I had to take a break from blogging for a while as I just didn't have the time! This year I am making one New Year's Resolution and that is to blog more! There is going to be a lot to blog about this year and I want to share my insight to those who care to read it.
I really am an optimistic person and I would like to say my glass is always half full rather than half empty. This New Years day is exciting! In 20 days we will finally have a President I am proud to call President again! President elect Obama inspired so many people to get involved in politics and thank goodness for that because we need every one to be active and engaged and involved. Getting Obama elected was the first step, now we must support his agenda in order to turn this country around, we must work together.
As optimistic as I want to feel this New Years Day, I pick up my paper and the front line above the fold reads, "Phoenix unveils targets for cuts. Budget victims may include city staff, seniors and homeless." The article goes on to talk about the recession and tough decisions our City Council members MUST make. Phoenix is not alone in the budget cuts. I was in California for Christmas and they were debating what cuts they must make just to make payroll. As much as I want to feel optimistic, I also want to be realistic, and all signs indicate that things will get worst before they get better and we have not seen the tip of the iceberg. What we need now is leadership not pointing fingers.
My prediction at the state level is the Republican controlled legislature will blame the departing Governor. They will spin that the Governor created the mess we are in. I have a saying that I find comfort in, "it is what it is." The first step in solving a problem is to accepting that there is a problem. Pointing fingers does not produce results. Who will emerge as leaders this legislative session? We all need to accept the fact that our current system of partisan politics does not serve us well. We must work across party lines and work with each other not against each other. The leaders that emerge will not make everyone happy including myself. I am a democrat but I am a rational democrat.
My challenge for all this year is to look for solutions and embrace change. We survived 8 years of George W. Bush so we can survive the economic melt down but we need to brace ourselves for a wild ride. I am hopeful the debate on National Health Care will begin and it will not be single payer. It will involve private and public partnerships, I am hoping we can adopt a Medicare model with modifications and give aways to the pharmaceutical industry must stop but there still needs to be funding for research and development. As for what we can do about health care we have to start with us and living a healthy lifestyle, and popping pills is not health care, eating well and exercising is something we can do ourselves. I am hopeful that the Employee Free Choice Act will move forward but I am realistic that it will not pass the way it is currently written. We need to address the environment and we all need to make changes starting by looking at how we can all do more to drive less and recycle more.
One of my favorite quotes from Obama is, "ordinary people can do extraordinary things." Let's all aim for extraordinary in 2009! Yes we can!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Friday, August 22, 2008
Emerge Makes Elle Magazing
The link is now up. Since this article and the article in the political insider SWITCH is a hip spot to be seen. If you have not been you must! Check out the article here!
http://www.elle.com/featurefullstory/14263/women-in-politics-democrats-and-republicans.html
http://www.elle.com/featurefullstory/14263/women-in-politics-democrats-and-republicans.html
Monday, August 18, 2008
Call with Senator Hillary Clinton Tomorrow!
Hillary didn't secure the nomination but it was still a close election no matter how you slice can dice it. Hillary was the first woman ever to win a primary. Every time the political pundits said this was it, back she came with yet another win. Because the primary was so close and Hillary did receive over 18 million votes the Hillary delegates simply wanted to make sure there was a roll call vote on the convention floor. After months of waiting we finally got news that both Hillary and Obama had agreed that they too thought it would be the best way to heal the party. I couldn't agree more. So after a couple of months of not much from the Hillary campaign I received an email earlier today that there would be a call with Hillary and her delegates. What Hillary will share with us in anyone's guess but I can be late to my HOA meeting in order to participate. I am sure there will be more on this tomorrow!
Call with Senator Hillary Clinton Tomorrow
Hillary didn't secure the nomination but it was still a close election no matter how you slice can dice it. Hillary was the first woman ever to win a primary. Every time the political pundits said this was it, back she came with yet another win. Because the primary was so close and Hillary did receive over 18 million votes the Hillary delegates simply wanted to make sure there was a roll call vote on the convention floor. After months of waiting we finally got news that both Hillary and Obama had agreed that they too thought it would be the best way to heal the party. I couldn't agree more. So after a couple of months of not much from the Hillary campaign I received an email earlier today that there would be a call with Hillary and her delegates. What Hillary will share with us in anyone's guess but I can be late to my HOA meeting in order to participate. I am sure there will be more on this tomorrow!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Emerge Makes the Political Insider
This past week the new Elle magazine came out with a great article by the one and only Gloria Feldt called Where the Hell are all the Women? It is a great article about getting more women to run for office. It is a great article and I strongly recommend reading it. I can't find it online to link to it. The republic mention can be found here. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/17/20080817insider0817.html
So Many Invitations so Little Time
In an effort to give you a little inside information from a Delegate I thought I would share with you some of the invitations to events that I have received. Tomorrow I am meeting with the fab five and a few more to try and plan our convention schedule. As for the fab five we named ourselves the fab five because we went have traveled to a couple of states to help with "get out the vote (GOTV) activities and wherever we went, Sen. Clinton won. (I will blog about how I was elected as a delegate soon). As for the invitations they are:
Emily's List - Women Vote to celebrate the 88th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage with guest speakers: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama (RSVP'd to this one- $50
Women's Equality Tea- Eleanor Smeal, Kim Gandy, Dolores Huerta, E. Faye Williams, Dr. Elizabeth Clark (Passing on this one- As much as I would love to go it is $150 bucks- I little steep for this delegate).
Unconventional Women - this is 6 hour training about running for office. Since I run Emerge Arizona a training program to train women to run for office I like to find out what others train on. I have RSVP's it is a give what you can event.
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. This is a free event prior to the convention starting with a lot of invited speakers and guests. Will plan on stopping by.
Democracy for America - an evening event with three Senate candidates including: Scott Kleep, Jeff Merkeley and Andrew Rice. Event is free.
A salute to American Veterans. This event has too many speakers to name but there are 30 members of Congress who have affirmed the Veterans Bill of Rights
Emerge America (an organization I am proud of will host a lunch for Emerge graduates and board members who will be at the convention). We are now in 7 states. Will be great to meet everyone. I will be there since I am the contact person).
There are events with the College Democrats, the Young Democrats and Emerging Democrat Leaders.
Winning Health Care Reform in 2009. There will be a discussion with Families USA and SEIU. Free
Also receive an invitations on America's Agenda- Health Care for All with Dick Gephardt.. Free
I also have some invites for receptions from local political consultants many who I have worked with.
