Welcome back Sam!! A gay friend of mine in Manhattan was telling me that as much as he wanted to vote for a gay Democrat for Congress, the incumbent, a straight Democrat, was such a stellar representative (in every way) that he didn’t fall for the identity politics thing and stuck with Jerry Nadler. I watched with horror when Emily’s list endorsed reactionary corporate shill Nikki Tinker over progressive Steve Cohen, who has a perfect voting record on every Emily’s List issue (but the wrong plumbing). I saw that last year the WCF endorsed some really outstanding women running for office (although not you???). Among the federal candidates they got behind were stellar leaders like Donna Edwards (D-MD), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Annette Taddeo (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH), Darcy Burner (D-WA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). But then there were the non-progressive endorsees– Susan Collins (R-ME), Gabby Giffords (Blue Dog-AZ), Jane Harman (Blue Dog-CA), Christine Jennings (Blue Dog-FL), Melissa Bean (Blue Dog-IL), etc. First, why didn’t they endorse you? And second will the WCF continue what looks like a policy of endorsing any woman who is pro-choice no matter how she stands on other matters? I can’t imagine that’s a comfortable place for you.

**************

Welcome back to FDL Sam and congrats on your new position.

To echo Howie, how do you plan to keep the Women’s Campaign Forum concentrated on progressive women and causes and not succumb to the tendency to get trapped by the “we need to fund raise so can’t p*ss off the folks inside the beltway” mentality?

I agree its a tremendous challenge to balance the need to get the job done and the requirements to raise necessary funds so you can get the job done. Very tough. I’m confident that small business deliver the goods background is going to be helpful here

Sam

It’s great to be back on FDL and in particular with you Howie. I think the issue of getting more progressive women elected is a critical one for the progressive community.

Sam

Greetings Sam,
So glad you are heading the Woman’s Campaign Forum
and here with us again.
EE (PA-6)

Welcome Sam – glad to see you again!

But Susan Collins????– who voted to confirm every anti-choice radical judge Bush ever nominated? I could never understand how any pro-choice group could justify that– especially when a 100% progressive Democrat and proven pro-choice activist like Tom Allen was running.

Important questions. When Emily’s List endorsed me, they endorsed me late in the game. This is after all Pat Toomey’s district and I’m well known for being progressive. But Emily’s List, who does essential work in getting major $$$ in the hands of women candidates at federal level, out of necessity is RACE focused. WCF in contrast has a great track record of being focused on the WOMAN — and that focus is essential to getting more women to run and keep running even if they lose.

Sam

My pleasure as always. I always feel like I’m coming home when I’m on FDL and appreciate the challenging questions — they keep me on the straight and narrow!

sam

Hi Sam, I am in Joe Sestak’s district. Work my tail off for his election in 2006. Not so much last year. I have always wanted to run for the house but it seems overwhelming, especially with children still at home and being single. How do we do it and still manage everything we are expected to do, and not wait until we are 50+?

I can imagine this is going to be very difficult for you in the next year and a half. I know you’re a progressive. Are you going to have to go along with WCF endorsing mildly pro-choice Republican women but who otherwise vote against progressive values?

Just as an aside, I am probably way to progessive for my district.

I’m afraid I don’t disagree. One thing I have to say about WCF is they have a pretty impressive endorsement record. And decisions about endorsements are more 360 degree at WCF than with some other organizations. The President and Board weigh in on all endorsements and interact directly with the candidate — the WCF policy of being the early endorsement organization and supporting the woman, not just the race makes a difference.

keep at it, and you will turn hearts and minds.

Though prochoice is the major litmus test it will not be the only one. WCF has a terrific opportunity to continue its great tradition of endorsement while also making sure that those endorsements further the larger cause of women’s issues — Women’s issues (health/education etc) ARE key to our nation’s future. And in today’s political environment, those stances are often on the progressive side of the fence.

I’m interested Elliot…tell me more.

