Nancy Pelosi: Two Heartbeats From the Presidency

Jan. 4, 2007 — -- As Nancy Pelosi begins her term as the new House speaker, she is only two heartbeats away from an accidental presidency -- just like late President Gerald Ford once was.

The 66-year-old Democratic congresswoman from California is the closest a woman has ever come to the presidency, but a world away from the power enjoyed by a growing list of elected female heads of state on every continent except North America.

"This is an historic moment of progress for women in office," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "We have certainly lagged behind -- even in the federal legislature -- compared to other countries."

Americans may think of themselves as socially enlightened, but even developing countries like Sri Lanka and Liberia have elected women to their highest offices. For nearly a half century, women have made their mark at the political top in most places but the United States.

In 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the first, elected as prime minister to post-colonial Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia was Africa's first female president.

Europe had Margaret Thatcher who served as Britain's prime minister from 1979 to 1990 and Mary Robinson, Ireland's president from 1990 to 1997. Today, it has Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and Finland's President Tarja Halonen.

Asia boasts Indira Ghandi, elected prime minister of India in 1966 and Pakistan's Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who came to power in 1988.

And in the Middle East, Israel elected Golda Meir as prime minister in 1969.

In Australasia and South America, don't forget current Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton may run for U.S. president in 2008, but in France this year, socialist Ségolène Royal is the leading presidential candidate. And her competition from the center-right party could be another woman -- Michèle Alliot-Marie.

One reason women have not been able to become president of the United States may be the structure of U.S. government, Walsh says. The parliamentary system of government in other nations, Walsh says, opens up the field for women.