Just wondering...why aren't more women lining up in support of

[Dover]

Moseley-Braun? I did see that she just received the endorsement of

the National Women's Political Caucus and NOW, however. Could this be a trend?



Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Carol Endorsed by NOW and NWPC
Carol's campaign received a significant boost today when she received endorsements from The National Organization for Women and the National Women's Political Caucus. In addition, Carol announced the she would formally declare herself a candidate for President of the United States.

http://www.carolforpresident.com/content.php?page=home

Also, someone told me she had a meeting with Kerry about something. Is that true, and if so, what was that about?

[Gin]

1. I like what she says....but don't think she is viable in this election.

gin

[meti57b]

2. Under the current circumstances,....

I believe women's interests will best be accomodated by getting bush out of the WH. Moseley-Braun is a truly excellent person but not e very electable.

I contributed to her first campaign for office, years ago. But now is not the time for her candidacy for president. Her contribution to the discussion and debate are however valuable and excellent.

[Dover]

3. But WHAT makes her "unelectable"?

Also, did she meet with Kerry recently about something?

[Dover]

4. *

*

[chiburb]

6. You'll find few supporters in Illinois...

Most (I emphasize NOT ALL) of us were disappointed with her job when she represented us. In fact, her performance got the 1st Repuke in over 25 years elected to the Senate. Yep, she's likable and has the absolute BEST smile on the planet. But no, I wouldn't give her another chance here with so many other qualified folks in the race.

Of course Gore lost Tenn. but still won in 2000...

[Pastiche423]

10. Could you expound on her job performance?

All I know of Carol is what I have seen and heard on the Democratic forums.

I agree that she has a very beautiful smile.

[davsand]

19. From the view of an Illinois resident about Braun:

I was excited when she won her seat in the Senate. I'd carried her lit when I went door to door and I was excited about her as a candidate. However, her win was a little out of the ordinary.

She ran in a three way primary against Hofeld (self made millionare lawyer) and Dixon the incumbant, viewed as a moderate, who had voted to confirm Clarence Thomas. A significant number of women and minorities were mad at Dixon, and Hofeld siphoned off enough of the moderate votes to allow Braun to slip into the win.

Her GOP opponent in the General was some lamb to the slaughter--I can't even remember his name. The GOP thought he was gonna run against Dixon who had never lost a statewide race up to that point.

Braun as a legislator was excellent, IMO. She did a fine job on the floor, and if we'd been able to keep her in the chambers all the time I think she'd have kept her seat. However, Braun outside the Senate ran into some issues.

I remember the press had it out that there was some funkiness about her campaign finances. I remember there was a bunch of crap in the press about her handling of her mother's finances. I remember the press being all over her for a trip to Africa calling it a "Junket" and talking about her meeting with some African Dictator...

In other words, she got crucified by the media.

I was disappointed with her simply because she left herself open to this crap. She HAD to know she was a target and she should have been able to keep herself above it. She got held to a a high standard (impossible, probably) and she fell short. After the first media attack she should have been squeaky clean and she wasn't...

Other Illinois voters must have shared my disappointment, because I remember they had an awful time even finding anybody willing to work her re-election campaign here in my area.

I do think that we were pretty naive about the media at that point. I don't think anybody really stopped to think about the idea of a concentrated attack on the woman--like the one used on Cynthia McKinney. In hindsight, I'd say Braun was not only the target of the Right, but that they were highly successful.

Maybe some of the other Illinois folks have a difference with me on this, but I think Braun will not do well simply because she was targeted a long time ago and those of us in Illinois are too ashamed that we bought into it to examine it much further. Because we won't treat her seriously nobody else will.

-----

Now, just to give you a bit of insight, the rumor here in Illinois that I heard when she first entered this race was that the DNC was afraid she'd run for Senate again and her old baggage would be coming back up and she'd lose that race. They decided to plant the idea of her running for the Presidency to distract her and diffuse Sharpton...

Now, how screwed up is THAT?

Laura

[bitchkitty]

13. Gore lost TN -

that is debatable.

http://nashvilleinsanity.com

[chiburb]

5. Isn't that like asking why African-Americans aren't

Lining up behind Sharpton? Not implying anything personal Dover, but the question seems a little sexist in that the gist is "only a woman can represent women"...
Maybe I'm just reading your question wrong...

