December 2008
TO: Majority Council Members
FROM: Ellen R. Malcolm
DATE: December 15, 2008
As is often the case, big changes set off chain reactions. So, as the nation prepares to inaugurate our new Democratic president, we at EMILY’s List must bid farewell to our wonderful executive director, Ellen Moran, who has been tapped to be the White House communications director for President-elect Obama.
Ellen has been a part of the EMILY’s List family for more than 15 years, both directly and indirectly. She’s the architect of EMILY’s List’s acclaimed training program, which she launched and oversaw in 1993, and the director of our first WOMEN VOTE! project in California in 1994. Ellen has managed campaigns for our candidates and other Democrats and held high level jobs with the DNC, the DCCC, the AFL-CIO, and other progressive organizations, returning to EMILY’s List in 2005 as executive director. Ellen has done phenomenal work over the past two cycles and deserves tremendous credit for our history-making wins this year. President-elect Obama could not have selected anyone with more talent, political skill, sound judgment, or personal grace for this job. She has been a stalwart ally and true friend for me, and while I will miss working with her on a daily basis, I am thrilled to see her take this next step in a fabulous career.
Of course, as you might imagine, I’m a bit surprised by this sudden change of events. Politics is never dull! Fortunately, we have had two dress rehearsals during the periods when Ellen was on maternity leave. I’m happy to report that Mary Beth Cahill will expand her consulting role with us and work with our chief-of-staff, Britt Cocanour, to manage the day-to-day activities of EMILY’s List as we make this transition. I am confident that Mary Beth and Britt will provide the strong leadership that will guide us through our evaluation of the 2008 cycle and planning process for 2010, which promises to be another exciting year.
Women lead national security team
We are cheering the selection of two longtime EMILY’s List candidates, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, to fill two of the new administration’s most prestigious and powerful cabinet posts. Come January, Hillary Clinton will become the third woman secretary of state in U.S. history, and Janet Napolitano will be our nation’s third secretary of homeland security (and the first woman). Obama has also selected Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations, which he has restored as a cabinet-level post (it was downgraded by President Bush). She will be the first African American woman to serve as U.N. ambassador.
President-elect Obama deserves much credit for his strong choices to lead these critical departments. Hillary Clinton’s history of public service, experience with foreign diplomacy, and tenure on the Senate Armed Services Committee make her an exceptional choice for secretary of state. As governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano has the direct experience with immigration and border security challenges that will help her lead our nation as secretary of homeland security. Rice, a member of Bill Clinton’s foreign policy team, is a strong advocate for international human rights and will help restore our global image.
What a strong signal Obama is sending by appointing these exceptional women to his national security team. It truly does feel as if we are starting to cross over into a new age, one where women are seen as leaders on foreign as well as domestic policy. I commend President-elect Obama for these choices.
Kick off your inaugural celebration with EMILY’s List
Women showed we have the power to change government from the top to the bottom in the 2008 election -- and now it’s time to celebrate that power, our outstanding 2008 victories, and the historic inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama at our “Power to Change” inaugural luncheon on Sunday, January 18, 2009, in Washington, D.C.
If you are coming for the inaugural -- and I hope you are! -- please celebrate with us and an all-star cast of EMILY’s List candidates, including newly elected Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Governor-elect Bev Perdue of North Carolina, and other special guests to be announced. The Power to Change luncheon will be at the Hilton Washington, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to meet our candidates and other dedicated EMILY’s List members and celebrate progressive victory at this exclusive luncheon. Space is limited and all names must be confirmed by January 9 for security reasons, so I encourage you to make your reservations soon.
I’m looking forward to celebrating our power together.
Holiday wishes come true
What a happy holiday this will be! The best gift of all is the gift of a new direction toward a more progressive future for our country. I am so grateful for the support and confidence you have shown in EMILY’s List, without which we would not be celebrating the biggest year for women in politics since 1992. With your help, we added at least 11 and possibly 12 new pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House (there is a recount in Ohio’s 15th district between Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy and Republican Steve Stivers), including five who took over Republican seats. We helped Jeanne Shaheen and Kay Hagan oust Republican senators John Sununu of New Hampshire and Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, and Chris Gregoire of Washington and Bev Perdue of North Carolina win the two most competitive governor’s races in the country. And downballot candidates trained and supported by EMILY’s List’s Political Opportunity Program (POP) won dozens of victories, helping to bring the number of legislative chambers under Democratic control to 60 and putting women in positions of power across the country -- including five pro-choice Democratic women secretaries of state!
We are helping our newly elected members of Congress get off on the right foot with an expanded New Member Program, which offers training to first-term women and helps them develop efficient and effective ways to set up their offices, hire staff, seek committee assignments, conduct constituent service, and prepare for what will in some cases be very tough re-election challenges. We’ve asked former EMILY’s List staffers Karin Johanson and Amy Green, both veterans of Capitol Hill, to work with our women to help them build a foundation that will support what we hope will be long and productive congressional careers.
Finally, I send my warmest wishes to you and your family for a peaceful and relaxing holiday. It’s been so long since we had real hope for the future. I’m so proud of the role women have and will continue to play in bringing long-needed change to our country. Many, many thanks.