I disagree — you are progessive enough to make a difference. Our nation for too long in my opinion has allowed the clamor of the right to more our whole agenda to the right. With strong and increasing numbers of strong progressives making themselves heard, we are working to restore balance.

Again, by definition, you can’t be too progressive for your district. They need you to be exactly how you are to restore balance.

Howie, just to return to this topic. I think its an excellent time for those in leadership in the women’s community, a circle I am very honored to have joined, to more broadly and loudly stand for the whole constellation of issues that women once elected, fight for. Again, we have to move the needle on public opinion. What passes for “highly progressive” today would have been only mildly liberal back in the sixties. We have to release the stranghold that the extreme right wing has had on this nation — and the economic challenges we are wrestling with right now are the inheritance of those policies.

We just do it. I know that sounds simple. But its the bottom line reality. I’m a 51 year year old with a 24 year old, 22 year old — both in college and a six year old (!) — and have been actively running for office for 10 years. Our families and our work lives adapt once we start making public service and running for office part of our framework. Really, it can be done!

Back to your earlier comment Howie — in this hard work of getting more women in office — I’m sure there are countless examples of women’s organizations supporting a woman over a potenitally more progressive man. But if gender is the primary focus of an organization — its gonna happen.

I LOVE that WCF is bi-partisian. Why? Because we NEED more progressives in the Republican party — and by defination if you are a TRUE pro-choice woman candidate — the chances that you are going to be reasonably progressive are dramatically enhanced. We need to move the Rs to the LEFT and that will help get our Ds more in that direction — and bring balance so urgently needed to our national political framework.

Sam, are you already out recruiting new candidates for 2010? Any names you want to share with us?

Can I find information on the Women’s Campaign Forum site on how to proceed once I jump in?

I think that by getting past labels and getting into the crux of the issues, we can get the citizenry to see the inherent value of the *quote* progressive *unquote* POV

How can women with young children enter politics? It sure takes a special kind of person to take that leap into electoral politics so as it is. It’s one thing to run for student council in high school, quite another to run for office for real.

How did you start out?

Back dakine01 to your earlier and very perspective comment. WCF brought me on cause they are looking to differeniate themselves (sic). They were the FIRST to endorse and support prochoice women candidates. I look forward as the leader of WCF to bringing that change — AND to work to collaborate with the terrific women’s organizations in the beltway.

If WCF is the trailblazer on some of these issues while also reaching out and connecting to the larger women’s political community — I’ll have done my job well.

As Howie knows, there are times I’ve had to buck the system to get the right thing done — those muscles are well developed!

Yes, I feel its important to continue the progressive coalition building we effected my race for Congress — and work to recruit and support talented others. John Callahan, currently Mayor of Bethlehem, PA is a major talent who will go far. Solid progressive and good lookin’ family to boot. He’s looking to 2012. Rick Daughtery, currently chair of our local Dem’s is looking hard at 2010 — he used to work in Congressman McCale (sic) office — who left the seat open and that’s when Pat Toomey got in (!). Rick’s knows the drill on many levels — and will be a solid candidate for us.

I’m VERY EXCITED about our candidate for Governor here from Lehigh Valley Don Cunningham who is the ONLY progressive running for Gov in PA. We MUST have a progressive Democrat as our next Governor in PA! We CAN’T lose the ground we’ve gained in moving PA from swing to blue.

I guess that’s part of my confusion. My understanding was that was also the niche that EMILY’S list first carved for themselves, to raise funds for women candidates early in the process to give them a leg up.

And it just seems that so many once progressive organizations get rapidly co-opted into the beltway mentality sooner rather than later. This is not just the folks at EMILY’S List, or NARAL or Planned Parenthood but ALL the so-called progressive groups that back weak, nominally progressive candidates because they are incumbent rather than backing a strong progressive challenger.