[Dover]

7. Yes and no. It sort of opens up the whole argument for and against

affirmative action. I think your argument might be more effective if there had been women and/or minorities elected in the past. When I hear she is unelectable I wonder how much of that is bias and entrenched ideas about women and ethnic origins and color, and how much is purely based on her merits or lack thereof?

Without a civil rights movement would African Americans have progressed toward equality under the law?

If all we ever had in this country were women head executives and presidents, then I think there might be a similar effort by men to change that.

[chiburb]

9. Since you asked,

My response was based on her "merits or lack of". I'd be the 1st to support a "Draft Hillary" movement.
As for race, I couldn't care less. Many white Illinoisans voted for her regardless of color. In the Dem primary (coming up)my choice is Barak Obama, a man of color.
Perhaps a better way to express this re Carol is "familiarity breeds contempt".

[Dover]

12. Hillary has received a lot of support from women's groups

plus she had the advantage of an excellent upperclass education and it can't hurt to have had a husband who was president and a seat in the Senate. So maybe those are more acceptable credentials. She certainly has what it takes to maneuver through a man's world.

These gender issues do seem to be less of an issue these days than even ten years ago, but women and minorities still require a little added and organized support. I don't want to diminish Mosely-Braun's
real qualifications by suggesting this gender/minority issue is holding her back in any way, but I would like for people to qualify their statements when they suggest someone is "unelectable" so that we know what they mean.

[Dover]

17. Article: Moseley Braun Pushes For Woman President

Aug 4, 9:43 AM EDT
Moseley Braun Pushes Woman President
By MIKE GLOVER
Associated Press Writer


WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) -- Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun called Sunday for new investment in schools and the environment and said it is time to elect a woman president to solve the nation's problems.

"Women tend to be oriented to practical solutions and problem solving," she said. "If you want practical solutions that solve multiple problems, turn the job over to a woman. Women deserve a chance to lead."

Describing herself as a "fiscal conservative who fights for social justice," she urged voters to look at her record of community activism in Chicago where she said she focused on solving day-to-day problems. ...>> MORE

http://www.carolforpresident.com/content.php?page=newsroom_article1

[ButterflyBlood]

23. it has nothing to do with her being black or a woman

she's unelectable because:

-She is too liberal to win a nationwide election
-She has a lot of scandals surrounding her
-She is a FORMER senator who lost an election in a heavily Democratic to a dark horse opponent who was disliked by his own party and practically running as an independent with the level of support they gave him

now reardless of whether her loss was the result of some big smear campaign or whatever, if it could work in a state as liberal as Illinois, it could definately work on a national level.

Look at it this way, if a white male former senator who had lost an election after only one term in a heavily Democratic state decided to run for president, about how much of a joke would he be considered? The fact that Moseley-Braun is a black female doesn't change the situation.

[Clete]

8. She's a little too unknown outside of her constituency

to make much of a splash. You never know though, so was Clinton.

[demnan]

11. She had some problems in Illinois

and was defeated. I still admire her. I think another Ambassadorship would be a great place for her. If she runs for the Senate and wins then I think she should be in line for VP. I just think that, like Edwards, she needs more experience.

[Bandit]

14. Two words for Ms. Braun ~~ Vice-President

She would bring a huge amount of insight onto the ticket. Might turn off all those "angry white males" we have been hearing so much about but regular people like her.

[amazona]

15. in my case I know little about her...

...obviously I need to learn more.

[phillybri]

16. She's the most likable contender in this race, but....

...she doesn't have a chance. Bush has to be dispatched.

She'd be an awesome Secretary of State...

[gottaB]

18. Some of my recent posts from P/C, another link, some info

In case you missed them:

• NOW Endorsement made official
  
  
• NWPC Proud Endoresment of Braun
  
  
• Consider Moseley Braun a Contendor

Yes, Kerry met with Braun several months ago. Speculations were rampant, and some very negative statements about Braun's campaign being about to fold were put into print. It was dismissed in P/C, esp. when Braun revealed that she would make her official announcement this month.

