March 2008
Right is Wrong
“[Advocates of sex education] benefit when kids end up having sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, and then they lead them into having abortions. You have to look at the financial motives behind those who are promoting comprehensive sex ed.”
Wendy Wright, president, Concerned Women for America (Fox News’s Special Report, 12/31/07)
“We don’t want to increase the scope of the nanny state, we don’t want to undo the good done by the appointments of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, and we really don’t want to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory in Iraq.”
Bill Kristol (New York Times, 1/7/08)
“When Barack Obama speaks, men hear, ‘Take off for the future.’ And when Hillary Clinton speaks, men hear, ‘Take out the garbage.’”
Marc Rudov, author of Under the Clitoral Hood: How to Crank Her Engine Without Cash, Booze, or Jumper Cables (Your World, Fox News, 1/4/08)
“Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?”
Rush Limbaugh (The Rush Limbaugh Show, 12/17/07)
“Women are intelligent, but when you’re emotional, you’re not thinking with the right part of your brain.”
Former state Rep. Sue Burmeister (R-Ga.) on mandatory informed consent and 24-hour waiting periods for abortion (feministing.com, 1/16/08)
“They [Planned Parenthood] have actually helped kill more blacks than the KKK ever lynched. In fact the whole abortion industry is the biggest threat to the African American community to this day.”
Johnny Hunter, founder and president, Life Education and Resource Network (Right Wing Watch, 1/31/08)
“When you look at the homosexual agenda, I cannot support something that I believe brings nothing but self-destruction, not only physically but of their soul.”
State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-Va.) (Washington Post, 2/5/08)
“Look, the only people for Hillary Clinton are the Democratic establishment and white women…. White women are a problem, that’s, you know — we all live with that.”
Bill Kristol (Fox News Sunday, 2/3/08)
Voters want change in 2008
Early primary victory boosts pro-choice Democratic women
Democrats are in a pitched battle for control of the government. And while the media and voters are focused on the presidential campaign, EMILY’s List is devoting tremendous energy and resources to helping pro-choice Democratic women candidates for Congress, governor, and state office build strong campaigns — and to identifying and mobilizing the women voters who will create change up and down the ballot in 2008.
“We are in the midst of an historic presidential campaign,” says Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY’s List. “But the race for control of Congress is every bit as critical as winning the White House, because change won’t happen without decisive Democratic majorities in the House and Senate to support our Democratic president and enact a progressive agenda.”
Early House victory in Maryland
An early victory in Maryland’s fourth congressional district made it clear that voters are looking for change in 2008. EMILY’s List candidate Donna Edwards staged a spectacular upset Feb. 12, defeating incumbent Al Wynn with 60 percent of the vote. Edwards is essentially guaranteed to claim this heavily Democratic district in November, when she will become the first African American woman elected to Congress from Maryland.
“Al Wynn had drifted far from the values of his Democratic constituents, repeatedly siding with the Bush administration on the Iraq war, the environment, and economic policy,” says Malcolm. “Donna’s victory is a sure sign that voters are ready for change.”
Strong support from EMILY’s List helped Edwards, a charismatic, energetic attorney, overcome Wynn, an eight-term incumbent. Members stepped up with contributions that helped Edwards compete with Wynn’s massive war chest; EMILY’s List’s political team provided training and strategic guidance to her campaign; and EMILY’s List WOMEN VOTE! independently educated and mobilized voters in the district, sending 190,000 pieces of mail to more than 80,000 Democrats in the weeks leading up to the Feb. 12 primary.
Republican retirements continue
With an historic 25 open Republican-held House seats up for grabs (the most since 1960), Democrats are well-positioned to make dramatic gains in 2008, with women candidates leading the way. EMILY’s List is working with more than twice as many campaigns as at this point in 2006, issuing 21 endorsements, with more in the offing. Among the newest recommended candidates are Leslie Byrne in Virginia’s 11th district; Suzanne Kosmas in Florida’s 24th district; Terri Bonoff in Minnesota’s 3rd district; and Debbie Halvorson in Illinois’s 11th district.
