[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Her politics are personal and rooted in her work as a community organizer

By Frank D. Russo

You had to be there. In fact, you can be there by watching the standing ovations and laudatory remarks by Democrats and Republicans—and a wonderful heartfelt speech by Karen Bass as she assumed the role of the second highest office in the state of California—the Speakership of the California State Assembly. This was a day that history was made as the first African-American woman to lead a state legislative body in the United States took over the helm.

Karen Bass has a lot of new friends as a result of being Speaker. Governor Schwarzenegger was on hand to witness the ceremony and sat on the dais along with five former Speakers of the Assembly, state constitutional officers, and even the President pro Tem of the Oregon Senate. After saying he would miss Fabian Nunez, who had just joined a “fraternity” of former speakers—one day to expand to be a sorority also--said wonderful things about her. So did Mike Villines, the Assembly Republican leader—who thanked Nunez for the collegial style in which the house had been run and then spoke of the Assembly and Bass in terms of friendships.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

History was made on Tuesday May 13, 2008 under the dome of the California State Capitol when Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) was sworn in as the first African-American female Speaker of the California Assembly. She is the first African-American female to hold such a high legislative post anywhere in the United States. In her speech after the swearing in ceremony Speaker Bass said she’s ready to begin tackling the many challenges facing the state.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Today, Speaker Karen Bass was sworn in as California's 67th Assembly Speaker. Here are her remarks:

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Karen Bass is making history as we speak.  She is currently being sworn in as the first Democratic female speaker in California history. Furthemore, she is the first African-American female to be Speaker in any of the 50 states and the federal government.

Good Luck Speaker Bass. And if you are really prepared to take on reforming our tax structure, we'll be in good hands for the next two years.

With so much worth protecting and so much that threatens our economic well-being, it is far past time to move beyond simply patching over budget problems to finding a real, creative -- and bipartisan -- way off the budget roller coaster we seem to be stuck on year after year after year.(LAT 5/13/08)

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

History will be made today at the state capitol when current Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles, District 47) is sworn in as the first African-American female Speaker of the California Assembly. She will be the first African-American female to hold such a high legislative post anywhere in the United States. Speaker-elect Bass will have just about 24 hours before she will know the extent of the state’s financial crisis. Governor Schwarzenegger is scheduled to release his revised budget proposal Wednesday afternoon.  Speaker-elect Bass says, regarding the state budget deficit, she’s concerned but hopeful that a balanced approach of spending cuts and new revenues can be hammered out.