This is just a sample which I wanted to share with you. Not everything is free and there is something for everyone. Some events are educational and some events are just entertainment.
Emily's List - Women Vote to celebrate the 88th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage with guest speakers: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama (RSVP'd to this one- $50
Women's Equality Tea- Eleanor Smeal, Kim Gandy, Dolores Huerta, E. Faye Williams, Dr. Elizabeth Clark (Passing on this one- As much as I would love to go it is $150 bucks- I little steep for this delegate).
Unconventional Women - this is 6 hour training about running for office. Since I run Emerge Arizona a training program to train women to run for office I like to find out what others train on. I have RSVP's it is a give what you can event.
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. This is a free event prior to the convention starting with a lot of invited speakers and guests. Will plan on stopping by.
Democracy for America - an evening event with three Senate candidates including: Scott Kleep, Jeff Merkeley and Andrew Rice. Event is free.
A salute to American Veterans. This event has too many speakers to name but there are 30 members of Congress who have affirmed the Veterans Bill of Rights
Emerge America (an organization I am proud of will host a lunch for Emerge graduates and board members who will be at the convention). We are now in 7 states. Will be great to meet everyone. I will be there since I am the contact person).
There are events with the College Democrats, the Young Democrats and Emerging Democrat Leaders.
Winning Health Care Reform in 2009. There will be a discussion with Families USA and SEIU. Free
Also receive an invitations on America's Agenda- Health Care for All with Dick Gephardt.. Free
I also have some invites for receptions from local political consultants many who I have worked with.
This is just a sample which I wanted to share with you. Not everything is free and there is something for everyone. Some events are educational and some events are just entertainment.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Getting Ready for the Convention
This just in....I just received the list of who will be speaking at the convention. It is going to be exciting and I can't wait. This is what the delegates just received.
The 2008 Convention program will highlight Americans coming together to change the course of our nation and feature prominently the voices of Americans from across our country – those who are calling for a new direction, those who share Obama’s concerns and strongly support his detailed economic plan and those who share his vision of making America stronger and safer. The early highlights follow:
Monday, August 25 – One Nation
Headline prime-time speaker: Michelle Obama
Featured speakers: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Claire McCaskill, Maya Soetoro-Ng and Craig Robinson
Tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy
Mayor John Hickenlooper and a video segment introducing delegates and other Convention attendees to the natural beauty and strong voices of leadership in the Mountain West
Tuesday, August 26 – Renewing America’s Promise
Headline prime-time speaker: Senator Hillary Clinton
Keynote Address: Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia
Featured speakers: Governors Napolitano, Patrick, Rendell, Schweitzer, Sebelius and Strickland; Senator Bob Casey, Jr. and Federico Peña
Wednesday, August 27 – Securing America’s Future
Headline prime-time speaker: Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential Nominee.
Featured speakers: Former President Bill Clinton; Governor Bill Richardson; Senators Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Jay Rockefeller and Ken Salazar; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,;House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn; Representative Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth.
Thursday, August 28 – Change You Can Believe In
Barack Obama’s acceptance speech: On Thursday night, the DNCC will throw open the doors of the Convention and move to INVESCO Field at Mile High so that more Americans can be a part of the fourth night of the Convention as Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination.
The 2008 Convention program will highlight Americans coming together to change the course of our nation and feature prominently the voices of Americans from across our country – those who are calling for a new direction, those who share Obama’s concerns and strongly support his detailed economic plan and those who share his vision of making America stronger and safer. The early highlights follow:
Monday, August 25 – One Nation
Headline prime-time speaker: Michelle Obama
Featured speakers: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Claire McCaskill, Maya Soetoro-Ng and Craig Robinson
Tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy
Mayor John Hickenlooper and a video segment introducing delegates and other Convention attendees to the natural beauty and strong voices of leadership in the Mountain West
Tuesday, August 26 – Renewing America’s Promise
Headline prime-time speaker: Senator Hillary Clinton
Keynote Address: Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia
Featured speakers: Governors Napolitano, Patrick, Rendell, Schweitzer, Sebelius and Strickland; Senator Bob Casey, Jr. and Federico Peña
Wednesday, August 27 – Securing America’s Future
Headline prime-time speaker: Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential Nominee.
Featured speakers: Former President Bill Clinton; Governor Bill Richardson; Senators Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Jay Rockefeller and Ken Salazar; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,;House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn; Representative Patrick Murphy (D-PA) and Iraq War veteran Tammy Duckworth.
Thursday, August 28 – Change You Can Believe In
Barack Obama’s acceptance speech: On Thursday night, the DNCC will throw open the doors of the Convention and move to INVESCO Field at Mile High so that more Americans can be a part of the fourth night of the Convention as Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination.
We had a voice and now we get a Vote!
Two weeks before the big night it was finally determined the Hillary delegates will get to have a vote at the convention. This happened because of a grassroots movement by delegates who want what is best for the party. I talk to a lot of the Hillary delegates from all over the country and they all feel very strongly that this is the only way for the party to unite. I couldn't agree more. What people seem to forget is this was a very close election. So close that Hillary and Obama could not secure the nomination without the votes at the convention by the super delegates. Once Florida and Michigan are counted Hillary will have more individual votes and Obama will have more delegates. I realize Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan so no matter how you slice and dice it there is not a clear cut way to determine who got the most individual votes. It is just like the 2000 elections. Gore got more votes and W got more electoral votes, but we were told to just move on. When you know a system is flawed it is hard to move on. This is why many Hillary supporters have a hard time moving on. When I say Hillary supporters I am generalizing and these are not necessarily my views, I am simply bringing up what I know from the loyal Hillary supporters.
I just think 18 million people deserve to have a vote at the convention and then when Hillary does not secure the needed delegates we all unite behind Obama. Since the system is flawed this will make it a little easier to have a clear winner. The Hillary supporters just need closure and I strongly believe this is how we have closure. We need to all come together and beat McCain. The reality is many votes will just start to engage after labor day.
I am proud of the role I played in trying to shatter the glass ceiling and I will be proud of the role I will play in electing the first African American!
I just think 18 million people deserve to have a vote at the convention and then when Hillary does not secure the needed delegates we all unite behind Obama. Since the system is flawed this will make it a little easier to have a clear winner. The Hillary supporters just need closure and I strongly believe this is how we have closure. We need to all come together and beat McCain. The reality is many votes will just start to engage after labor day.
