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Clinton and Pelosi Rally for Equal Pay
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07/17/08 07:04 AM ET
The two most influential women in Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), rallied outside the Capitol Thursday with women lawmakers and dozens of howling supporters.
The event marks the first time Pelosi and Clinton have staged a joint appearance since the divisive Democratic primary came to an end. And it's part of an ongoing Democratic effort to shore up women support by touting a so-called "checklist for change" calling for equal pay, among other things.
One thing the lawmakers did not discuss was abortion rights, a divisive and bedrock Democratic issue.
Pelosi said she was honored to be rallying with Clinton.
The Democrats are trying to use the equal pay issue to show a contrast between the two parties. Senate Republicans blocked a bill this year to overturn a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling against Lilly Ledbetter who claimed she was the victim of gender pay discrimination.
Clinton introduced Ledbetter, saying "We owe a great debt of gratitude to this great women."
Ledbetter said, "This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, this is a fairness issue."
At the end of the rally, the crowd screamed: "Equal pay, yes. Discrimination, no."
The mostly female audience lined up to take pictures and get Clinton's autograph after the event.
"I can officially die now," one woman said.
-Manu Raju
The event marks the first time Pelosi and Clinton have staged a joint appearance since the divisive Democratic primary came to an end. And it's part of an ongoing Democratic effort to shore up women support by touting a so-called "checklist for change" calling for equal pay, among other things.
One thing the lawmakers did not discuss was abortion rights, a divisive and bedrock Democratic issue.
Pelosi said she was honored to be rallying with Clinton.
The Democrats are trying to use the equal pay issue to show a contrast between the two parties. Senate Republicans blocked a bill this year to overturn a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling against Lilly Ledbetter who claimed she was the victim of gender pay discrimination.
Clinton introduced Ledbetter, saying "We owe a great debt of gratitude to this great women."
Ledbetter said, "This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, this is a fairness issue."
At the end of the rally, the crowd screamed: "Equal pay, yes. Discrimination, no."
The mostly female audience lined up to take pictures and get Clinton's autograph after the event.
"I can officially die now," one woman said.
-Manu Raju
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