Entries for August 2008

DENVER—Bill Clinton just gave a rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention. He entered the stage to several minutes of cheering and went 10.33 minutes over his allotted time (I lost my office competition, I guessed he'd go 7 minutes over). Plenty will be written on the substance of the speech later, but someone who apparently doesn't have a keen sense of irony chose to play him off the stage with "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer.

DENVER—Did you think Sasha Obama talking to her dad while beaming from ear to ear was cute last night? Me too. It turns out she and her older sister Malia didn't know Barack Obama was going to be on screen. Jim Margolis, a Democratic media consultant who is part of the Obama campaign, told our Michael Barone (who's tied up on the floor of the convention) that he told Michelle Obama before she went on stage not to tell the girls their dad would be joining them by video. I guess media consultants know just the right way to the hearts of America: surprise a seven-year-old with her daddy.

DENVER—Michelle Obama didn't have to mention Hillary Clinton in her speech tonight. She didn't have to give a nod to the 18 million votes that Clinton received in the primary, or the 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling. But she did (and to huge cheers). She could have just spoken generically about party unity, but instead she gave a hat tip to Clinton and risked igniting the passions of Clinton loyalists. And it wasn't just for the sake of party unity. Both Clinton and Barack Obama are historic candidates and Michelle Obama's mention of Clinton was her own way of saying "you go girl'. And obviously, this year Michelle would rather have the first African-American president of the United States but she is also a woman and I think would have been proud to also have the first female president of the United States. We can only have one first this year and everyone in the United States should be proud to have the first African-American nominee of a major party. Maybe next time we'll get our next first, the first female presidential nominee of a major party.

"Ruining their lives," "Selfish and self indulgent," or "overambitious." These are all characterizations given to women who choose to...GASP...have children while in political office.

But the issue isn't limited to public office. Women at law firms, advertising agencies, and professions across the spectrum are sometimes shoved into the closet, if not out the door, when they decide to have a family. If they maintain their position or advance, they then begin a balancing act akin to walking the balance beam to ensure their children are well cared for and they are excelling in their own right. A new profession came onto my radar with all of the Olympics coverage: mother/world-class athlete.

So she's in. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama announced that Clinton's name will indeed be on the nomination ballot at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Obama supports this for the sake of unity, saying he hopes it will help bring the party together. This is historic, but will it do anything to satisfy Clinton's supporters?

Hillary Clinton went further than any other woman ever has in her quest for the Democratic nomination. She came just short of shattering the glass ceiling and inspired women and men across the country. So after her historic run what's next? What should she do at the convention? Celebrate and move on.

She's not going to get the nomination, despite how hard some of the PUMAs (Party Unity My A--, well you get the idea) work. But some think it might ease the pain for the 18 million supporters she gathered. According to party rules, she can put her name in contention, but should she? It hasn't happened recently (not since the 1992 convention) and she's publicly supported Obama. Plus, delegates are free to vote for whomever they want, Clinton or even Mickey Mouse, regardless of whether the person's (or rodent's) name is officially in contention. But now most of her supporters have begun the transition to Obama and unity will be the theme of the convention. Women and men alike are ready to celebrate her achievement and move forward.