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Press Release, For
Immediate Release
Aug. 16, 2008
WalkAMileInOurShoes.org
DNC Historic Firsts
1972 to 2008, 36 Years on the Chisholm Trail
San Francisco Bay Area
(CA) - The path to the White house for women has not always been
glorious. The journey has been in fits and starts, with milestones
along the way. Echoing the media bias that forced Senator Clinton to
suspend her campaign, were the calls of the media and power elite 36
years ago, for Shirley Chisholm to give way so that Al Sharpton, a
man who although a well known figure, had comparatively little
qualifications. Justly, and to her credit Congresswoman Chisholm
refused to give way. While she did not fully achieve her goal she
did receive an honest vote. She received a significant number of
delegate votes for nomination and thereby irrevocably made another
step in the trail to the White House for woman. Graciously, Hubert
Humphrey released his African American delegates to allow them to
vote for Chisholm.
However, history has no
mention of a gesture based on Chisholm as a woman- even though to be
the "first real, viable" woman candidate for President was
Ms. Chisholm's stated goal. Chisholm said, “When I die, I want
to be remembered as a woman who lived in the 20th century and who
dared to be a catalyst of change. I don’t want to be remembered
as the first black woman who went to Congress. And I don’t even
want to be remembered as the first woman who happened to be black to
make the bid for the presidency. I want to be remembered as a woman
who fought for change in the 20th century. That’s what I want.”
There were two firsts for
women that year in 1972 - two great women who tirelessly fought for
change in the 20th Century. The second was a courageous woman who
secured the milestone for woman and Asian Americans, Patsy Takemoto
Mink. Congresswoman Mink was of Japanese descent and having grown up
in Hawaii, shattered multiple glass ceilings for women. She was he
first Japanese American woman attorney in Hawaii, first
Asian-American woman to be elected to the Territorial House, first
president of the newly formed Young Democrats in 1954, and the first
to legislate successfully for school athletics for women, which
achieved an opening for women in academics through corresponding
scholarships that previously only men enjoyed (She authored Title IX
legislation).
Due to the McGovern
commission's work to increase representation among delegates by women
(1969-1972), percentage of woman delegates had risen from only
approximately 13% in 1968 to 40% in 1972 - the year that the
Democratic Party achieved the historic first of two women candidates
running for Presidential nomination at the same time.
Perhaps the more
appropriate gracious show of respect and honor, would have been
releasing the women delegates to vote for Chisholm as well as Mink,
to support two courageous women candidates, a gesture that would
honor what they chose for themselves and reflects their lives work.
Now, 36 years after
Shirley Chisholm and Patsy Mink's trailblazing runs for the White
House, Hillary Clinton has finally earned the title of first "real,
viable candidate" for women, and has taken Americans much
further. Senator Clinton is not only real and viable - she is
arguably a presumptive nominee. She has demonstrated that a woman not
only can win the White House but if nominated will win the white
house for the Democratic Party.
We witness what was only
in the imagination a short time ago: Never before has the American
public demonstrated its commitment to women's rights being equal to
human rights more fully than by casting 18 million popular votes for
a woman candidate - proving without question that the citizen voters
of our country have equal faith in a woman to guide our country as
our nation's leader, the President of the United States.
Senator Clinton has not
only proven a woman can run successfully and be elected to the
highest office in the land - she has transcended glass ceiling in
some sense by demonstrating that a real viable candidate can also
simply happen to be a woman. The extraordinarily high number of
popular votes that Sen. Clinton won, and her phenomenal broad base of
appeal and connection with the American public from all walks of
life, show that her support goes far beyond the majority of the
population that women represent, and far beyond those who are most
concerned with the status of women in society.
The announcement on Aug.
14th, 2008, confirming that Senator Clinton will be a nominee on the
roll-call at the Denver Democratic Party National Convention may be
just the thing to boost the convention from a major media event to an
historic event of colossal proportions. The honest and open roll-call
nomination process is seen as crucial by some, to the success of the
Democratic Party in November's general election.
