Bev Perdue, a rare breed

By Meg Schwenzfeier on 01/26/2012 @ 02:36 PM

Tags: Bev Perdue

This morning we learned that Bev Perdue, Governor of North Carolina, has decided not to run for reelection in November. Her announcement made us reflect back upon her amazing record and committed service as Governor of North Carolina and as a strong voice of the EMILY's List community. And the more we thought about it, the more we realized that Governor Perdue is a rare breed.

First of all, Governor Perdue has had a career full of 'firsts.' She was the first female Governor of North Carolina, as well as the state's first female Lieutenant Governor. Governor Perdue is the first pro-choice woman governor in the South since Ann Richards. Right now she is one of only two Democratic women governors in the country. That's right, there are only two. And since Governor Christine Gregoire of Washington is not running for reelection either, soon there won't be any.

A champion for choice, education, and job creation, Governor Perdue has fought hard for the people of North Carolina throughout her more than 25 years of service. Because of Governor Perdue, North Carolinians hit hard by the recession continued to receive unemployment benefits and thousands of uninsured children received healthcare.

Thank you for your service and hard work, Governor.

Thank you also to the nearly one million members of the EMILY's List community for your support for Governor Perdue, as well as the many other pro-choice women candidates running for office.

The Governor's announcement today, as well as the opportunity for reflection it provides, just goes to show how much we need people like Governor Perdue in state capitals all over the country. Governor Perdue took office because of the support and donations of thousands of committed men and women across the country just like you.

Today, the EMILY's List community is nearly one million members strong, and we are working hard every day to help more women like Governor Perdue win races all across the nation. We pledge to support more pro-choice women governors like Governor Perdue. Do you?

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Marc Cenedella: Sexism Has No Place in the Senate

By Ryan Sims on 01/23/2012 @ 01:15 PM

Tags: Why Women, GOP Opponents, Kirsten Gillibrand

For several years now, my default position has been cynicism -- about pretty much everything.

But when my eyes met the news about this guy, I couldn't muster a bit of it. The stomach-turning induced by Marc Cenedella's sexist, sex-obsessed, sophomoric, degrading, and just out-and-out repulsive set of public blog posts was too much for any sarcasm.

Cenedella is the CEO of a high-salary job search firm. And he says that he’s a "9.2" out of 10 he'll run against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Not okay, Marc. Read on for the details. And I'm absolutely serious that what follows is disgusting and degrading, so please be careful.

Just take a look at some of what the New York Times reports that Cenedella has featured on his blog:

• "a number of entries containing random observations about sex, women and drugs."
• "an entry titled 'A New Holiday for Men,' there was a link to a separate site that designates March 14 as a special occasion on which women are encouraged to offer steak and oral sex 'to show your man how much you care for him.'"
• "[An] entry linked to a site that purports to provide biblical justification for a man's having more than one wife."

It would be too much for anyone to behave like this. But this guy wants to run for the United States Senate. Against Kirsten Gillibrand. One of the Senate's foremost champions for women's rights.

We won't stand for it. Marc Cenedella has publicly demonstrated an opinion of women that is out-and-out disgusting -- and in no way belongs in the United States Senate. Tell him and demand an apology.

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Gabby's victory

By Stephanie Schriock on 01/22/2012 @ 02:36 PM

Tags: Gabrielle Giffords, Stephanie's take

I am so proud of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Here at EMILY's List, we've been proud of Gabby for a long time. Proud of her when she ran, as such a young woman, for the state legislature in Arizona. Proud of her when she ran for congress -- every time. Proud of her during her last election, when she talked about her positions on things like health care and border security, and was re-elected by constituents who realized that Gabby Giffords was the real deal: tough, resolute, and more focused on doing what was right for folks in Arizona than on political expediency.

But never have we been more proud of Gabby then over the last year. In the face of unimaginable tragedy and pain, she has shown courage and strength -- limitless strength, it has seemed. We are so proud of Gabby's remarkable, and ongoing, recovery. In the face of personal grief and challenges, she has reminded all of us of the power we have to get through the worst of times. We are so proud of her dignity, and her deep responsibility to her community.

Gabby, because of her great desire to do what's right for her constituents, has decided to step down from Congress this week so that she may focus solely on her continued recovery. We thank Gabby for her service in the House of Representatives, but we also know that Gabby's service is not over. Gabby is that rare person: a leader who transcends her job and with every action she takes sends a beacon for the rest of us to follow. With every step I see Gabby take -- steps I know she has worked hard to take -- my resolution to honor her determination and grit, her grace and dignity -- grows.

