The First Lady of Democracy. I got to photograph Nancy Pelosi back in 2009 for TIME. It was at a fund-raiser at a swanky beachfront property in La Jolla, Ca. I introduced myself early on and mentioned we’d love to eke out some time to make a portrait. As the evening went on, Nancy was naturally in non-stop hand-shaking mode, I started to think my chance had gone. Until she walked up to me and said “Robert, let’s make that portrait.” Now that’s a politician. I couldn’t remember someones name if my life depended on it. And so, in a side corridor, people scurrying all around, we focused for just a moment, enough to make a memorable portrait of the only woman to be twice Speaker of the House and third in line for the Presidency. Thank you Nancy Pelosi.