A Pew Research report of
Aug. 13th, 2008 upheld a consistent worrying trend showing
the gap between Obama and McCain narrowing in McCain's favor. A
Rasmussen report of Aug. 15th, 2008, a day after the news of Sen.
Clinton on the roll call was released, reports "Barack Obama
attracting 44% of the vote while John McCain earns 41%. When
"leaners" are included, it's Obama 47% and McCain 45%.".
The Rasmussen report
should be viewed as uncertain in view of the fact that Obama has
previously tracked roughly even with McCain for approximately 9 weeks
in a row, and even a 3 point spread that Rasmussen reports today is
still within the margin of error.
Contact:
folks@WalkAMileInOurShoes.org
Many events during the
convention are relevant to this historic milestone for women,
including:
MONDAY,
AUGUST 25
8
AM - 2 PM
The White House Project & Women's Campaign Fund's
"Unconventional Women"
Buell
Theater, Denver,
CO
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
Partners in this event
include: The Women’s Campaign Forum Foundation, Latina
Initiative, Women’s Voices, Women Vote, The
White House Project, and the White House Project President and
Founder Marie Wilson will be one of many high-profile women speaking
at the event, as will Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and Condoleeza
Rice.
11 AM - 4 PM
The
White House Project's Future Frontrunners Summit
The
Curtis Hotel, 1405 Curtis Street, Denver,
CO
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
3
- 5:30 PM
NOW & Feminist Majority's "EQUALItea"
featuring
US Congresswomen and Surprise Guests!
University Club, 1673
Sherman Street, Denver, CO
$150 (Special Rate for DNCC Delegates:
$150/2)
https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1269/t/3076/event/checkOut.jsp?event_KEY=12382
6
- 9 PM
Opening Nite at DNCC 2008
Credentials Required
10
PM - 1 AM
Planned Parenthood's "Sex, Politics & Cocktails
Party"
The Samba Room, 1460
Larimer Street, Denver, CO
202-973-4832
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 26 (Women's Equality Day
Rallies/Speeches)
10-Noon
Lifetime
Networks' Democratic Women's Caucus Breakfast/Rally
Convention
Center
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
Join
Senator Hillary Clinton
and
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones
To celebrate
the launch of WomenCount.org
Let's
continue the journey and make the feminist movement fresh, hip &
wholly irresistible!!!
Tuesday
August 26th, 12:30 to 2:00pm
A
light lunch will be served
Click
WomenCount.org
2
- 4 PM
Emily's List's "The Power of Democratic
Women"
featuring Speaker
Nancy Pelosi, US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton & Michelle
Obama
Sheraton Denver, 1550 Court Place, Denver,
CO
http://www.emilyslist.org/support/events/2008_dnc/
$50-$5000
3:30
- 5:30 PM
National Women's Political Caucus
Baur's
Ristorante, 1512 Curtis Street, Denver, CO
printable
invitation here
$20
6
- 9 PM
Women's Equality Day Keynote
DNCC
2008
Denver Convention Center (Credentials Required)
10
PM - 1 AM
Every Women Counts Late-Nite Celebration w/ Rock the
Vote
Cowboy Lounge, 1941 Market
Street, Denver,
CO
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
WEDNESDAY,
AUG 27
11:30 AM -
3:30 PM
Events TBA
6
- 9 PM
The White House Project's 10th Anniversary
Celebration
Denver Newspaper
Agency
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
THURSDAY,
AUGUST 28
2 - 4 PM
The White House Project's Celebration of
Shirley Chisholm
Denver Newspater
Agency
http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/training/events/2008conventions.php
6
- 9 PM
Democratic Presidential Nomination Acceptance
Speech
Invesco Stadium, Denver,
CO
Community Credentials
Required
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/invescowaitlist
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