[climbing down off my soap box now]

That is my question Elliott, how to start. I have teenagers, I find they don’t adapt well to any change. :)

I was hoping John Callahan would take on Specter or Toomey in the Senate race next year. But my question was who you are looking at for WCF endorsements

Funny thing Elliot — when I was being interviewed for the leadership position I was asked how I was going to handle this job with a small child (David, our youngest is six years old). Masking my shock that a clearly highly successful professional woman with children of her own would ask this question — I calmly said, “if I were a man, you wouldn’t have asked that question”.

No one is concerned that Obama has small children, but if Hillary had small children, it would have been an issue in their primary.

Husbands and extended family, like in my family, can do a terrific job in helping keep the home fires burning — and it results in closer relationships between father and children, and a greater appreciation by everyone on what it takes to keep the home running smoothly. Clearly a supportive spouse is required and you have to be as organized in running the household as you can manage.

But it can be done! And happy, secure children can be the result!

Sam, I was so proud to be your supporter last time around, and I’m glad to see you’ve found a place for your extensive talents. What can you tell us about what happened in your race — I’m surprised to see your district went so heavily for Obama and yet Dent was re-elected.

We saw this week the way women nominated to Administration positions are treated as “un-serious” (Dawn Johnsen) even for jobs they have already actually held! What steps is your organization taking to ensure that women’s candidacies are taken seriously, especially in districts like yours where people seem to think the (male) incumbent is doing very well.

Here in California, we’re lucky to have strong women elected to the House and Senate who provide a role model for other political aspirants. I wonder what the critical mass is, though, so that citizens see women as leaders without regard to gender?

Again, thanks to you and your family for your sacrifices in your Congressional race, and best wishes in your new adventure.

and those of us without a spouse or local extended family to pitch in? Sorry don’t mean to sound cranky, just frustrated.

I would suggest, that is their problem, not yours. You stepping out in leadership, using the talents that God clearly as accorded you — will serve as a powerful role model for teens in the choices and essential risks they must take in self-actualizing. Your risks will become their learning opporunities.

A writer once said that successful parenting is leadership. You are a leader jeane — and your country and pa, who has one of the lowest rates of women in elected office in the whole country (!) needs you!!!

Go jeane, go!

What an honor to have earned your support Teddy. As regards my race 1) PA-15 is a wonderful community in so many ways, but one of its qualities that cuts both ways is its deep distrust of any one who is “new” — they call it “auslanders” (PA Dutch). Because they have known Dent since he was in diapers — that is naturally going to be their default mode. They didn’t know Bush since he was in diapers, so even though Obama is African-American, he still had a chance with them. I’ve been engaged and passionate about our community for 23 years — even that was trumped by them knowing Dent and many generations of Dent.

So my race was an important step in replacing Dent with someone who votes with their values — and with your continued help WE WILL be successful

Teddy — as regards what we need to do nationally — we have to rip the bandaid off — mysogny is alive and well in this nation. And I promise I will talk openly and often and encourage others to do the same. It is essential that we talk about how the “emperor ain’t got no clothes” on this issue. This nation has moved the needle on racism, now we have to move it again on gender discrimation.

Its about time. Why not elect women and let them run the country for awhile. The white male of the species has, overrall, done a really crappy job over the last 50 or so years.
England elected a woman as PM. Israel elected a woman to lead the country. India, the worlds largest democracy, elected a woman . Pakistan, a muslim country elected a woman as PM. These all happened years ago. Yet the rethugs, rednecks and authoritarians in the US continue to refuse to believe that a woman can run the US. I believe that one can. After all, we, a racist redneck country, elected a black man, didn’t we. It will all depend on whether or not the under 30(as of the last election) people continue to vote. The old prejudices that can be found in the(my generation) baby boom generation, are mostly missing in the under 30 generation. This is a good thing. That young people are finally rejecting the values of their parents, the mindless fears, the “fact” that women should stay out of executive offices and remain in the secretarial pool is no longer seen in the under 30 generation. Race doesn’t matter. All of these things I am very happy to see. Its about freekin time.

I calmly said, “if I were a man, you wouldn’t have asked that question”.

You go girl!!

and you too jeanne!
please keep at it.