We pledge to Gabby: EMILY's List is always behind you, wherever your path takes you. And we will honor you every day by working to make sure that strong, determined, bright young women of integrity and joy know that they can be leaders at every level of government, right up to the highest -- and that they feel the strength of the EMILY's List community behind them, as Gabby has.

And we thank Gabby, for so many things. Thank you, Gabby, for never wavering in your pursuit of jobs, security, and the opportunity to bring up healthy families on behalf of your constituents. Thank you for letting us see, in your partnership with your husband Mark Kelly, a marriage of true equals who delight in each other's differences. Thank you for hiring a staff of men and women of all ages who share your extraordinary energy and sense of purpose.

And above all, Gabby, we thank you for letting EMILY's List walk with you every step of the way. In big cities and in small towns throughout this country, hundreds of thousands of EMILY's List members have been inspired by you, and felt, in ways large and small, a part of your efforts to make this country better and of your many, many victories.

We are humbled by you, we are inspired by you, and we promise to carry on your dedication to public service every day. Thank you. We love you, Gabby.

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The GOP: (un)Shockingly Scorning Women Again

By Jen Bluestein on 01/20/2012 @ 02:51 PM

Tags: Why Women, GOP Opponents

I confess that I greeted the coverage of the revelations coming out of Marianne Gingrich's ABC News interview with perhaps more glee than I should have. The sheer juiciness of watching the man pander to conservatives in South Carolina while tales of his flagrant, unapologetic marital chutzpah dominated the news made me smile. But I should have known better:

Because alas, poor Marianne. Within hours, she's become that old favorite of the grumpy old men of the GOP: the angry ex-wife. You know the one. She's a harpy. Greedy. Grasping. You might remember her from 2008, when Mike Barnicle described Senator Hilary Clinton as "everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court."

Now, the spectacle of the ex-wife who should be mocked and ignored is back. First, right-wing hatchet man Ed Rollins (who formerly managed Michele Bachmann's campaign), took to CNN, describing Marianne as “a very vindictive woman….as vicious as anyone who's been an ex-wife.”

Following on his heels came the four-times-married Rush Limbaugh, who apparently spoke from great authority as he attempted to brush over Marianne's claims with this zinger: "Everybody's had an angry ex-spouse."

I get it, guys, I get it: the only thing worse than a cheating spouse who expects his wife to tolerate his behavior is……a woman who wouldn't tolerate being treated like that? Right. With independent women voters making up a critical piece of the electorate -- and with the divorce rate estimated to be as high as 50% -- Republicans might want to think twice before making the divorced woman a figure of scorn. Just a thought, guys. Check with your (third) wife.

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Elizabeth Warren's Money Bomb Day

By Ryan Sims on 01/19/2012 @ 10:33 AM

Tags: Why Women, GOP Opponents

Elizabeth Warren: consumer champion, spearhead-er of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Massachusetts Senate candidate. She's enough to make a typically cynical EMILY's List blogger just plain giddy.

And that aforementioned blogger is far from alone.

We've seen it with our members all over the country, people everywhere are thrilled to have the chance to send Elizabeth to the Senate -- and send Scott Brown packing, right along with his Tea Party and Wall Street buddies.

Today Scott Brown is officially launching his reelection campaign to celebrate, and to fight back against Brown and his mass of money, Elizabeth's campaign is hosting a money bomb. Today.

Elizabeth has created an incredible network of support so far, but Brown's deep-pocketed allies have given him a huge war chest to work with. That's why today is so important. Rallying support for Elizabeth's campaign can not only help her close the gap, but it can send a major message to Scott Brown, Wall Street, and the Tea Party. (Not to mention stealing Brown's thunder, which is exciting in its own little way.)

We've seen how EMILY's List members rally around Elizabeth, and it's really something to behold. It's time to do it again, to harness the power of individual contributions, and to push back Scott Brown.

Click here. Contribute now. Add yourself to the EMILY's List members all over the country who are supporting Elizabeth's campaign.

The more we give, the bigger the statement to (and resulting stealing of thunder from) Scott Brown. And that's enough to make all of us giddy.

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UPDATE: *Two more* big wins for Suzanne Bonamici