(the first part is her swearing in...her statement is at approx. 8:00 in)
In office two days and shows more spine than the rest of her Democratic colleagues.
It didn't take long for Jackie Speier, the newest member of the U.S. House of Representatives, to put her straight-ahead style on display. Just as quickly, some of her new Republican colleagues greeted her with a sample of Washington-style partisanship.
Speier, who won Tuesday's special election to complete the term of the late Rep. Tom Lantos, went right to work with a speech calling for action on a process to bring the troops home from Iraq. She mentioned Sen. John McCain's observation that the United States could be in Iraq for 100 years. "History will not judge us kindly if we sacrifice four generations of Americans because of the folly of one," she said.
Some Republicans booed. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, walked out of the chamber. Speier, an 18-year state legislator known for taking on tough issues and interests, was nonplussed at the mini-controversy.
"The truth is, I think it was a minority of Republicans that were booing - and they represent a minority of Americans who still support the war," Speier said by phone Thursday.
Quick, can we figure out a way of cloning her?
