Originally published for The Hill
HBO’s “Game Change,” adapted from the blockbuster book by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, couldn’t have been better timed. It reminded everyone of the history made in 2008 and how the earth shook when the Hillary Effect pushed a woman on to the Republican presidential ticket for the first time in history. It solidified women as official game changers.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy. When running against incumbents in districts packed by the opposing party, winning is tough, regardless of gender. In 2010, the number of women declined in Congress for the first time in 30 years, while first-time wins for women in New Mexico, South Carolina and Oklahoma put women at seven governorships nationally. Susan Page reported at the time in USA Today that “47 Republican and 91 Democratic women are on the ballot for the House, along with six Republicans and nine Democratic women for the Senate. … Both totals set records.”
Democrats have the longest sitting female senator in history, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. Counting potential reelections of women Democrats have Senators Feinstein, Stabenow, Klobuchar, Cantwell, McCaskill and Gillibrand, with Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Shelley Berkley of Nevada, Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota all vying for the Senate.
The first Republican and first female elected governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, is running for Senate, too.
Rivaling the marquee contest of Elizabeth Warren-Scott Brown on the Senate side, we’ve now got Iraq war veteran and double-amputee Tammy Duckworth against Joe Walsh on the House side.
In the New York Times in October 2011, Barbara Lee, president of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, whose goal is to get more women “engaged in politics,” made a defining observation: “Men who have the slightly relevant experience will jump in without a second thought. Women need to be recruited and asked multiple times by multiple people in order to consider running.”
And guess who’s covering these stories? Candy Crowley, Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric and Christiane Amanpour had their turns, too. Morning shows cast women across all the cable and network channels, with subjects ranging from Afghanistan to the financial crisis, with fluff sandwiched between real news. Al Gore’s CurrentTV added former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm to their primetime lineup, Erin Burnett is on CNN primetime, with Melissa Harris-Perry joining MSNBC where Rachel Maddow has taken up primary hosting. Greta Van Susteren’s reign at Fox News Channel continues, with Megyn Kelly another formidable presence there.
After Andrea Mitchell’s conversation with Susan G. Komen on her MSNBC mid-day show, the furor just got louder. In mid-March The New Yorker reported the Komen Foundation’s big May Awards Gala and fundraiser had been cancelled, the guarantee of it being financially successful gone. The resignations of Komen’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, and the CEO of Komen’s New York City affiliate, punctuated the Foundation’s turmoil.
When Sandra Fluke stood up for mandated contraceptive coverage, it ignited “slut – prostitute” smears from Rush Limbaugh that rocked talk radio and its comfy advertising base, which continues to reverberate.
According to Emily’s List president Stephanie Schriock, the group has doubled its members since Speaker Boehner took the gavel, topping 1 million members in hopes of doing just that. President Obama is depending on women, too, because female voters could be his backstop against rising oil prices that are frustrating everyone and over which he has little control.
For Republicans, the year of the woman could mean something else entirely. In Virginia, the transvaginal ultrasound bill that came to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s desk caused such an uproar that it humiliated the Republican vice presidential hopeful. In Pennsylvania, when Republican Gov. Tom Corbett was faced with “The Woman’s Right To Know Act,” a bill that forces women to have a mandatory ultrasound and look at the results before terminating a pregnancy, he said, “You just have to close your eyes.”
Republicans would be wise to listen to Margaret Hoover, who said on Bill O’Reilly’s show, talking about the 2012 presidential election, that “if Republicans make this about social issues, we’re going to lose.” O’Reilly ignored her, which is the Fox News audience’s loss.
HBO’s “Game Change” offered a cautionary tale for all women, as we look out on a political world of wider possibilities. The Hillary Effect is proving again and again that women want to see themselves in other women who are leading and offering solutions. We all saw Hillary Clinton take on the toughest challenge there is and come closer to succeeding than any other woman in American history. The opportunities abound for us today. But to be a game-changer, we better come prepared.
The repugs either do not GET or can not accept that they have lost the culture war.
I “checked,” and not surprisingly, it’s a great read/
Thanks so very much, Joyce.
By the by, great piece Ms. Marsh….but then we wouldn’t expect anything but!
I appreciate that, secularh, as well as everyone’s support & emails on this one!
Great piece. We are so lucky to have you keeping the score on women in politics. You did not get into new media, maybe it was modesty? You would have to mention Taylor Marsh who is a force of nature in her own right.
Very sweet of you LLady, thanks so very much.
Maybe this would be a good place to give a short update on my first year as Mayor.
The first six months were tough and exilerating Within weeks of my election the two key employees in any city; the City Manager and the City Clerk retired. This was a great opportunity as I ran against what they were not doing for the city. The tough part was it left me, green as grass, running the city with two long time Board of Aldermen members in full opposition.
It is coming up on a year now and my little City Hall is humming. I found and fought for a great young, smart, City manager and he hired a smart young City Clerk who is also a city resident and very committed. All records are now electronic, City Hall has been painted and reorganized, all finances are fully transparent and posted for all residents on our updated website. All employees now have a decent healthcare policy paid for by the city and will be getting a raise with the next budget.City codes are regulary enforced. Our residents have accepted a raise in rates to ensure the sustainability of our sewer system. Two problem police officers were let go and two great guys were hired and they have received crisis intervention training.
I have had wonderful support from a small core group of supporters and Board members each lending their skills and intelligence to accomplishing our goals.I am more convinced than ever that putting energy into your local setting is the way to go right now.
If you want to expand for a post, let me know. I think people would be interested to hear about your experience.
Let me think about it. Very busy right now getting the farmers market ready to go for the season.
Very nice piece, Taylor. I did not see the movie; I understand it stuck with the ’08 general election. I must admit, I hold a grudge against the authors not only for how they treat Hillary Clinton in the book, but also how they treat Elizabeth Edwards. Inexcusable, as far as I’m concerned. I am appreciating the higher numbers of women covering politics.
Lake Lady, tell us more. I’m all ears.
Thanks!
Great article and congrads on your article in The Hill. Your fair in the article and thats something missing today. Hillary Clinton paved the way for the women in this country to run for office. Its still alot harder for women to run for office and proberly will be for years to come, but its alot easier than it was, but much more needs to be done.
Appreciate that, fmi.