Has WCF started looking into any of the Senate primaries yet? There are women who want to be the Democratic nominees in North Carolina, Missouri and Ohio already. And then in the Republican primary in Louisiana, we have a well-spoken, attractive, pro-choice woman, a Ms Stormy Daniels, who wants to take on rabidly anti-choice reactionary David Vitter.

Okay, I will go, go ,go! My children will thank me, especially my two girls, when this country is drug to the left and becomes more progressive. I am always telling my daughter in college, every issue is a women’s issue. Time to back up my words with action. WOOHOO!

The Lehigh Valley is very insular. I grew up there, but because my family moved a few times, and came from another part of the country, I was always an outsider.

You also seem to have had some trouble getting a fair shake from the Morning Call, especially re: Wachovia. Do you have any thoughts about how you might have handled that differently?

When I was a single mom with a very demanding work profile (self employed with two businesses) I had an amazing network of other moms and dads some who were single also, some not. We’d swap kids on a regular basis — kids loved it cause it was their friends from school or church — parents loved it cause it gave them an alternative to paid child care and one that could be accessed at the drop of the hat.

jeane, I’m confident that if this is your calling, you will be successful. I deeply admire the way Obama talked often about his single mom, who as I understand it had a high powered job at an NGO. And look how he turned out! again, go jeane, go! And call me when you are ready so we can endorse you at WCF!

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you mean the article about a debate I had with Dent with Chamber of Commerce, where they jumped all over me for saying Soverign Bank “almost” failed (truth by the way).

Listen, I have over a decade of excellent coverage from the Morning Call for my work in community — UNTIL I had the nerve to run against DENT. Who did I think I was after all! The Morning Call is a HUGE Dent supporter as is PPL (major electric utility), Air Products (international chemical company located here).

That is the biggest reason NO ONE would run against him, except the write in candidate I worked to help elect (the GREAT progressive Charles Dertinger an IBEW man). But I was not afraid to run and did. The thing I’m proudest of is because of my race, we have really talented progressives taking a serious look at running — that’s a win in my book!

YOU GO!!!!!!! AND I’M SERIOUS, CALL ME Here is the # 202-393-8164

Yes. WCF has a terrific political team — and we’ll be on it. I start in the position April 6th and we’ll be hitting the ground running.

Yes, that was the one. Unfortunately, that’s going to be a problem for any progressive who runs there, I think. Out here, the Seattle Times did a similar job of torpedoing Darcy Burner just before the election – a completely baseless charge that they never corrected.

Howie – favor, can you forward to us any candidates you think we should look long and hard at — erin@wcfonline.org Erin Cutaro is the Managing Director of our WCF Political team and I’ll tell her to look for your communications.

Now THAT was a crime against humanity. Darcy is an ABSOLUTELY terrific young woman leader with a bright future no matter what she chooses to engage in and would have been a terrific leader in Congress.

I definately will. I want to start right this second, but I will wait til Monday and call you then. Thank you, I really needed the encouragement.

Howie, back to your earlier question about endorsements — sorry I missed the intent of your query. Look forward to your input as we dive into the upcoming election season at WCF.

I’ll be in the chair as of April 6th. So call me then! Go jeane go!

Thanks, I will.

So are you going to be based in Washington, then? Do you expect to be traveling at lot in your new job? Any thoughts on the possible race to replace New Democrat Ellen Tauscher, since she’s going to the State Department?

jeanne
keep us posted at Oxdown so we can virtually support you.

go jeanne go!!

Back to your earlier comment — don’t get off the soap box — stay there. And nag and prod and yell and remind. We don’t make progress unless we struggle and wrestle these issues to the ground.

I get the investment problem — its huge. But if we sacrifice our values what were we fighting for in the first place? That’s the balance in my mind.

Sam, in that quote in Howie’s post, you talk about getting women into elected office. Is there any conversation at WCF, or elsewhere that you are connected, about getting a greater number of qualified progressive women into appointed offices?

