But women in Congress don't have any clout if they're not representing millions of female voters. There are some women, like my mother, whose leadership style was completely behind the scenes and wildly effective. There are others who feel very strongly that they want to be out there and that they want credit. That tends to be less effective, for both men and women. I think you see more women trying to put together a consensus, which is the only way you can get anything done.
Women are better than men at that, whether it's in politics or business or in the home.
That's how you pass legislation. The hallmark of a good legislator is somebody with endless patience who can sit forever and listen to everybody. Then, he or she finds a way to pull those people together. Bob Dole and Dick Gephardt are two who possess this quality. Women are very good at this.