The WeLead Reader
October 19, 2019

No Nonsense Nancy: During a contentious White House meeting between President Donald Trump and key Democratic leaders regarding the ongoing crisis in Syria, tension between the parties reached a boiling point. Trump tweeted a photograph of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in which he characterizes a standing Pelosi as “nervous” and “unhinged.” Far from seeming bothered by the attack, Pelosi turned the photo into her new Twitter cover shot. For Vox, Anna North writes that Trump’s alpha-male bullying tactics—as demonstrated in this scenario—“just don’t work very well on women.” CNN

“I tried to pretend that it didn’t bother me”: Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the “First Partner” of  Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), has had enough of gendered differences in parenting. Siebel Newsom points out that, all too often, raising children is treated as a woman’s burden but viewed as a man’s “adorable hobby.” Recounting an anecdote in which her son wandered on stage her husband’s inaugural speech, she argues that cultural attitudes toward women must improve to reflect a changing society. Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker, is well-versed in gendered perceptions—she directed Miss Representation, a 2011 documentary that “exposes how mainstream media and culture contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America.” Glamour

Not a Monolith: Freshmen Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) have endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, hoping to use their sway with the progressive sector of the Democratic base to revive Sanders’ presidential campaign after the senator’s health crisis and weeks of declining poll numbers. Not all members of the notorious “Squad” have followed suit, however, as Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) has abstained from making an endorsement for now. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), was initially reported to have endorsed Sanders, but later said she was also holding off on endorsing anyone. Vox’s Anna North writes: “The Squad, while a powerful symbol for many voters (as well as a favorite object of vitriol for President Trump and others on the right), was never meant to be a voting bloc...The four congresswomen are individuals. Each will presumably make her own decisions about how to use her political power in 2020 and beyond.” Vox

Another Challenger: On Monday, Republican Lisa Scheller - a businesswoman and former Lehigh County commissioner—announced that she will challenge first-term Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) in Pennsylvania’s 7th district, calling Wild “far too liberal” for the Lehigh Valley. One of the largest donors to local Republican campaigns in recent years, Scheller is the second Republican to announce a bid in the district, which is a top target for the GOP in 2020. The Morning Call

Joining The Crowd: Beth Henderson, a farm manager and former nurse, announced her campaign for Indiana’s 5th congressional district race Thursday morning. The sixth Republican competing to replace Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN), Henderson supports low taxes, cutting business regulations, and securing the southern border. “I am prepared to take my real world business experience, first-hand knowledge of our healthcare system, and my conservative values to serve our state in Congress,” Henderson said. There are several candidates vying for Brooks’ seat on both sides of the aisle, including four women.  News & Tribune

Breaking Rank: State Sen. Barbara Bollier (D-KS) left the Republican Party in 2018 after years of clashing with GOP leadership. On Wednesday, Bollier launched her campaign for U.S. Senate as a Democrat, promising an independent approach to constituents as she seeks to replace retiring Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Bollier plans to make healthcare a key issue of her Senate campaign. “I’m [running] to be a voice of reason … Washington is broken right now. It is a mess and I think Kansans deserve a senator who will put politics aside, and I’m all about common ground and common-sense solutions,” Bollier said. Wichita Eagle

Wendy Woos: Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis has outraised her Republican opponent, incumbent Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), in her race for a U.S. House seat by more than $360,000 between July and September of this year. Though Davis raised an impressive $250,000+ within the first twenty-four hours of her campaign announcement, Roy has nearly double the amount of cash on hand. Statesman

LGBTQ+ Win: Samantha Boucher is making history in Iowa. The first openly transgender person to manage a U.S. senatorial campaign, Boucher will head Democratic candidate Kimberly Graham’s bid against incumbent Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA). “Just the opportunity to do something so huge, to have a national impact, potentially, that really excites me,” Boucher said. NBC News

Tchen Takes Over: Time’s Up, “the advocacy organization founded by powerful women in Hollywood as the #MeToo movement roiled the nation,” announced  on Monday that Tina Tchen, a lawyer and former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, will take over as the group’s executive director. Tchen previously founded the organization’s signature initiative, a legal-defense fund for women across all industries who experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. So far, the fund has raised over $24 million. New York Times

Lowey Retires: In an unexpected move, longtime Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) announced last week that she will not seek re-election for her 7th district seat in 2020. Initially, the announcement caused speculation that former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton may run for the seat. When asked in 2018 if she envisioned running for public office, Clinton said, “if someone were to step down or retire,” she would “have to think if it’s the right choice for me.” Clinton clarified during an appearance on The View on Wednesday that she will not run for Lowey’s seat in 2020. New York Times

Leaving Her Post: U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan, a former mail carrier who became the first woman to head the postal agency in 2015, announced her retirement this week. Brennan clashed with President Trump on numerous occasions, but statements from both the Postal Service and the White House denied that Brennan’s retirement was related to Trump’s frustrations with the agency. Brennan said, “When I was appointed Postmaster General, I made a commitment to the Board of Governors that I would serve for five years and it has been my absolute honor to do so.” Washington Post

Across The Aisle: Democrats and Republicans alike are vying to win pivotal women’s votes in 2020, recognizing how crucial those votes will be. Specifically analyzing the role that women have played in Texas, political reporter María Méndez notes that even in a predominantly Republican state, GOP women have seen their representation decline in the Texas House, falling from 19 members in 2012 to six in 2019. Dallas Morning News

Women’s Issues: In this opinion column, Erin Ryan writes that as women continue to express calls for equality, 2020 presidential hopefuls must focus on issues that disproportionately impact women, from child care and paid family leave to domestic violence and reproductive health care. Emphasizing the fact that women will most likely decide the results of the election, Ryan believes it is vital for these candidates to discuss and attend to female-centered policies. Columbus Dispatch

 ➤➤Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris employed a handful of her signature zingers on the debate stage, and she was praised on social media for raising the issue of abortion rights before the moderators did. 

