattering of men) gathered yesterday at a Washington hotel to honor the many women who won elected office in 2008.

And while the supporters of EMILY's List - a group that has been funding campaigns of Democratic women who support abortion rights for 20 years - were technically there as ladies who lunch, there wasn't a hint of daintiness to the celebration.

"Unlike Wall Street," run largely by men, noted Representative Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, "EMILY's List investments are coming back with big dividends."

Not only has Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and the country's first female speaker of the House, done her part to "stomp out discrimination" in Congress, "she stomped it out in four-inch heels!" Moore declared, loudly slamming a black, high-heeled shoe onto the podium as the crowd cheered and laughed.

The crowd heard from female power-brokers, including Cabinet secretary-designates Hilda Solis (Labor) and Janet Napolitano (Homeland Security), as well as recently elected Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Kay Hagan of North Carolina. There are now a record 13 female US senators.

"In everything we do, we are putting women and children first," Pelosi said, noting the recent House votes to expand healthcare coverage for children and to give victims of pay discrimination more time to file lawsuits.