11/5 – A Quiet Day
The scene felt like a contemporary version of 1960, when John F. Kennedy captured the imagination of the country. The nation was swept with a tide of idealism, and the belief that every individual could make a difference.
Category: Politics
Reflections on Voting — 11/4/08
Folks in line were a cross section. Mothers with strollers, retirees, some men who looked like they had taken the day off.
Down the Ballot – Women Fight for Change
It goes without saying that Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the White House had a tremendous impact. Now, women are prepared to get into the driver’s seat and contribute a fresh take on a wide array of matters from equal pay and reproductive rights, to the economy and international affairs.
Obama and the Jews – The Smear Campaign That Didn’t Work
Why was one of the most solid Democratic voting blocs, the Jews, ever in doubt? There are a number of factors. Yet one element that the purveyors of fear did not count on was the incredible push back to their actions, spearheaded by the use of new media to fight the deception and vilification.
The Financial Debate—Moving the “Joannes” Front and Center
Women, to a much greater extent than men, depend upon services paid for by the government. With tax cuts promised by both candidates, the increase in the deficit may affect the revenues needed to fund those programs vital to women.
Victims of Sexual Abuse Get Heard
Augmenting McCain’s commitment to overturn Roe v. Wade, Palin ratcheted up the discourse with her position of no abortion exceptions in the case of rape or incest. “She can’t keep the women’s vote if they actually know what she is suggesting,” was the popular wisdom. Yet, there were a lot of female voters who weren’t clear about her record. That’s when a core group of women, using new media and an approach that has defined the 2008 election, jumped in to present another point of view.
Race, Gender and the Media in the 2008 Elections
Carolyn M. Byerly, Associate Professor at Howard University, questioned if the press was “meeting its social responsibility” to provide coverage of issues and events that affect women’s status. She emphasized, “You can’t underestimate the invisibility of women.”
Donna Brazile Reflects on Race, Gender, and the Media in the 2008 Elections
Telling the audience, “I don’t fear being black or being female,” she identified herself as being willing and able to “tell the truth to power.”
Sarah Palin’s D.C. Office Refuses MomsRising Letter
In a scene that sounded like an outtake from a Michael Moore movie, what started out as a simple visit to the North Capitol Street building that houses Palin’s State of Alaska office, devolved into a request for Rowe-Finkbeiner and the moms to leave the premises.
New York Women Politicos Come Out for Obama
In contrast to the narrative that has been promulgated about disgruntled Hillary supporters, the women I conversed with had moved on without trauma. Martha Baker, a consultant on work/family issues, was sporting a button that announced “Hillary Supports Obama, So Do I.”