I am proud of the role I played in trying to shatter the glass ceiling and I will be proud of the role I will play in electing the first African American!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Arizona AFL-CIO Announces the 2008 Congressional Primary Endorsements
Today the Arizona AFL-CIO is pleased to announce our Congressional Primary Election endorsements. The endorsements come from an extensive interviewing process and Legislative voting record review with U.S. Congressional candidates. As the largest organization of unions in the state representing 165,000 union members in addition to their families, the Arizona AFL-CIO endorsement is considered crucial for the success of many of the candidates. The primary will be held on September 2, 2008.
Rebekah Friend, Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO stated, “It is a pleasure to endorse candidates of this caliber. These candidates share our vision of what is important to Arizona’s working families. These candidates support the issues that Arizona’s unions fight for everyday. Issues such as the workers right to join a union, access to affordable healthcare, and a stable and improved economy, and quality education.” Friend concluded, “There are many issues on the table that impact working families, and it is crucial for the future of Arizona that we elect those who are going to step up to the plate and fight for the issues that will move Arizona forward. We’re convinced that these candidates will do just that. We intend to put substantial resources forward to educate union members and their families on the views of our endorsed candidates and then ensure their successful election.”
Following is a list of the early endorsed Congressional candidates:
District Candidate
1 Ann Kirkpatrick (D)
2 John Thrasher (D)
3 Bob Lord (D)
4 Ed Pastor (D)
5 Harry Mitchell (D)
7 Raul M. Grijalva (D)
8 Gabrielle Giffords (D)
The Arizona AFL-CIO is an umbrella organization comprised of AFL-CIO affiliated local unions which represent over 165,000 union members and their families in the state of Arizona.
Today the Arizona AFL-CIO is pleased to announce our Congressional Primary Election endorsements. The endorsements come from an extensive interviewing process and Legislative voting record review with U.S. Congressional candidates. As the largest organization of unions in the state representing 165,000 union members in addition to their families, the Arizona AFL-CIO endorsement is considered crucial for the success of many of the candidates. The primary will be held on September 2, 2008.
Rebekah Friend, Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO stated, “It is a pleasure to endorse candidates of this caliber. These candidates share our vision of what is important to Arizona’s working families. These candidates support the issues that Arizona’s unions fight for everyday. Issues such as the workers right to join a union, access to affordable healthcare, and a stable and improved economy, and quality education.” Friend concluded, “There are many issues on the table that impact working families, and it is crucial for the future of Arizona that we elect those who are going to step up to the plate and fight for the issues that will move Arizona forward. We’re convinced that these candidates will do just that. We intend to put substantial resources forward to educate union members and their families on the views of our endorsed candidates and then ensure their successful election.”
Following is a list of the early endorsed Congressional candidates:
District Candidate
1 Ann Kirkpatrick (D)
2 John Thrasher (D)
3 Bob Lord (D)
4 Ed Pastor (D)
5 Harry Mitchell (D)
7 Raul M. Grijalva (D)
8 Gabrielle Giffords (D)
The Arizona AFL-CIO is an umbrella organization comprised of AFL-CIO affiliated local unions which represent over 165,000 union members and their families in the state of Arizona.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Exposing McCain
Outraged AFL-CIO Working Families Protest Record High Gas Prices
as National Average Reaches Four Dollars
Protestors will call on Bush and McCain to denounce their support of Big Oil
On Thursday, June 12, 2008, AFL-CIO working families will protest Sen. John McCain’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona to decry out-of-control gas prices, saying they’re choking off the American dream. They will assert that President Bush is too cozy with big oil companies and has done nothing to check soaring gas prices. They will call on President Bush and Senator John McCain to boost the economy and invest in jobs and energy independence rather than spending billions on the Iraq war - - a war that’s benefiting the oil industry. They will also call on Bush and McCain to end their support for tax breaks for big oil.
The average price of gas hit $4 on Monday, June 9th, up from $1.47 the week President Bush took office.
The participants will hold signs that say “Bush & McCain love Big Oil” and condemn McCain’s proposed support for tax breaks for Big Oil. Pointing out that McCain has received twice as much money from Big Oil as either Democratic candidate, the group will demand that McCain honor working people’s interests, not those of the oil industry. McCain’s tax plan would give an additional $3.8 billion in tax cuts to the five largest American oil companies.
“It’s time for Pres. Bush and Sen. McCain to stop the giveaways to their friends in Big Oil and stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, and instead start sticking up for working people at home,” said Rebekah Friend, Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO. “Big oil is making record profits, and it’s coming out of our pockets.”
Similar events are happening across the country. In total, there are several protests happening today as part of an AFL-CIO campaign to call on solutions to the record high gas prices.
WHO: AFL-CIO working families
WHAT: Protest Outside Sen. McCain’s office
WHERE: 5353 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ
WHEN: Thursday, June 12th at Noon
“McCain Revealed” is an AFL-CIO national campaign to expose Sen. John McCain's economic record and plans to continue the failed Bush economic agenda, and to generate public pressure on him to support policies that advance working families’ interests. To learn more, go to www.mccainrevealed.org.
as National Average Reaches Four Dollars
Protestors will call on Bush and McCain to denounce their support of Big Oil
On Thursday, June 12, 2008, AFL-CIO working families will protest Sen. John McCain’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona to decry out-of-control gas prices, saying they’re choking off the American dream. They will assert that President Bush is too cozy with big oil companies and has done nothing to check soaring gas prices. They will call on President Bush and Senator John McCain to boost the economy and invest in jobs and energy independence rather than spending billions on the Iraq war - - a war that’s benefiting the oil industry. They will also call on Bush and McCain to end their support for tax breaks for big oil.
The average price of gas hit $4 on Monday, June 9th, up from $1.47 the week President Bush took office.
The participants will hold signs that say “Bush & McCain love Big Oil” and condemn McCain’s proposed support for tax breaks for Big Oil. Pointing out that McCain has received twice as much money from Big Oil as either Democratic candidate, the group will demand that McCain honor working people’s interests, not those of the oil industry. McCain’s tax plan would give an additional $3.8 billion in tax cuts to the five largest American oil companies.
“It’s time for Pres. Bush and Sen. McCain to stop the giveaways to their friends in Big Oil and stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, and instead start sticking up for working people at home,” said Rebekah Friend, Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO. “Big oil is making record profits, and it’s coming out of our pockets.”
Similar events are happening across the country. In total, there are several protests happening today as part of an AFL-CIO campaign to call on solutions to the record high gas prices.
