What do (Democratic) women want?   
 
Hillary....   and Obama

by Jo Freeman

Women's presence and clout in the Democratic party have grown steadily over the years. 
 
Before the women's  liberation movement emerged in the 1960s, about the only woman official was the Secretary of the DNC, who called the roll when votes were taken at the convention.  As late as 1968 women and issues of particular interest to women weren't mentioned in the party platform.  Convention events for women were aimed at wives of delegates and public officials.  While there was a Women's Division, whose job it was to mobilize women on behalf of Democratic candidates, it's importance had declined from its peak in 1936.
 
In 2008 women are everywhere, integrated into the regular structure of the party and the convention.

At a Sunday press briefing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the other three co-chairs of the 2008 Democratic convention — all women:  
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin
 
Van de Putte is Hispanic (despite that Dutch surname) and Franklin is black. The "senior leadership team" is heavily female.
 
Democratic diversity is more than delegate deep. Women's events are still aimed at mobilizing women on behalf of Democratic candidates, but now they also encourage women to run for office and celebrate those who did.
 
Most of the women's groups held their events on Tuesday, August 26, the 88th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The National Organization for Women (NOW) got a head start with it's "Equali -Tea" on Monday afternoon, co-sponsored with the Feminist Majority Fund, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, the National Congress of Black Women and the National Association of Social Workers.   

Inside the elegant University Club, a couple hundred feminist men and women heard organizational leaders pay tribute to the late Cong. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and several elected officials urge them to get out the vote.  This meeting was full of Hillary hold-outs, people who are so loyal to the idea of electing Hillary Clinton as the first woman President that they have trouble changing horses.  They will before November, but right now they are still in mourning for what could have been. 
 
The speakers didn't praise Obama so much as they pointed out what a disaster John McCain would be if elected.  Feminists know that.  They will do what they need to do when the time comes. 
 
At the official DNC women's caucus on Tuesday morning, a thousand women gathered in the Convention Center to hear DNC officials, a few women elected officials as well as actor/activist Rosario Dawson and actor Eva Longoria tell them to vote for Obama.  
 
Corporate sponsorship of events is nothing new, but it continues to evolve. While Ms. magazine was available at the  "Equali-Tea," a copy of Ebony magazine with Michelle Obama on the cover was placed on every chair at the DNC women's caucus, as was a tambourine supplied by Lifetime networks so women could show their approval of the speakers.  Those who put the tambourines into their bags had them taken away during the Pepsi Center security search that night; no noisemakers allowed. 

While there were various events aimed at women all over Denver, I couldn't get to all of them and was closed out of some.
 
Thanks to a timely e-mail from a friend a couple weeks ago, I was able to RSVP for the Womencount.org luncheon for Hillary.  Started last Spring to support Hillary's Presidential run, it's the new kid on the block among women's political organizations.  A spokeswoman said it aims to be the "moveon.org for women."   Although Hillary was the big draw at the luncheon, it's purpose was to introduce some of the women's running for public office that WC supports.  Will it be a competitor for Emily's List?   Or will it tap a different donor base?
 
Page Two of What Do (Democratic) Women Want?>>

©August 27, 2008 Jo Freeman for SeniorWomenWeb