Michelman to NH Women: Put Away Your Bellbottoms and Lava Lamps, Edwards is the Feminist You Need
New Hampshire voters received an email from Kate Michelman this week, pitching John Edwards as a modern-day feminist. In it, she says that female voters have long since put away their lava lamps and bellbottoms and should, likewise, permanently stash their 1970s views of feminism.
"The one thing that a feminist has always embodied is the passion and dedication to fight the status quo," writes Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "Being a feminist and standing up for women’s issues means a willingness to take on the norms and power structures of our time. John Edwards is the only candidate that has demonstrated a commitment to this fight."
Underscoring the vital importance of women voters in the 2008 campaign, Michelman has been out front for Edwards in pushing the line that HRC is misusing the whole woman thing. But as dicey, and even disingenuous, as it is for HRC to try to erase a lackluster debate performance by blaming her male opponents for "piling on" their criticisms, it seems equally risky for Edwards to try to position himself as the girl-power candidate.
"Like a true feminist, John Edwards has refused to play by the boy’s rules," Michelman writes.
Michelman and Cate Edwards are criss-crossing the Granite State tomorrow and Saturday, carrying this message -- how it will resonate remains to be seen -- to women and young voters.
The full text of Michelman's email after the jump.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Most of us, hopefully, don’t look at lava lamps the same way we used to. I put my plaid bellbottoms away a long time ago. We don’t look at a lot of things the same way we used to, so why should we continue to look at feminism in the same way we did in 1970?
It’s not 1970 anymore and the obstacles facing women today have evolved as women’s positions in society have evolved. It’s no longer as simple as empowering women to join the workforce - we’ve done that, we make up half of it already. Now it’s time to go the next step and provide women with the support and infrastructure we need to make the choices we want to make. Whether it’s paid paternity leave, enforced child support, quality pre-natal care or tougher laws against workforce discrimination, the fight today is broader and more inclusive than it was in 1970.
On November 9th and 10th I'll be in New Hampshire, and I want to invite you to join Cate Edwards and me for a conversation on why John Edwards is the best candidate to address issues facing women today:
www.johnedwards.com/nh/webcast/kateandcate
Now don’t get me wrong some things have certainly not changed. When I stood, in 1970, with no job to support myself, no health care and pregnant and with three young children, whose father had decided a little late in the game that parenting wasn’t for him, the question I asked myself was simple and straightforward: “how am I going to make it?” This question was relevant in 1970 and it’s most definitely relevant today. John knows what it’s like to struggle. He knows what it’s like to ask yourself that question and that’s why he has the most progressive and comprehensive plan – from universal health care to ending the pay gap – to help women across the country to answer that question.
You can find an event near you or you can log on and join the discussion right from your computer during our interactive webcast:
www.johnedwards.com/nh/webcast/kateandcate
The one thing that a feminist has always embodied is the passion and dedication to fight the status quo. Being a feminist and standing up for women’s issues means a willingness to take on the norms and power structures of our time. John Edwards is the only candidate that has demonstrated a commitment to this fight.
John has refused to play the game of taking money from corporate lobbyists and PACs and it’s important to remember that this is the same game that has created a world where women still earn 77 cents to every dollar a man earns; and unmarried women make just 56 cents to every dollar a married man earns. This is the same game that has created a power structure where women comprise less than 2.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs in America. It’s time to open our eyes and recognize the connection between the old boy’s club game of politics and money and the empowerment of women.
Like a true feminist, John Edwards has refused to play by the boy’s rules.
Join us on November 9th or 10th in a town near you or online to continue this conversation and get answers to the questions that matter most to you: www.johnedwards.com/nh/webcast/kateandcate
- Kate Michelman
John Edwards for President
What a joke! John Edwards is a little late to the game of trying to capture the female vote. He never had it. He never will have it. Hillary has been working on behalf of women, children and families for over 30 years and, unfortunately for John "The Feminist" Edwards, her work is well-documented.
Thank god. Hillary "I'm your girl" Clinton continues to push back the feminist movement by batting her eyes every time the going gets tough.
This is one woman who supports Edwards based the connection between his policies and my brain. I don't vote with my womb.
Andrea - Dont' be so sure that Edwards won't get his share of the female vote. John Edwards certainly has this feminist's vote!
I was appalled when Hilliary said "I'm your girl" and I was equally appalled when her campaign tried to blame her problems in the last debate on the other candidates piling on her because she is a woman. That was so disingenous. As a woman I felt used by that comment.
I've been a feminist since the 1970s and one thing I've learned is that just because someone is a woman doesn't mean they are an ally. Now I'm not saying that Hilliary is no better than a Phyllis Schafly. Clearly that is not the case but I agree with Kate Michelman that John Edward's policies will help many more women in this country than the status quo that Hilliary represents.
I have confidence in women that they will look at each candidate and make a determination of which one offers the best policies for women and men.
Yes, we have a chance to potentially elect the 1st woman president but we shouldn't let that blind us to an equally and perhaps greater opportunity to elect a president that actually plans to change the status quo. A candidate who is TRULY courageous enough to fight the entrenched interests in this country that have kept women down. I'd much rather have the fighter who will work for REAL change than have a symbol for women that doesn't change anything. And I think most women would agree.
Jen Q, while I'm glad that you support Edwards I really take issue with your comments.
I certainly don't want the feminist movement pushed back as you state and I know John Edwards doesn't either.
John Edwards IS a feminist and he is well aware of the unique problems that women encounter in the work place and in every facet of their daily lives. So if you are anti-feminism as your comments appear to shwo then you have picked the wrong candidate to back.