WHO: AFL-CIO working families
WHAT: Protest Outside Sen. McCain’s office
WHERE: 5353 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ
WHEN: Thursday, June 12th at Noon
“McCain Revealed” is an AFL-CIO national campaign to expose Sen. John McCain's economic record and plans to continue the failed Bush economic agenda, and to generate public pressure on him to support policies that advance working families’ interests. To learn more, go to www.mccainrevealed.org.
Monday, June 9, 2008
I was there- did you see me?
When Hillary announce that she was suspending her campaign on a Saturday so her supporters would be able to be there I was thrilled. As always she was thinking about her supporters and wanted to make sure we were included. I went on my US Airways account and yep, I had enough miles to garner a free ticket. I didn't want to miss this historic event. This last year was about History and I wanted to be there every step of the way and I was. When Hillary decided to run for POTUS I was excited but I needed a little more than she was a woman running. Sure I spend a lot of my time helping women get elected, I help men too, but my passion is women.
About a year ago I went to the Emily's List Majority Council meeting where I heard Hillary speak for over an hour on multiple issues. She took questions and WOW was she smart. She could take the most complex issue and share what she would do to fix it in great detail. It was from that week that I realized that if ever we had a chance to shatter the glass ceiling Hillary was the person to do it. I went on the journey with her. I raised money and I organized people to supporter her and get involved. I went to Iowa, Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania and of course helped win Arizona despite some major endorsements.
The media complained since Feb. 5th for her to drop our. She kept going and kept her eye on the prize. The reality was, he couldn't win unless she dropped out and she couldn't win unless he dropped out. The democratic nomination would be decided by the Super Delegates. It is what it is. This is my new saying.
I have been there since the very beginning so when Hillary was going to bow out I wanted to be there to feel the magic. Magic it was. I was lucky enough to be a VIP so I didn't have to wait in line and I could be in the very front. I am a Hillary delegate so I do get special treatment and I think I earned it so I will take it. The room was packed and it was diverse, age, race, gender, etc. She was late as she is known to be. While we were waiting my mom called. "Are you in DC?" "Yes I am." I am looking at you on CNN! I started to get emails, I see you on TV. Yep, it was me I had a front row seat as history unfolded. Hillary came out and she took control of the room. She was amazing and she made us all proud. Her words were magic and very sincere.
When the event was over people spilled out and there were reporters everywhere. What concerned me the most was all the supporters who are still so hurt with their dream gone. They were telling supporters that no way would they EVER support Obama- we have problems. What makes it so hard for people to move on is the Super Delegates decided this outcome. One can argue about MI and FL if those delegates should count or not. What happens in a narrow election is it shines a spotlight on a flawed system in electing the POTUS. I am most disappointed with Chairman Dean and his lack of leadership in making sure there was a solution before we came to crisis mode. Florida is a mess and we will loose it in November. Because this is a tie it will take time to heal the wounds. In Florida the Republicans gave it to us once again and decided to break the rules and screw the Democrats. The average voter just went to vote not knowing about a delegate, or a super delegate. It is what it is. The Supreme court decided the outcome in 2000 and the Super Delegates decided the outcome of the Democratic Primary. It is what it is. But one thing for sure it is a historic election and I was front and center for it.
About a year ago I went to the Emily's List Majority Council meeting where I heard Hillary speak for over an hour on multiple issues. She took questions and WOW was she smart. She could take the most complex issue and share what she would do to fix it in great detail. It was from that week that I realized that if ever we had a chance to shatter the glass ceiling Hillary was the person to do it. I went on the journey with her. I raised money and I organized people to supporter her and get involved. I went to Iowa, Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania and of course helped win Arizona despite some major endorsements.
The media complained since Feb. 5th for her to drop our. She kept going and kept her eye on the prize. The reality was, he couldn't win unless she dropped out and she couldn't win unless he dropped out. The democratic nomination would be decided by the Super Delegates. It is what it is. This is my new saying.
I have been there since the very beginning so when Hillary was going to bow out I wanted to be there to feel the magic. Magic it was. I was lucky enough to be a VIP so I didn't have to wait in line and I could be in the very front. I am a Hillary delegate so I do get special treatment and I think I earned it so I will take it. The room was packed and it was diverse, age, race, gender, etc. She was late as she is known to be. While we were waiting my mom called. "Are you in DC?" "Yes I am." I am looking at you on CNN! I started to get emails, I see you on TV. Yep, it was me I had a front row seat as history unfolded. Hillary came out and she took control of the room. She was amazing and she made us all proud. Her words were magic and very sincere.
When the event was over people spilled out and there were reporters everywhere. What concerned me the most was all the supporters who are still so hurt with their dream gone. They were telling supporters that no way would they EVER support Obama- we have problems. What makes it so hard for people to move on is the Super Delegates decided this outcome. One can argue about MI and FL if those delegates should count or not. What happens in a narrow election is it shines a spotlight on a flawed system in electing the POTUS. I am most disappointed with Chairman Dean and his lack of leadership in making sure there was a solution before we came to crisis mode. Florida is a mess and we will loose it in November. Because this is a tie it will take time to heal the wounds. In Florida the Republicans gave it to us once again and decided to break the rules and screw the Democrats. The average voter just went to vote not knowing about a delegate, or a super delegate. It is what it is. The Supreme court decided the outcome in 2000 and the Super Delegates decided the outcome of the Democratic Primary. It is what it is. But one thing for sure it is a historic election and I was front and center for it.
A Historic Endorsement
For this blog I am just going to post Hillary's remarks.....
Transcript: Hillary Clinton Delivers Remarks in Washington, D.C.
Hillary Clinton delivered the following remarks at a campaign event in Washington D.C. this afternoon:
Thank you so much. Thank you all.
Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.
I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”
To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.
To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”
To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.
18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.
Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years.
I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.
The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.
Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.
I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.
In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.
Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.
I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.
We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.
We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared.
We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.
We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families.
We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.
You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.
We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House.
We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.
Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.
It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard.
So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.
Together we will work. We’ll have to work hard to get universal health care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man, and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we need to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help elect Barack Obama our President.
This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions:
Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we answered that one.
And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama has answered that one.
Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more perfect union.
Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.
I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all the way – especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.” Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad, thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs too.
All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future.
Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America.
Transcript: Hillary Clinton Delivers Remarks in Washington, D.C.
Hillary Clinton delivered the following remarks at a campaign event in Washington D.C. this afternoon:
Thank you so much. Thank you all.
Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company.
I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”
To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.
To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in 20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”
To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your commitment to our country.
18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.
Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter, juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?” We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their president these last seven years.
I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.
The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States.
Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.
I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.
In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator - he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the democratic process and invested in our common future.
Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House, and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.
I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.
We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around because so much is at stake.
We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is broadly distributed and shared.
We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.
We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for the most important job there is: caring for our families.
We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and genocide to terrorism and global warming.
You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.
We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace and security respected around the world. Just think how much more progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court. Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if we had just had a Democrat in the White House.
We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much.
Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it. That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.
It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their voices heard.
So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.
Together we will work. We’ll have to work hard to get universal health care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man, and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we need to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help elect Barack Obama our President.
We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help elect Barack Obama our President.
This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions:
Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we answered that one.
And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama has answered that one.
Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more perfect union.
Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I’d be the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.
I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us.
I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.
You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.
To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all the way – especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.
As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation and Jim Crow.
Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote. Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.” Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of you will join me in that effort.
To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad, thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs too.
All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work together.
That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love. There is nothing more American than that.
And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives. So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given potential.
I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment to the future.
Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
He said...she said
Thursdays debate was one to remember. There was a nice gathering of Hillary supporters at a local wine bar. About 25 people gathered to watch the debate and it was a good one. There was amazing energy as new connections were formed and a great group networked and connected. The majority of gatherers were women and a few men. This seems to be a common theme I see in her campaign. Many of those that showed up are new to politics. I think Hillary did fantastic. She was articulate and remained calm, cool and collected. I think most of the candidates did well, but Hillary by far did the best. What I found odd was Edwards performance. I do like Edwards and I think he has great ideas and is a wonderful candidate- however, Thursday he was not his best. I would have liked a counter for how many times he said, "She said." Rather than speak his own mind he sounded like a whining brother telling on his sibling. Last week at..."she said" on her postion on immigration, "she said." The he said she said just went on and on. Edwards is a bright guy, he doesn't need to run a campaign on "she said." There needs to be more than what "she said" if you are going to lead this country, that is why what "she said" won her the debate.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
It's all about me & women just like me for 2008!
That right- if you haven't already heard let me be the first to tell you. 2008 is all about the single woman! Yep, that's right we hold a lot of political clout for the upcoming election. It's about time campaigns realized single women rock! Move over soccer mom's and make room for the single women. We can sway any election if we make up our mind and vote! I always knew me and my girlfriends were powerful it's about time someone took notice and finally listened. So bring on the mailings, the phone calls and when you go door to door - do me a favor and send out the eye candy- it's payback time. Single women of the world let's flex our power and VOTE and by the way- we are swinging to the left these days!
Women are putting our money where our candidates are!
I recently traveled to DC to be part of Hillary's Women's Finance Council and attend the first ever Women's Summit. What an amazing experience. There were almost 1,000 women from 47 states. We had to turn women away because there was not room to hold everyone. Many fundraisers said you find an overflow room and hook up a satellite screen - you never turn money away. Not the Hillary campaign. This was not just about raising money - it was more than that- it was about women building a movement. If there was a group of women who were in some small dark room with a TV watching they certainly would not have had the same experience and they would have left upset not inspired. This event was an experience and we left inspired and ready for the next challenge. We are building a movement and making history all at the same time. We were also flexing our financial abilities. Business men get it. If you want to be a player in politics you must write a check. Well Hillary is doing that with women. We are writing checks because we want Hillary to be competitive with the men and we are going to dig deep to write that check.
I wrote my own check to be part of history. The goal of this event was to raise $500,000 and we raised 1.5 million- that right 1.5 million!!! What is most amazing is it was all women who raised the money. The event was the Women's summit - it was a full day chalk full of information from her campaign ad visors (many are women) to her policy advisory to her technology experts and of course Hillary herself. When she came out to great and inspire all 1,000 women- her eyes teared up. I could see this because I was fortunate enough to sit in the front row. Hillary is brilliant- just simply brilliant. She spoke for over an hour with NO notes. She went into great detail about her vision for the world and our country. She is practical and respect that about her. We learned how she makes policy and she brings together experts for discussion and then they work on solutions- it is a team collaboration which is key to turn this country around.
When Hillary was done she came down and shook hands with her supports and she took pictures with those of us who were bold enough to ask (you bet I was). My trip to DC was worth every single cent. How often do we get to be part of writing history?
Since DC was so successful we are now organizing an event in New York City. It will be December 15th. This time men are invited. I am going with a few girlfriends and we are going to make a weekend out of it. How fun to go to NYC to support Hillary and then stay the weekend with the girls. I can't wait.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Fighting in the Family?
There is much going on regarding in-fighting with the Dems in the State House. This really bothers me as someone who has worked to get more Democrats in office. The new members worked hard to get there and will need to work even harder to stay. We must look at the big picture. Look at all that the Dems in the nations capitol achieved in 100 hours- they were able to do that because they were in a leadership role, we must get there at the state capitol too! In 100 hours they passed raising the minimum wage, stem cell research, allowing Medicare to negotiate medication drug costs, college loans, and the list goes on- I know in order for the bills to become law we still need the Senate and pray the guy in the WH doesn't veto, but it is still achievement. It is my hope that the Dems in Arizona put their bitter feelings aside and work to make life better for Arizona- but I do know this can be very difficult. I received this email from the newly elected State Representative Lena Saradnik...it made me so proud as she was removed from a committee and still put her personal feelings aside and put her constituents first.
Lena is amazing!
*****************************************
Lena¹s Legislative Lines
January 12, 2007
This is my first report to you as your State Representative. I plan to
report to you regularly on the activities in the State Legislature
First Week
Monday¹s swearing in was the highlight of the week. Our daughter, Tracy,
flew in from Cambridge, MA. She and Stephen sat behind me as I took the oath
of office administered by Justice Sandra Day O¹Connor. Cheryl Cage, my
campaign manager sat in the Gallery. Several supporters and friends were
watching in the hearing rooms. It was a very emotional moment for all of us.
The House Freshmen Class
We have a wonderful group of newly elected Democrats and (we think) some
forward thinking Republicans in the 48th Arizona Legislative Session. My
first impression is that the energy and commitment they project epitomize
our collective ideal of elected representatives. Together, we are building
strong bonds to craft quality legislation to benefit all Arizonians.
