Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll waves to the crowd as she arrived for Gov. Ed. Rendell's inauguration yeserday in Harrisburg. Click photo for larger image.

HARRISBURG -- Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll, the pride of McKees Rocks, was sworn in yesterday for what almost certainly will be her final term of public office, and she was beaming with pride and accomplishment.

It was the pinnacle of a career for the 40-year veteran of Allegheny County Democratic political wars, who also had served two terms as state treasurer in the late 1980s and early 1990s before being elected to the state's No. 2 office in 2002.

Wearing a bright red dress and standing on the dais of a packed Senate chamber with her four children, Chuck, Nina, Albert and Kim next to her, along with dozens of political admirers, the first word from Mrs. Knoll's mouth was a simple, "Wow." She also admitted to feeling "the thrills and chills of this moment."

She expressed a heartfelt "attitude of gratitude" to Gov. Ed Rendell, who had resisted pressure from some Democratic officials last year to find a different running mate.

Some Democrats thought that Mrs. Knoll, known for occasional, embarrassing slips of the tongue, might be a political liability. But she remains popular in many areas, especially southwestern Pennsylvania, where Mr. Rendell, the former Philadelphia mayor, benefitted from her political clout. And at age 76, she's also popular with a powerful voting bloc, senior citizens.

She also thanked U.S. Sen Bob Casey, state Auditor General Jack Wagner, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, Senate Democratic leader Bob Mellow and others for helping her.

As lieutenant governor, her principal job will be to preside over sessions of the Senate, as she has done for the past four years.

She urged state officials "to do our part to shape the future, to make our portion of this world more peaceful and productive, to unite and make our land more harmonious, to confront the major issues of our time," and to give "12 million Pennsylvanians the right to think that this state is the home of high expectations."