Madam Glam and her Veto-Me pumps.

That’s what faux newscaster — and short-lived presidential candidate — Stephen Colbert called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year bash in New York. “Nothing completes a look,” he said, “like children’s healthcare legislation.”

Pelosi and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) have been advising House members — especially freshmen — not to appear on Colbert’s show and become part of his mocking shtick.

Colbert — free for the night, he said, because of the Writers Guild strike — said he agreed to show up at the Glamour affair not so much for Pelosi — but because “I love Glamour. … I have my own version of Dos and Don’ts. Do: Do work a retro up-’do, with a little headband.”

After offering fashion advice — belt that sweater dress — he turned to Pelosi, with her exquisite wardrobe.

“That’s why I’m here, to honor Pelosi, because she is by far the most glamorous Speaker we have ever had,” Colbert said.

“I cannot pinpoint exactly what makes her different than previous Speakers. All those guys had style. I mean, Newt Gingrich knew how to work the aisle in pinstripes and power ties. Let’s give him his props. And long before Jennifer Aniston had the Rachel hairstyle, Speaker O’Neill gave us the — the Tip hairstyle. Four-inch eyebrows with matching earbrows. Not everybody can pull that off. Oh, little known fact: Speaker Dennis Hastert was a plus-size model for Lane Bryant.

“But none of these men hold a candle to Speaker Pelosi. Whether she’s prowling the Capitol steps in a cream pantsuit, or strutting the halls of Congress in a blue pantsuit, or begrudgingly clapping behind the president at the State of the Union in, say, cream pants and a blue pantsuit blazer — she always has the right accessories.

“Because nothing completes a look like children’s healthcare legislation,” said Colbert to applause. “And I think we all know the fashion moment of the year has got to be Nancy Pelosi marching the SCHIP bill up to the White House in her Veto-Me pumps. She is by far the most fabulous Speaker ever to rock the gavel. And while I may disagree with everything she stands for, I will defend to the death her right to make-it-work. Uh-huh. She is fierce.”

DSCC Gay and Lesbian Council

About 100 people gathered Tuesday night at the Northwest Washington home of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) for the inaugural fundraiser of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s (DSCC) Gay and Lesbian Advisory Council.

Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), the DSCC chairman, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the DSCC vice chairwoman for policy and donor outreach, attended the two-hour reception, as did Sens. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

As with many fundraisers, the tiers were structured. To be a “Council Chair” meant donating or raising $28,500; the tab for a “Co-chair” was a get or give of $15,000. To attend cost just $1,000. At the low-dollar donor end, Democratic consultant James Carville sent out an e-mail appeal for the DSCC aimed at the $50 and $75 donor.

“This year, campaign season started earlier than ever and now we’re just one year away from the 2008 elections. If we want to be high-fiving in celebration of a Democratic sweep in ’08, the DSCC needs $1 million by November 14,” Carville wrote.

Sweet is the Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it