Lori Sturdevant: Don't despair

A cluster of women wearing matching political buttons and long faces appeared to be commiserating before taking their seats at Wednesday's womenwinning luncheon at the downtown Minneapolis Milwaukee Depot. ¶ A closer look at their buttons explained their mood. There in black and white was Hillary Clinton's face and the inscription, "I'm your girl." ¶ Aviva Breen, the former director of the Legislature's Commission on the Economic Status of Women, grimaced when asked about the presidential race. Her expression better matched the reality of Clinton's situation than did the candidate's own bravado after winning the meaningless West Virginia primary the night before. ¶ "This was our chance to vote for a woman for president," Breen sighed, sounding resigned to the nomination of Barack Obama by the Democratic Party. Clinton "was the only one from our generation to come so far. ... There's no one else in the wings." ¶ Moments later, as if in response, trumpets sounded the "Rocky" fanfare, and the annual event's traditional march began. Into the cavernous hall processed female elected officials, each of them the recipient of campaign cash from the organization formerly called the Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund.

It was an impressive assembly -- both the several score elected officials on the stage and the 750 supporters who cheered their arrival. Perhaps more notable, however, were some conspicuous absences. Minnesota House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark and several chairs of key legislative committees couldn't come to Minneapolis that noon. They were embroiled in negotiations in and around the governor's office at the Capitol.

In other words, they were right where the feminists who founded womenwinning 26 years ago always hoped elected women would be -- in the thick of the making of state government's biggest decisions.

The Legislature that's scheduled to adjourn tomorrow was one to remember for many reasons, not least of which is this: It had more female members and more female leadership than any of its predecessors in the state's 150-year history.

Gender parity is still a long way off at the Capitol. The state has yet to elect its first female governor. But the 2007-08 Legislature is 34.8 percent female. That's a respectable fifth-highest such percentage in the country.

With swelling female ranks came more female clout. That's particularly evident in the House, where a woman has the top job and women head 12 committees.

What difference has that made? Judging just from last week's protracted impasse over balancing the state budget, it would be easy to conclude: "Not much."

•A transportation funding bill was passed after two decades of impasse, in significant measure because of Kelliher's personal persuasiveness and tactical sense. Her respectful treatment of her Republican opponents during the transportation veto override episode also helped quickly restore enough comity to the House to keep it functional for the rest of the session.

•Authorization for a breakthrough biosciences campus at the University of Minnesota came about in large part because of the calm, conciliatory persistence of House bonding chair Alice Hausman.

•The increasing unfairness of the state/local tax structure has found a determined foe in House taxes chair Ann Lenczewski. She didn't get her way this year in tilting tax burdens away from the middle class and toward the more affluent people whom the system increasingly favors. But no one who knows this policy hawk thinks the fight is over.

•The biggest difference may be one best seen a few years from now -- when Americans finally elect a woman president and/or Minnesotans elect a woman governor. The women who serve in lower political echelons today are paving the way for Madame President or Governor. They are making the presence of women in government leadership seem normal.

That was the point the BBC's Katty Kay made as the womenwinning keynoter on Wednesday. Her view is that 40 years into the modern-day women's movement, gender bias is still widespread in America and that Hillary Clinton's candidacy has suffered for it this year. But, she said, "Sen. Clinton has made it easier for other women who'll follow." So have Margaret, Tarryl and the other women of the 85th Minnesota Legislature.