Committees
My first committee hearings were all very interesting; at no time was I
bored. Many fascinating topics were discussed and valuable information was
presented. Needless to say, we have many challenges ahead of us. I will keep
you posted on how you can help.
At the beginning of the week, I was on the following committees:
Education
Government
Public Institutions and Retirement
During Thursday¹s floor session, the Speaker announced that I was off
Education and on Healthcare. Other members of our Freshmen Class were
affected as well.
No worries. One of my core beliefs is ³to bloom where one is planted² and I
plan to blossom profusely as a member of the Health Committee.
My Bills
It was not my intention to come out of the gate with a fist full of bills to
introduce. I am taking my time to learn where to put my energies first.
***********************************
Lena may be a Freshman but I think we can all learn something from her!
Lena is amazing!
*****************************************
Lena¹s Legislative Lines
January 12, 2007
This is my first report to you as your State Representative. I plan to
report to you regularly on the activities in the State Legislature
First Week
Monday¹s swearing in was the highlight of the week. Our daughter, Tracy,
flew in from Cambridge, MA. She and Stephen sat behind me as I took the oath
of office administered by Justice Sandra Day O¹Connor. Cheryl Cage, my
campaign manager sat in the Gallery. Several supporters and friends were
watching in the hearing rooms. It was a very emotional moment for all of us.
The House Freshmen Class
We have a wonderful group of newly elected Democrats and (we think) some
forward thinking Republicans in the 48th Arizona Legislative Session. My
first impression is that the energy and commitment they project epitomize
our collective ideal of elected representatives. Together, we are building
strong bonds to craft quality legislation to benefit all Arizonians.
Committees
My first committee hearings were all very interesting; at no time was I
bored. Many fascinating topics were discussed and valuable information was
presented. Needless to say, we have many challenges ahead of us. I will keep
you posted on how you can help.
At the beginning of the week, I was on the following committees:
Education
Government
Public Institutions and Retirement
During Thursday¹s floor session, the Speaker announced that I was off
Education and on Healthcare. Other members of our Freshmen Class were
affected as well.
No worries. One of my core beliefs is ³to bloom where one is planted² and I
plan to blossom profusely as a member of the Health Committee.
My Bills
It was not my intention to come out of the gate with a fist full of bills to
introduce. I am taking my time to learn where to put my energies first.
***********************************
Lena may be a Freshman but I think we can all learn something from her!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Democratic State Party Convention
This is what was reported from the convention
Chair: David Waid won by 86%
1st Vice Chair: Donna Branch Gilby (Emerge Arizona Graduate 2006)won by 62%
Vice Chair Women: Louis Pfau, Jo Kelleher, Sharon Covey
Vice Chair Men: Randy Camacho, Tony Gonzales, Jeff Latas
Secretary: Judy Kennedy
Treasurer: Rick McGuire
Affirmative Action Chair: Michael Williams
Chair: David Waid won by 86%
1st Vice Chair: Donna Branch Gilby (Emerge Arizona Graduate 2006)won by 62%
Vice Chair Women: Louis Pfau, Jo Kelleher, Sharon Covey
Vice Chair Men: Randy Camacho, Tony Gonzales, Jeff Latas
Secretary: Judy Kennedy
Treasurer: Rick McGuire
Affirmative Action Chair: Michael Williams
Senator Hillary Clinton is in!
It just seemed appropriate to start a blog on Women Leaders on the day that Hillary tosses her hat in the ring! I am in no way endorsing Hillary; this is not the intention of this blog. I do want to start thinking how many times the discussion will be her gender rather than ideas. I strongly believe that 2007 & 2008 will be years where there will be many firsts for women in politics. It started on January 4th with the one and only SPEAKER PELOSI was elected to the post. Now we have a very impressive woman - Hillary Rodham Clinton running to be President of the United States! I have had the fortune of meeting Senator Clinton several times and she is smart, talented, smart and strategic, she is very calculating and the Republicans biggest mistake will be underestimating her- she is smart! I think it is important that although this is historic she is not the first woman to run nor will she be the last! This is the email that I received from Emily's List today...
************************************************************************************
I am one of the millions of women who have waited all their lives to see the first woman sworn in as president of the United States — and now we have our best opportunity to see that dream fulfilled.
On the national stage and in the neighborhoods of New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton has repeatedly put her expertise and power behind solutions that make the lives of the American people safer and more prosperous. No one is more qualified to bring to the White House the kind of principled and effective leadership our nation so desperately needs.
It is with tremendous excitement and pride that EMILY’s List endorses Sen. Hillary Clinton for president.
As Sen. Clinton begins her historic journey, EMILY’s List will be with her every step of the way — raising early money from our grassroots donor network of tens of thousands of EMILY’s List members, using our vast political resources to help her build a strong national campaign, and mobilizing millions of women voters through our groundbreaking WOMEN VOTE! program to support her and every Democrat on the ticket in 2008.
Time after time, EMILY’s List has taken on difficult challenges and helped pro-choice Democratic women break through barriers in politics. EMILY’s List is where history is made.
We’ve been clearing the path for the first woman president since our founding in 1985, when we helped Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) become the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own right. Since then, EMILY’s List has helped elect 12 more Democratic women to the Senate.
In 1988, when EMILY’s List began supporting congressional candidates, there were only 12 Democratic women in the House. Now Nancy Pelosi is the first woman Speaker in U.S. history — a feat made possible, in part, because of the support she has among the 50 Democratic women who serve in the House today.
We’ve helped elect hundreds of women to state and local office, including eight governors — putting women in executive leadership positions where none had served before.
And we are prepared to make history again by helping elect Hillary Clinton as the first woman president of the United States!Please join EMILY's List in making history!
Warmest regards,
Ellen R. MalcolmPresident
************************************************************************************
Now that was the quickest endorsement I have seen! This is a great day for women in politics!
Arizona Women Celebrate Speaker Pelosi!
January 4, 2007
Women Leaders Celebrate Speaker Pelosi Shattering the “Marble Ceiling” and Making History Being the First Woman Elected to Lead the U.S. House of Representatives and to be Speaker of the House
(Phoenix, AZ) –Emerge Arizona and Arizona List are celebrating the historic event of the swearing in of the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes the 52nd Speaker of the house – a position that is second in line for the Presidency. Gabrielle Giffords is also being sworn into office today making her the third woman Arizona has sent to Congress; Governor Napolitano is being inaugurated as well – she received more votes in November than any other governor in Arizona ever.
