senators now than there have been at any time before, and trots out the "being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition" line that is not becoming annoying at all. As our nine senators stand left to right and raise their hands aloft, like proud amateur theatre performers, Firework -- that famous ode to women's success -- returns. "Jobs are central to the American dream and President Obama has focused on jobs from day one," Pelosi says. Then we're onto achievements: Lilly Ledbetter, don't ask don't tell, college being more affordable. In that order. Pelosi says this election "offers the clearest choice of our time". "Many names are on the ballot. So too is the character of our country." Vote for medicare. Vote for women's rights, she says. Pelosi has a call-and-response too. They're all the rage. This one is "It's just plain wrong", said in response to Republicans attempts to return women to 500BC, repeal Obamacare, etc. It gets the tepid participation it deserves. Democratic leader and member of the US House of Representatives, California, Nancy Pelosi. Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images The new amendments were introduced by former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and put to a vote by convention chair Antonio Villaraigosa, who was forced to call for three voice votes in an effort to pass the changes. "I uh - I guess I'll do that one more time," Villaraigosa said after a second vote of delegates in the Time Warner Cable Arena resulted equally loud "ayes" and