As is my usual wont, I’ll be buying a fixer up in a transitional neighborhood (remember my continuing work in community revitalization at Properties of Merit of Pa, Inc. http://www.mypom.org) so we’ll have two residences. My husband is a HUGE fan of Washington, so I predict there will be many weekends where instead of me going back to Allentown, they come to Washington!

EXCELLENT QUESTION — you win the prize! Yes, WCF is at the bleeding edge of this issue and building a companion product to the award winning “She Should Run” to encourage and support women to aspire to APPOINTED office.

On replacements for Ellen Tauscher — I turn to you and the other FDLers today — any suggestions on that front?

I sure admire you — and your family

Thank you so much for taking this on. I am SOOO glad we haven’t see the last of you!

oo
eXcellent!

Howie, I know Matt Stoller did some incisive work regarding tabulating how poorly women and women progressives in particular did versus their male counterparts in previous election cycles. I’m interested in any work, any one has done in quantifying this issue — any suggestions?

Its my goal that you’ve only seen the BEGINNING of me — running for Congress was a wake up call to me of the larger systemic issues that our nation faces, like political gender discrimation, that I must do my part, whatever it is, to make a difference.

In challenging times like this we as a nation just cannot afford to not access 50% of the leadership and talent available to us. 50% of our nation is women (more actually, right?) so logically 50% of our potential leaders are women. And yet Congress is only 17% women — the lowest among all industrialized nations. We can and must do better than this!

Howie is having a connection issue, we hope he’ll be back shortly.

OK, let me alert you to a race that will be coming on your radar then. In Florida’s 12th CD, Republican shill Adam Putnam– like Dent but 20 times worse!– is stepping down to run for Florida Agriculture Commissioner (supposedly a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion). Last year an outstanding grassroots progressive, Doug Tudor, ran against him and– with NO help from the DCCC nor from any part of the national or state Democratic Party establishment– he did better than any of the losing Florida candidates they did support except for one. But now that Democrats have a good chance to win the district, they’re trying to slip a conservative hack in and shoulder Doug out of the way. The conservative hack by the way is a woman (Lori Edwards). So I feel pretty certain that Emily’s List will be all over that race. Remember to ask her some tough questions so we don’t wind up with another Melissa Bean in the Democratic caucus.

Thanks, egregious. Rick just got me up and going again

Well, Stoller might be a good place to start or perhaps Chris Bowers at Open Left (and in Philly, I think) would be helpful.

Any final questions out there from FDLers. I’ll be having to sign off soon 4pm my time.

Just try not to use the lamest slogan:

“Hey, she can’t do any worse”

I’ll reach out to Chris (yes Philly!) and Matt. Saw Matt in DC in January — he’s working on hill now I discovered. Online to on the hill!

Which is the bigger issue right now for you, Sam: finding the candidates or finding the money to support them?

I promise officially never to use that slogan. And if I do, you have tacit permission to make me suffer for it.

Thank you, Sam, and don’t be a stranger!

Let us know how you’re doing.

Thanks for spending the time with us today, Sam. I’ll be looking forward to working together with you and bothering the hell out of you if WCF endorses any reactionary women.

In my mind, the candidates. Once we find them we can assist in helping them raise the money. So much of money raising is the UNBELIEVABLE discipline it takes to do what you have to do. Congresswoman Schwartz (PA) an outstanding progressive — is so impressive in this regard — doing the hard work required to move forward and be successful.

Once we have the candidates we can help make the money happen (esp with the outstanding work Auntie Em (Emily’s List)) does in training finance directors and candidates in this area.

But without the candidates we can have all the money in the world and what good it that?

Thanks Teddy!

An honor Howie — and “give ‘em hell” with me being the ‘em if I fall off the progressive wagon!

Thanks again Howie for the opportunity to talk to FDL.

Warmest regards,
Sam

Thanks Sam

Best of luck in Washington

Come back often

And take advantage of Oxdown!

Book Salon a couple of flights upstairs with Professor Juan Cole and his Engaging the Muslim World