“Women are widely viewed as agents of change,” says Malcolm. “We saw that with Donna Edwards’s stunning defeat of an entrenched incumbent. But our candidates will need ongoing support from EMILY’s List members to win.”
Special election in California
An immediate opportunity to add a new pro-choice Democratic woman to Congress has emerged in California, where there will be a special election to replace the late Tom Lantos, a longtime Bay Area congressman and the only Holocaust survivor in Congress, who died Feb. 11. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has scheduled an April 8 special election to fill this heavily Democratic seat.
Former state Sen. Jackie Speier is the leading candidate to replace Lantos. Speier served six on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, 10 years in the state Assembly, and eight in the Senate. She has passed more than 300 bills and is a staunch defender of reproductive rights.
She also has an extraordinary personal story. In 1978, as legal counsel to U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan (D-Calif.), she accompanied Ryan on a fact-finding trip to the compound of the Rev. Jim Jones’s People’s Temple in Guyana. While trying to board a helicopter to leave, Ryan was killed and Jackie was shot five times by members of Jones’s cult, shortly before the mass suicide at Jonestown. She barely survived and has two bullets still lodged in her body.
“Jackie Speier embodies the tenacity, intelligence, and perseverance needed in Washington, and we fully expect her to become the next pro-choice Democratic woman in Congress,” says Malcolm, who notes that Speier’s victory would bring the total number of Democratic women in California’s congressional delegation to 19, and the number of pro-choice Democratic women EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress to 70.
Gubernatorial candidates face May primaries
EMILY’s List has two important gubernatorial primaries May 6.
In North Carolina, Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue will face off against Treasurer Richard Moore in the Democratic primary for governor. Polls have shown Perdue leading Moore, but it’s been a costly battle, with Moore tapping the vast financial network he’s built up as treasurer to raise a campaign war chest of $4.6 million. Both candidates have been on television since mid-January. The winner will defend this Democratic seat against a right-wing, anti-choice Republican in November.
In Indiana, public polls show gubernatorial candidate and former member of Congress Jill Long Thompson appears likely to upset wealthy architect Jim Schellinger in the Democratic primary. Schellinger has a huge campaign fund and the backing of the political establishment. But he is widely viewed as having run a weak campaign, especially compared to Thompson’s dynamic effort. The winner will face Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, a former Bush appointee with dismal approval ratings but a massive campaign war chest. This is one of the few opportunities for Democrats to take back a governor’s seat in 2008.
Engaging women voters
Democrats have experienced record turnout in the presidential primaries, with women constituting anywhere from 55 to 62 percent of the Democratic primary electorate. Sustaining this level of excitement and engagement is critical to victory in November — and that will require a massive voter mobilization effort.
“The sheer number of campaigns we are working with means we need more resources than ever to help candidates for Congress, governor, and state office build strong campaigns,” says Maren Hesla, director of EMILY’s List’s WOMEN VOTE! project. “WOMEN VOTE! has already made the winning difference in special elections and primaries, and Democrats are relying on us to keep women energized and committed to voting in November, when their votes will lift the entire Democratic ticket.”
Higher voter turnout presents its own unique challenges, Hesla notes. “We will have to target even more voters to achieve our goals and elect our candidates. There’s no question: This must be our biggest WOMEN VOTE! campaign ever.”
Making progress on the 10-year plan
In 2003, EMILY’s List created a 10-year plan to use the political power of women to build a progressive America.
“I believe our goal is within reach,” says Malcolm, “thanks to the ongoing commitment of our members, who understand what’s at stake and have stepped up to make change happen. We have a remarkable opportunity in this election to bring the era of right-wing GOP policies to a close and advance a progressive agenda that will restore our economy, fix our broken health care system, move us toward energy independence, and protect our civil liberties. But those changes will not come without major political fights. To rebuild America we need a Democrat in the White House, strong Democratic majorities in Congress, and that same equation replicated in the states. Then we’ll really have the political power to change people’s lives.”
