Senate Journal: Page 83: Friday, January 15, 1999

  The oath of office was administered to Lieutenant Governor-elect
  Pederson by Chief Justice Arthur A. McGiverin of the Supreme Court
  of Iowa, assisted by Jim Autry, husband of Lieutenant Governor-elect
  Pederson.

  President Kramer then presented Lieutenant Governor Sally
  Pederson who delivered the following remarks:

  Thank you.

  It's wonderful to be here.

  Beyond the pride I have taken in my family, this is the proudest and at the
  same
  time most humbling moment of my life.

  I'm proud to have been selected by Tom Vilsack and the citizens of this
  state to help
  lead Iowa into the 21st century.  And I am humbled by the trust and faith
  all of you
  have placed in me.

  And I want to tell you something.

  As unbelievable as it may seem, I never doubted for a minute - from the
  moment I
  was nominated - that Tom and I would be standing here today.

  I never doubted it because I'm an optimist.  You see, my parents are
  optimists and
  they raised all five of their children to be optimists.

  The reason my parents are optimists is that they - like you and many of your
  parents - learned from watching their ancestors that nothing was impossible.

  This state was settled by people who brought with them little more than
  ingenuity
  and determination.  No problems were unsolvable.  Nothing dulled their
  spirit for this
  beautiful, fertile land.

  What would they say to Iowans today?  What would they say to us?  We tell
  pollsters we are generally satisfied with our lives, but are watching in
  dismay as we:

  *see our students' test scores slip
  *see many schools in need of repair
  *see streams and rivers fouled by pollution
  *and see methamphetamine tearing at families and communities.

  These problems strike at our soul.  For Iowans have always known that while
  we
  couldn't provide ocean views, mountain ranges, and the bright lights of the
  biggest
  cities, we could provide the things that really mattered:  the highest
  standards in
  education, a clean environment, and wonderful communities to raise our
  families.
  When these are threatened, Iowa's very sense of self is threatened.

  Our ancestors, those sturdy pioneers, would tell us to roll up our sleeves
  and get to
  work as a community.

© 1999 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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