Tuesday morning kicked off with the Democratic women’s caucus and on the 88th anniversary of women’s suffrage. In a packed hall in the Convention center, women cheered in support of a pro-choice agenda, a platform that supports the American dream, an agenda that supports equal pay for equal work, and one that restores civil liberties to Americans.
By the enthusiastic ringing of the complimentary tambourines provided by panel sponsor Lifetime Networks, a congresswoman expressed the dismay of many in the audience of the tone of campaigning.
“I am dismayed by the direction and focus of this year’s election,†said the congresswoman. Instead of playing the race card and slinging mud, she urged the Republicans — and by association the Democrats — to pay attention to the issues that are affecting Americans.
She urged the hundreds of women — and the few men — in attendance to “reframe the political debate over the next nine weeks.â€
Later in the program, Cecile Richards, daughter of the late Gov. Ann Richards and current president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, spoke about Sen. John McCain’s response to a question of birth control not being covered by health insurance, but Viagra getting the OK. “My mother would have said that ‘Women voting for John McCain is like chickens voting for Col. Sanders,†she said to rousing tambourines.
The session was closed by Tammy Duckworth, the Iraq war veteran who lost both legs and shattered right her in combat. In Nov. 2004, Duckworth was co-piloting a Black Hawk helicopter north of Baghdad when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the cockpit of her aircraft and exploded. Duckworth spoke of being a war veteran in an emotional speech.
Deborah Creighton Skinner is the Editorial Director of BlackEnterprise.com