Sexism Redux
Editorial by Ellen R. Malcolm
I wish I could say that sexism in America is dead. But, as the 2008 campaign for president has made abundantly clear, it is alive and well — and it will continue to thrive unless we overcome our reluctance to speak out.
Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid has tapped into prejudices that were, sadly, never far below the surface. The airwaves and the internet are awash with misogyny. And while Fox News and obscure right-wing bloggers account for plenty, all too often it comes from mainstream journalists who command the attention of millions of ordinary Americans.
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews’s bizarre assaults on Hillary Clinton include calling her a “she devil,” “witchy,” Nurse Ratched, and Madame DeFarge. Matthews even labeled Hillary’s male supporters “castratos in the eunuch chorus.” And it’s not just Hillary who elicits Matthews’s contempt. When Nancy Pelosi became speaker, he wondered how she could “go head to head with this president … without screaming” or “becoming grating?” and suggested that she might castrate the House majority leader.
I’m proud that thousands of dedicated EMILY’s List members responded to our call to contact MSNBC and demand an end to their sexist commentary. We made our voices heard. But I caution you to steel yourself, because we have to keep the pressure on.
Consider the anti-Hillary merchandise available on the internet. While you can find tee-shirts and key chains with slogans opposing any candidate, the vitriol directed at Hillary Clinton is vulgar, sometimes pornographic, and even violent. What kind of mind sees fit to put “I wish Hillary had married O.J.” on a child’s bib? Who are the 38,000 members of the Facebook page, “Hillary Clinton: Stop Running for President and Make Me a Sandwich”? Why is it so easy to find web retailers selling Hillary Clinton nutcrackers, with “legs confidently spread, ready to crack some nuts with her stainless steel thighs”?
Or what about John McCain’s appalling reaction to a supporter who asked, “how do we beat the bitch”? McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, laughed and said, “that’s an excellent question.”
An excellent question? Replace “bitch” with any racist or anti-Semitic term. Would that be an excellent question?
McCain didn’t think this incident warranted an apology to Clinton. On the contrary, his campaign sent out a fundraising email taking the press to task for “gratuitously attacking John McCain for not defending Hillary Clinton enough.” Talk about making lemonade out of lemons.
Sometimes the insults come from our side of the political spectrum. For example, at a recent EMILY’s List training, Oregon state Rep. Sara Gelser described a meeting she had with a progressive donor in her district who said that, while he agreed with her on the issues, “he just couldn’t support someone who could not make a commitment and keep it.” Confused, Gelser asked him to clarify. “He said, ‘You have four children, and surely when you had those children you intended to mother them — and now you’ve changed your mind.’”
EMILY’s List exists to help women candidates overcome the gender stereotypes that have placed them at a disadvantage in the political arena. And we’ve come a long way. Women are now running and winning the toughest races. The playing field is a little more even. But women are still held to a different standard, called on to explain things that their male counterparts never are, and subject to gender-based attacks for their hair, their clothes, and their voices.
We are far from eradicating the biases that handicap women. As much as we’d prefer not to go through the uncomfortable process of denouncing sexism — and I feel that discomfort myself sometimes — we must do so every chance we get. Together, we can make our message heard: when you demean one woman, you are demeaning all women — and we will push back.
What's Cooking
Political news from Washington and around the country
John McCain recently won the endorsement of Texas mega-church pastor John Hagee ... Hagee sounds like the second coming of Jerry Falwell … he says Muslims “have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews” … that God unleashed the fury of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans because of a gay pride parade (“New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God”) … even Harry Potter draws Hagee’s wrath (“the whole purpose of the Potter books is to desensitize readers and introduce them to the occult”) … Hagee praised McCain’s “solid, pro-life voting record for the past 24 years” ... and what did McCain have to say to all this? “All I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support” ... maybe this will help debunk the “McCain’s a moderate” myth.
