Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington joked she’d been told in media-training at a recent conference in Washington for "Women in Leadership" put on by The Barbara Lee Family Foundation to keep her hands in a box like this.

She tried.

Symington was a featured speaker at the Democratic Party fundraiser held Saturday afternoon at the St. George farm of the late, great State Sen. Jean Ankeney [right].

"As you’re aware," said Speaker Symington to the 50 Democrats in attendance, "we’re still wrangling over a couple of issues, one of them being our energy future, one of them being whether we’re going to put reasonable restraints on the influence of money in campaigns. I’m disappointed Gov. Douglas has chosen to veto two significant pieces of legislation," she said.

Madame Speaker also told the gathering she departs Friday with daughter Mary to visit an old friend in Norway! Won't be back until July 9, two days before the special session to deal with trying to override the Douglas vetoes.

Are you gonna win on these veto-overrides?

Symington:  I think we’ll win at least one and I think that we might win two.  We’re working hard at it.