In addition, an unprecedented number of women Democrats are poised to take office on Monday. Many are graduates of Arizona Emerge, an organization dedicated to training Democratic women to run for office; and many were endorsed candidates of Arizona List, a political committee modeled on EMILY’s List that works to elect pro-choice women Democrats to state and local office in Arizona.
Rebekah Friend, Emerge Arizona Co-Chair and the first woman President and Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO stated, “Emerge Arizona is celebrating more than just Speaker Pelosi, we are also celebrating the re-election of Governor Janet Napolitano, Congresswoman elect Gabrielle Giffords. In Arizona we have added 6 Democratic women to the state legislature, in both the house and the Senate and several of our Alumni have been elected to key positions in the Arizona Democratic Party, is has been a historic year for women at the Nations Capitol in addition to State Capitol. When women are elected, we all win!”
Pamela Sutherland, Executive Director of Arizona List stated, “2006 was a banner year for everyone in Arizona. Not only was our fantastic Governor reelected, but we have a number of pro-choice women Democrats coming to Phoenix to help bring a more balanced perspective to Arizona governance. Arizona has risen again to the top in terms of women in government, which helps all of the state. Fourteen of our fifteen endorsed candidates won in their general election races, including Amanda Aguirre and Lynne Pancrazi in Yuma, Lena Saradnik in Tucson, and Jackie Thrasher in Glendale!”
“The Emerge program is having its intended impact: our graduates are running smart campaigns, using their Emerge networks and winning their races. For more women to shatter the marble ceiling, we must continue our work to recruit and train and inspire women who are the next generation of talent,” stated Dana Kennedy, Executive Director of Emerge Arizona.
Emerge Arizona is a political leadership training program for Democratic women in Arizona. The Emerge mission is to identify, educate and inspire Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local and state level in Arizona. Emerge makes a long-term investment in these future leaders by honing their political skills; expanding their knowledge of local issues; and connecting them with mentors. Emerge was started in San Francisco, CA by a small committed group of women who were concerned how term limits showed a decline in women running for office and wanted to reverse this trend. This same group of women had the forward sight to launch Emerge America, a national organization based in San Francisco that identifies and develops community-based affiliate programs designed to recruit, educate and inspire talented and diverse Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local, state and national levels. Speaker Pelosi serves on the Advisory Board. She knows the importance of mentoring other women because she was mentored by Sala Burton for her first Congressional election. She has served as a major financial contributor to Emerge, donating $10,000 from her PAC to the organization. Emerge Advisory Board members also include Senator Barbara Boxer, Governor Janet Napolitano, Ann Lewis, Susie Tompkins Buell and Naomi Wolff. Major financial supporters include Senator Hillary Clinton, Susie Tompkins Buell and Barbara Lee.
Arizona List is a political committee founded in 2004, and dedicated to electing pro-choice women Democrats to state and local office in Arizona. Since then, Arizona List has grown to over 1200 members statewide making it the largest Democratic organization in Arizona outside of the Democratic Party. This year, Arizona List-endorsed candidates won in overwhelming numbers: 14 of their 15 endorsed candidates won their general election races. Representative-elect Lena Saradnik was elected to the Arizona House from predominately Republican District 26 on Tucson's northwest side, and is glowing in her compliments of Arizona List.
Women Leaders Celebrate Speaker Pelosi Shattering the “Marble Ceiling” and Making History Being the First Woman Elected to Lead the U.S. House of Representatives and to be Speaker of the House
(Phoenix, AZ) –Emerge Arizona and Arizona List are celebrating the historic event of the swearing in of the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi becomes the 52nd Speaker of the house – a position that is second in line for the Presidency. Gabrielle Giffords is also being sworn into office today making her the third woman Arizona has sent to Congress; Governor Napolitano is being inaugurated as well – she received more votes in November than any other governor in Arizona ever.
In addition, an unprecedented number of women Democrats are poised to take office on Monday. Many are graduates of Arizona Emerge, an organization dedicated to training Democratic women to run for office; and many were endorsed candidates of Arizona List, a political committee modeled on EMILY’s List that works to elect pro-choice women Democrats to state and local office in Arizona.
Rebekah Friend, Emerge Arizona Co-Chair and the first woman President and Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO stated, “Emerge Arizona is celebrating more than just Speaker Pelosi, we are also celebrating the re-election of Governor Janet Napolitano, Congresswoman elect Gabrielle Giffords. In Arizona we have added 6 Democratic women to the state legislature, in both the house and the Senate and several of our Alumni have been elected to key positions in the Arizona Democratic Party, is has been a historic year for women at the Nations Capitol in addition to State Capitol. When women are elected, we all win!”
Pamela Sutherland, Executive Director of Arizona List stated, “2006 was a banner year for everyone in Arizona. Not only was our fantastic Governor reelected, but we have a number of pro-choice women Democrats coming to Phoenix to help bring a more balanced perspective to Arizona governance. Arizona has risen again to the top in terms of women in government, which helps all of the state. Fourteen of our fifteen endorsed candidates won in their general election races, including Amanda Aguirre and Lynne Pancrazi in Yuma, Lena Saradnik in Tucson, and Jackie Thrasher in Glendale!”
“The Emerge program is having its intended impact: our graduates are running smart campaigns, using their Emerge networks and winning their races. For more women to shatter the marble ceiling, we must continue our work to recruit and train and inspire women who are the next generation of talent,” stated Dana Kennedy, Executive Director of Emerge Arizona.
Emerge Arizona is a political leadership training program for Democratic women in Arizona. The Emerge mission is to identify, educate and inspire Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local and state level in Arizona. Emerge makes a long-term investment in these future leaders by honing their political skills; expanding their knowledge of local issues; and connecting them with mentors. Emerge was started in San Francisco, CA by a small committed group of women who were concerned how term limits showed a decline in women running for office and wanted to reverse this trend. This same group of women had the forward sight to launch Emerge America, a national organization based in San Francisco that identifies and develops community-based affiliate programs designed to recruit, educate and inspire talented and diverse Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local, state and national levels. Speaker Pelosi serves on the Advisory Board. She knows the importance of mentoring other women because she was mentored by Sala Burton for her first Congressional election. She has served as a major financial contributor to Emerge, donating $10,000 from her PAC to the organization. Emerge Advisory Board members also include Senator Barbara Boxer, Governor Janet Napolitano, Ann Lewis, Susie Tompkins Buell and Naomi Wolff. Major financial supporters include Senator Hillary Clinton, Susie Tompkins Buell and Barbara Lee.
