HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi has penned a self-help book for "America's daughters" to help them "Know Your Power." It's a pedestrian text ("As long as we recognize the power within us . . . we will continue to lead."), surpassed in its dreadfulness only by the timing of its publication.

With the Democratic Congress under fire for taking a five-week vacation instead of working on energy policy, perhaps this wasn't the best time to send Pelosi jetting from coast to coast to tell our daughters how to save the planet, manage our households and run our government.

Sorry, Nan. There aren't enough carbon offsets to compensate for this tree-wasting dud and its accompanying gas-guzzling publicity tour.

Intended to inspire young women to public service, Pelosi's preachy tome ("Courage springs from the heart") stands in stark contrast to her refusal to stay and work this summer on a host of energy bills and drilling proposals. It merely underscores the true message of her actions: "Do as I say, not as I do."

While Madame Speaker advises America's daughters to "never draw a line in the sand," she refuses to return to DC and allow up-or-down votes on GOP energy proposals.

While she advises America's daughters "to defend your position with facts," she has demonstrated blinking ignorance about the price of gas in her own district and the laws of supply and demand.

While she advises America's daughters to "treat one another in a civil way," she has resorted to demagoguery against her opponents. Over the weekend, Pelosi denounced the conservative revolt on the House floor last week - an objection to the Democrats' five-week recess - as "a war dance of the handmaidens of the oil companies."

While she advises America's daughters, "You have to know what you're talking about, you can't grandstand," she gave a pitiful performance on ABC's "This Week" when pressed to explain her stonewalling of up-or-down votes on energy bills.

In classic grandstanding style, Pelosi mischaracterized GOP proposals as drilling-only, blustered about drilling not having an immediate effect on lowering gas prices, criticized Republicans for not divining the right parliamentary moves to get their legislative plans through and then sniffed, "They'll have to use their imagination as to how they can get a vote."

Spoken like a true leader filled with "courage," fueled by "passion" for public service and driven by her caring for struggling families.

Pelosi spent 10 minutes trying to avoid a simple question:

Pelosi: This is a diversionary tactic from failed energy policies.

"This Week's" George Stephanopoulos: But if you feel you have the better arguments, why not give a straight up-or-down vote for drilling?

P: Because the misrepresentation is being made that this is going to reduce the price at the pump. This is, again, a decoy. It's not a solution.

S: Well, if you're right, why not let it be debated out and have the vote?

P: We have a debate every single day on this subject.

Except on the House floor, where she forbade debate on GOP amendments and where the lights and cameras have been darkened to prevent debate.

Pelosi has dismissed oil and gas drilling as a "hoax" - even as she reportedly encourages vulnerable Democrats to embrace drilling to bolster their electoral prospects. In 2006, she blamed the GOP Congress for high gas prices. In power for 19 months, she now blames the Republican minority for gas prices that have nearly doubled.

Pelosi's real lesson for America's daughters: Women are just as capable of mastering DC double-talk, blame-avoidance and partisan hackery as are men.

Imagine that.