On all the negative stuff you hear about, a lot of it is bunk. I do my best to combat it, but it takes a lot out of me. Braun's campaign has been slow/reluctant to fight negative press, but if you can believe the MSNBC "embed" Marisa Buchanan, that's beginning to change.

Here's a smart editorial by Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich concerning the sexist treatment of Braun by the press.

[JI7]

20. she lost the senate race

she isn't seen as someone who has "risen". support for candidates usually include seeing them as a winner and not only issues or because one happens to be a certain race, sex , religion, etc. especially in the democratic party which is more inclusive and tolerant where people know the male candidates will most likely be just as supportive on issues like women's rights as a female candidate would be. this is also why many jewish voters may not go easily for lieberman. sure, they may both be jewish, but they feel the other candidates are also tolerant of their religion so they look to other things. some or all of the things i mention is why you don't see women getting behind her just because she is also a woman.

[gottaB]

21. Which people see things the way you describe?

I'm not sure I see the Party as all that supportive of women. Abortion rights, perhaps, but beyond that women are underrepresented in elected office, and it's quite easy to argue that the concerns of women are given short shrift.

The Party of feminists? In the last weeks hundreds of self-proclaimed Democrats have been dismissing NOW because they chose to endorse Braun rather than the person who has said of himself that "you won't find a better feminist running for president." Honestly that doesn't sound very supportive to me.

Your observation about Braun being seen as a loser, and citing one election loss, seem to me to be part of the same pattern. Braun's victories and achievements are downplayed, while her mishaps and mistakes are blown out of proportion. The obstacles she's overcome are regarded as trivial, if they're acknowledged at all. Her candidacy is routinely dismissed, even while she's making real progress and gaining support.

How many people who thought she performed well on stage in Albuquerque also felt compelled to add as an aside that she has no chance of winning? Too many. Too many for you or anybody else to fairly assert that the Party is as supportive of women as it is of men.

There were only a couple of reporters who covered her visit to the South Broadway Cultural Center in Albuquerque. One of many reasons for that is that the press takes their cues from the Party leadership, and what certain insiders tell them about the realities of the Democratic primary. Meanwhile, Carol talked to people, won over some voters, got some people to sign up for meetup I reckon (her meetup numbers have increased sixfold in the past month, but still she has less than 500--which some would deride, but I of course see the upside), and basically she campaigned as she has been doing for almost a year now. And yet, dollars to donuts, in the coming weeks members of the press will continue to say such idiotic things as she will be the first to drop out, or she isn't really campaigning, and nobody takes her seriously--So I have to ask, which nobody? Which people see it that way? Not the people who listen to her and like what they hear and want to vote for her. The number of such people is growing, and given the abysmal treatment she's recieved in the news media, it's a testament to Braun's hard work and perseverance that she's able to get her message out at all and define herself in the way she wants to be seen.

(BTW Lieberman's Jewish vote from my goyish perspective is a whole nother can of worms.)

[JI7]

22. many do-even if they may not be true

the senate loss is an issue for anyone, no matter what other achievements they may have. the same would be said of anyone else who ran after losing an election and not having won back the seat or another elected office since.jeanne shaheen of new hampshire was on gores list as possible vp choices and maybe even presidential candidate, but i think she will go down on many lists because she l ost the senate race. right now the women seen as winners are those who won office such as hillary, jennifer granholm,janet napolitano etc. yes, you may be correct about women's rights not being as important as it should. but that doesn't change the fact that many women will probably see the issues important to them and think the male candidates are also in agreement with braun. and while abortion rights is not the only issue concerning women's rights, it still is a big one.

[gottaB]

25. If you're going to qualify your statement

point taken.

:-)

[catzies]

24. This member of NWPC is pleased about it. Completely.

In our press release it was stated that CMB's endorsement for President is unprecedented for us.

In a nutshell, our sole mandate is getting pro-choice women elected to the point of gender parity. We don't wanna take over; but we'd be good at it if we ran things. And this is how it starts, with CMB's endorsement.

NWPC-endorsed candidates are already at every level but the Big Cheese, and we work on commission and cabinet appointments too.

I am very active in our local chapter as PAC chair and acting President, as they say in the Lounge, "Ask me anything." :)