Arizona List is a political committee founded in 2004, and dedicated to electing pro-choice women Democrats to state and local office in Arizona. Since then, Arizona List has grown to over 1200 members statewide making it the largest Democratic organization in Arizona outside of the Democratic Party. This year, Arizona List-endorsed candidates won in overwhelming numbers: 14 of their 15 endorsed candidates won their general election races. Representative-elect Lena Saradnik was elected to the Arizona House from predominately Republican District 26 on Tucson's northwest side, and is glowing in her compliments of Arizona List.
Amazing Women!
Rebekah Friend Appointed Executive Director of the Arizona AFL-CIO
Another Woman to Make History in the Labor Movement!
(Phoenix, AZ) Today the Executive Board of the Arizona AFL-CIO announced that its president, Rebekah Friend is the new Arizona AFL-CIO executive director to manage the organizations’ day-to-day operations.
Michael McGrath recently stepped down as executive director, but will remain the organization’s secretary-treasurer. McGrath stated, “It’s been an amazing experience to run the day-to-day operations of the Arizona AFL-CIO; and in the past five years, we have made significant strides to bring together Arizona’s union movement to make a difference for Arizona’s Working Families. The work is not finished and I remain committed to the organization to ensure that working families’ issues are at the forefront of our elected officials. Although I am stepping down from the daily operations, I will continue to be involved. Rebekah and I have worked side-by-side for the past five years and she is ready and well prepared for this challenge.
Friend stated, “I am thrilled to take on this challenge. I have worked closely with Michael for the past five years and it will be difficult to fill his shoes, but we will continue to work closely through this transition.”
Michael E. McGrath was elected secretary-treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO in 2002, and was re-elected to a second term in June 2003. In 2003 with Friend at his side, McGrath re-energized the Arizona labor movement by leading efforts to install a new governing structure called the “New Alliance,” which has increased affiliation participation in Arizona AFL-CIO programs. Under his leadership, Arizona union members created the successful and unprecedented Labor 2002, 2003 and 2004, 2005 and 2006 programs, which increased union voter registration by over 10 percent and elected labor-friendly candidates including Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Raul Grijalva, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, Attorney General Terry Goddard and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon — just to name a few.
At a time when women are making history at the nation’s Capitol as well as at the Arizona legislature, Friend is following with being the first female executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO. Friend will be one of the only female executive directors to head a state AFL-CIO in the country. Friend was the first female-elected president of the Arizona chapter of the national AFL-CIO representing 13 million people and 64 unions. A member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for over 25 years, she understands the importance of creating equal opportunities for all working individuals.
Friend successful chaired the Minimum Wage Coalition which brought Prop 202 to the ballot and raised the minimum wage to $6.75 with a cost of living adjustment every year. She also developed legislation to improve unemployment insurance and workers' compensation for union members. In 2002 before the issue was so divisive, Friend coordinated the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride to raise awareness for immigrant workers' rights. Friend was instrumental in lobbying legislators to implement a state-wide Cesar Chavez Day to recognize Arizona 's immigrant farm workers.
Friend served as the first president of the Coalition for Labor Union Women in Maricopa County, lobbying state legislators on pay equity bills affecting female workers. In 2002, Friend was presented a lifetime achievement award by the Arizona Democratic Party by being inducted into the “Hall of Fame.”
Rebekah is the Co-Chair and a founder of Emerge Arizona, a comprehensive training program which recruits, trains and inspires women to run for office. In 2004, Rebekah was awarded the YWCA's Woman of the Year the highest award for a Civic Leader.
###
Another Woman to Make History in the Labor Movement!
(Phoenix, AZ) Today the Executive Board of the Arizona AFL-CIO announced that its president, Rebekah Friend is the new Arizona AFL-CIO executive director to manage the organizations’ day-to-day operations.
Michael McGrath recently stepped down as executive director, but will remain the organization’s secretary-treasurer. McGrath stated, “It’s been an amazing experience to run the day-to-day operations of the Arizona AFL-CIO; and in the past five years, we have made significant strides to bring together Arizona’s union movement to make a difference for Arizona’s Working Families. The work is not finished and I remain committed to the organization to ensure that working families’ issues are at the forefront of our elected officials. Although I am stepping down from the daily operations, I will continue to be involved. Rebekah and I have worked side-by-side for the past five years and she is ready and well prepared for this challenge.
Friend stated, “I am thrilled to take on this challenge. I have worked closely with Michael for the past five years and it will be difficult to fill his shoes, but we will continue to work closely through this transition.”
Michael E. McGrath was elected secretary-treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO in 2002, and was re-elected to a second term in June 2003. In 2003 with Friend at his side, McGrath re-energized the Arizona labor movement by leading efforts to install a new governing structure called the “New Alliance,” which has increased affiliation participation in Arizona AFL-CIO programs. Under his leadership, Arizona union members created the successful and unprecedented Labor 2002, 2003 and 2004, 2005 and 2006 programs, which increased union voter registration by over 10 percent and elected labor-friendly candidates including Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Raul Grijalva, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, Attorney General Terry Goddard and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon — just to name a few.
At a time when women are making history at the nation’s Capitol as well as at the Arizona legislature, Friend is following with being the first female executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO. Friend will be one of the only female executive directors to head a state AFL-CIO in the country. Friend was the first female-elected president of the Arizona chapter of the national AFL-CIO representing 13 million people and 64 unions. A member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for over 25 years, she understands the importance of creating equal opportunities for all working individuals.
Friend successful chaired the Minimum Wage Coalition which brought Prop 202 to the ballot and raised the minimum wage to $6.75 with a cost of living adjustment every year. She also developed legislation to improve unemployment insurance and workers' compensation for union members. In 2002 before the issue was so divisive, Friend coordinated the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride to raise awareness for immigrant workers' rights. Friend was instrumental in lobbying legislators to implement a state-wide Cesar Chavez Day to recognize Arizona 's immigrant farm workers.
Friend served as the first president of the Coalition for Labor Union Women in Maricopa County, lobbying state legislators on pay equity bills affecting female workers. In 2002, Friend was presented a lifetime achievement award by the Arizona Democratic Party by being inducted into the “Hall of Fame.”
Rebekah is the Co-Chair and a founder of Emerge Arizona, a comprehensive training program which recruits, trains and inspires women to run for office. In 2004, Rebekah was awarded the YWCA's Woman of the Year the highest award for a Civic Leader.
###
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