More evidence that Republicans are panicking … with GOP party committees lagging behind their Democratic counterparts in fundraising, party operatives are frantically forming new PACs to try to bridge the gap … former House Republican leader Tom DeLay, who was knee-deep in the Jack Abramoff scandal, has joined forces with former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to spearhead the Coalition for a Conservative Majority … Blackwell, who lost a bid for governor in 2006, was named in 20 lawsuits over voter disenfranchisement after the 2004 election … the disgraced duo say they are organizing “an army of activists” in all 50 states … three congressmen seen as rising stars in the GOP have formed “Young Guns” to help win back the 16 seats Republicans need to take control of Congress … in one of the most flagrant abuses of a classic rock song ever, the group’s YouTube video features a montage of young white men decrying progressive policy while an acoustic cover of the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” plays softly in the background … somewhere in heaven, a guitar gently weeps … Freedom’s Watch, which raised and spent $15 million on a marketing campaign to promote the war in Iraq, has a reported $250 million budget … spearheaded by former Bush mouthpiece Ari Fleischer, it bills itself as the “MoveOn.org of the right” … and the National Republican Congressional Committee has revamped its Retain Our Majority Program (ROMP) to reflect the GOP’s minority status … now it’s called Regain Our Majority … EMILY is working hard to make sure that they keep using their new name for years to come.
Arizona’s Rick Renzi might have to give up his congressional seat sooner than he anticipated … Renzi, who is not seeking re-election, was indicted by a federal grand jury last month on 35 criminal counts … GOP House leaders are pressuring him to step aside to gain a fighting chance of holding his seat, but so far he says he’ll stay in Congress … EMILY’s List has endorsed former state Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in this race … a special election would kick her campaign into high gear and give Democrats an early opportunity to nab this swing seat … the leading Republican candidate is mining industry lobbyist Sydney Hay ... Hay is a rabid anti-choice activist who once denounced conservative icon Barry Goldwater for supporting a designated Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday … her ability to self-finance make her a serious threat to Kirkpatrick’s takeover bid.
Pro-choice Democratic women raised a lot of dough in the fourth quarter of 2007 … in Missouri’s sixth congressional district, former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes took in $340,000 to incumbent Sam Graves’s $200,000 … in Washington state’s eighth district, Democrat Darcy Burner leads her opponent, incumbent Dave Reichert, in fundraising and cash, with $610,000 in the bank to Reichert’s $460,000 ... Graves and Reichert have both called in party heavyweights to raise money … President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney headlined fundraisers for Graves … Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have made appearances for Reichert … and former state Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, in Florida’s 24th congressional district, confirmed her status as a top challenger when she outraised Republican Rep. Tom Feeney, taking in $359,000 to Feeney’s $157,000 … like most incumbents, Feeney has more cash on hand than Kosmas — and can count on right-wing special interests to raise a huge re-election war chest … Feeney was one of the three congressmen Jack Abramoff flew to Scotland for golf outings … he managed to keep his seat in 2006 for lack of a credible, well-funded challenger … that won’t be the case in 2008 ... and former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen outraised her opponent, GOP Sen. John Sununu, taking in $1.2 million to Sununu’s $920,000 ... but Sununu retains a significant cash advantage, with nearly $3.5 million in the bank to Shaheen’s $1.15 million … Senate Republicans gave Sununu a seat on the powerful Finance Committee … that will help him fill his coffers even more.
As if EMILY needed another reason for POP (our Political Opportunity Program for state and local candidates) … the Virginia Senate voted in February to withhold funding from Planned Parenthood over abortion … Democrats took control of the chamber last year, but the breakdown is 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans … it took just one Democratic defection for a tie, which was broken by the Republican lieutenant governor … state Sen. Janet Howell, an EMILY’s List-supported Democrat, told the Washington Post, “The irony is, Planned Parenthood probably prevents more abortions than any other organization in the country” ... there’s only one way to stop bad bills like this ... help Democrats widen the margin of control here … and in other states … and in Congress.
