sam rayburn certain excerpts 17 years and two months -- sam rayburn served 17 years and a month.ancy pelosi was the first woman elected as speaker of the house. only one president to serve as speaker of the house, james k. polk. guest: henry clay became the first important speaker. frederick muhlenberg was just of presiding speaker and moderator of the discussion and agenda. the house was driven by powerful members. the rank-and-file had more power. clay used the force of his personality to drive a policy agenda. he was the first one to drive a policy agenda through the house. host: each speaker elected on the two-year cycle is elected by secret ballot. is it a political position or a leadership position? guest: it is a secret ballot within their party or caucus. it is the only office voted on in a public roll call. at the beginning of the new congress, each party puts forward the person they selected in a secret ballot. it was nancy pelosi versus john boehner this year. there is a roll-call vote for speaker. every of a leadership position is determined within the party -- every

treatment, which was what he used to get allies and mentors like richard russell in the senate and sam rayburnand get people to sport bills of hills. ten days after the beginning of this the relationship he writes to her and says "you mean everything to me." someone he's known for ten days. then 26 days after "i'm ready now for marriage, are you?" and then the eighth of november, that is ten-week courtship, the self-pity he's saying "i hoped i could find a woman who is as affectionate as i am." using all the tricks he dealt in politics. >> woodruff: how did she deal with that pressure? what did you see coming across from lady bird? >> she is torn. here is an extremely elegant deliberate woman who likes to do things in her own time, who is very stately. >> woodruff: even at the age of 21. >> even at the age 2061. and he's rushing at her like a freight train and she's torn. finally he says "we either get married oar we never will." the next day they did. >> woodruff: michael, how would you describe their relationship? their marriage. >> listen don johnson, it would have been impossible for him t