Kamala Harris's presidential bid: Breaking the 'glass ceiling' isn't campaign's focus, say Pelosi and peers

CHICAGO - A Kamala Harris presidency would shatter the final glass ceiling for women in politics — something Hillary Clinton aspired to do in 2016.

However, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there’s a reason the campaign has not made that a central theme.

"I know there’s excitement about the prospect of a woman President," Pelosi said. "It’s very exciting, it brings tears to my eyes. But it doesn’t bring votes to the ballot box necessarily."

Pelosi, the first woman speaker in U.S. history, said the candidate’s gender shouldn’t be the main focus.

"People are concerned about the cost of things or the security of their job, and you have just a little bit of time to persuade them. To say she’s a woman I don’t think it’s the first case you should make. It’s icing on the cake, but it ain’t the cake," Pelosi said.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who has navigated the old boys' network of Illinois politics to become chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, agrees with Pelosi.

"I don’t think she wants to be boxed in," Preckwinkle said. "She wants to be sure she’s appealing to everyone in the country with a message that’s as broad as possible, and I think she’s been very successful at that."

Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said the fact that the Harris campaign doesn’t emphasize the historic nature of her candidacy is another sign of the progress women have made in American life.

"It is about making history, there’s no question about that, but it is a side issue," Schakowsky said. "I think what we’re talking about is a competent person ready to be President of the United States."