U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, the first African American and the first woman to represent Indianapolis in Congress, died of lung cancer Dec. 15. Carson was an inspiring leader with an unflagging sense of humor. She served in the Indiana House and Senate, as chief executive of Indianapolis, and in the U.S. Congress — winning more than two dozen elections in all. She will be missed.
Candidate Spotlight
Jeanne Shaheen
One of the most exciting Senate races of 2008 is in New Hampshire, where former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen is challenging Republican Sen. John Sununu to a rematch. Sununu squeaked by Shaheen in 2002, but his victory was tarnished by the news that GOP operatives had illegally jammed Democratic phone lines on election day to suppress turnout. Two people went to jail as a result. To no one’s surprise, Sununu has slavishly backed President Bush on everything from economic policy, to stem cell research, to the war in Iraq. Shaheen is dismayed by his failure to lead. “Every day I read stories about more deaths in Iraq; the billions of dollars in debt we’re going to leave our grandchildren; health insurance costs going up; global warming, and politicians in Washington doing nothing,” she says. “I knew I had to do something about it — that’s why I’m running.”
How are the dynamics different this year than in your 2002 race against Sununu?
The political environment nationally and in New Hampshire is very different. When I ran in 2002, Bush was at a high point of favorability. It was not long after 9/11 and the country was still rallying behind him. And he was very involved in promoting Sununu. That won’t be the case this time.
New Hampshire is also more Democratic. We were the only state to go from red to blue in the 2004 presidential election, and in 2006 we had a Democratic sweep: the Democratic governor was re-elected, two Republican members of Congress were thrown out, and Democrats won the state House and Senate. For the first time since 1874, Democrats control the state executive and legislative branches. And the trend is holding: in the recent presidential primary, 50,000 more voters requested Democratic ballots than Republican.
What did you learn in 2002 that will help you defeat Sununu?
We learned that we should never underestimate John Sununu or the Republican Party’s willingness to do whatever it takes to win. You want everyone to play by the rules and stick to the issues, and that just didn’t happen. We will be very prepared this time for any dirty tricks.
Polling shows Sununu is possibly the most vulnerable senator up in 2008. How do you see this race unfolding?
Well, I would say never underestimate the power of incumbency. This race will be very close. John Sununu will have tremendous resources and Republicans will do everything they can to hold onto this seat. That’s why it’s so important to have the support from EMILY’s List and to know that there are EMILY’s List members across the country willing to make the effort on my behalf. I won’t be able to match him dollar-for-dollar, but with EMILY’s List’s support I’ll be able to compete and respond to the coming attacks. It will take all of us to win.
Growing up, did you imagine your career coming to this point? Did you want to hold office?
No, never. I didn’t run for office because I wanted to be in the legislature or governor — I did it because there was something I thought needed to change.
I had always been interested in politics. We talked about current events around the dinner table and watched the news together as a family. And I was involved in campus politics as a student. I think many women in my generation got involved in politics because of an issue they cared about. For me it was segregation. I began working for Jimmy Carter because of his leadership on integration. I was teaching in Mississippi when he was elected governor of Georgia, and I heard him give a speech about the need to end segregation, and when we got back to New Hampshire and he was starting to run for president, we went to the very first organizational meeting in New Hampshire for his campaign.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I would have to say my children — though I cannot take complete credit for that! They are wonderful young women who are giving back to their communities and their families in a way that I’m very proud of. My youngest daughter is about to graduate from the University of San Diego and she says she’s coming home to New Hampshire to help me with my campaign, as my oldest daughter did when I ran for governor.
What legacy do you hope to leave your daughters and grandchildren?
I grew up in an America where each generation looked forward to a better life than their parents, and that is what I would like for my children and grandchildren. And I’d like to leave them with an appreciation of the importance of getting involved in politics and public service, because that is what will keep us strong.