However, critics questioned Harris’ decision to start a real-life “Twitter feud” with Elizabeth Warren on stage. Comedian and Daily Show host Noah Trevor called it the “weirdest part of the night.” Harris, speaking to Warren, said: “I was surprised to hear...when I called on Twitter to suspend Donald Trump’s account, that you did not agree, and I would urge you to join me.” Warren declined, instead stipulating that she would rather push Trump out of the White House rather than just off Twitter. 

Harris stopped in Iowa Thursday, and unveiled a plan to incentivize job growth in rural communities. She is spending the weekend making her 12th visit to South Carolina. Yesterday, Harris participated in a cook-off at the county fairgrounds in Orangeburg. Today, she is celebrating homecoming with students at South Carolina State University and holding a town hall in Aiken. 

 Next weekend, Harris will speak at a bipartisan forum on criminal justice at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. 

 News & Analysis

• 24 Hours With Kamala Harris Essence
• Kamala Harris’ Call to Suspend Trump’s Twitter Account, Explained Vox
• Kamala Harris Slams Republicans on Abortion, Says They’re Killing Poor Women of Color Los Angeles Times

Opinions & Columns

• Sophie A. Nelson: Kamala Harris is Running Out of Time Daily Beast
• Nolan Finley: Harris Wins Dumb Idea Contest During Debate Detroit News
• Zachary R. Wood: Kamala Harris Never Loses Sight of Everyday Americans’ Lives Cincinnati Enquirer
   

➤➤Amy Klobuchar

Amy Klobuchar stood out in Tuesday’s debate, shining on the opioid, antitrust, and abortion rights questions. Klobuchar once again reiterated her Midwestern, centrist bona fides and “found her voice,” according to POLITICO Magazine. Klobuchar’s hometown paper agreed she had a “good night.” National Review called her forays into humor “corny” but said they “would probably work in a general-election battle in the Midwest.” At least one joke fell flat when Klobuchar tried to compare Russian interference in U.S. elections to being a nagging mom.

Nevertheless, Klobuchar’s performance in the debate clearly resonated with viewers: following the debate she raked in $1.1 million, according to her campaign manager. Klobuchar had previously fundraised $4.8 million in the third quarter.

Klobuchar’s campaign planned a two day, 10-county swing through New Hampshire following the debate. Klobuchar stopped by a political science class at Keene State College to talk about her plan to win back the midwestern states and discuss how to further assist rural communities by extending broadband access and telemedicine. Following her visit to New Hampshire, Klobuchar traveled to Iowa, where she will spend the weekend on a bus tour of the state. 

News & Analysis

• On a Roll, Klobuchar Storms Into N.H. Concord Monitor
• Amy Klobuchar Goes After Elizabeth Warren Over Health Care Plan in Debate New York Times
• Amy Klobuchar Drops Her ‘Minnesota Nice’ Act Washington Examiner
• Exclusive: Amy Klobuchar Shared Her Pre-Debate Playlist and It’s Pure Girl Power Refinery29

Opinions & Columns

• Damon Linker: The Warren-Klobuchar Smackdown America Needs The Week
• Jennifer Rubin: How Klobuchar and Buttigieg Can Retain Momentum Washington Post
• Jonathan Bernstein: Warren is in Front but Klobuchar Earned Debate Lift Denver Post
• Rochelle Ritchie: Amy Klobuchar Beat Elizabeth Warren, but How Come No One Talked About Black Voters? Washington Examiner
   

➤➤Elizabeth Warren

Elizabeth Warren held her own at Tuesday’s debate; while many critics thought she faltered in her answer about paying for Medicare for All, the consensus seemed to be that delivered a relatively strong performance. As the new frontrunner, Warren had to contend with numerous attacks and jabs from her many competitors. 

Warren also received praise for how she handled herself against Joe Biden during a heated exchange during which Biden attempted to take credit for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). As Warren spoke about how the idea for the CFPB was conceived and how she fought to bring that idea to fruition, Biden interjected, yelling that he helped get her votes. Warren retorted, “I am deeply grateful to President Obama, who fought so hard to make sure that agency was passed into law.”

On Thursday, Warren and Biden addressed the Women’s Leadership Forum conference hosted by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in Washington, D.C. Thursday evening, Warren met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in a closed door meeting. Warren is the second candidate to meet with the Caucus and their fundraising arm—and one main topic of discussion was comprehensive immigration reform. Beginning tomorrow, Warren will spend several days in Iowa, holding town halls and other events. 

Next Sunday, Warren will speak on the final day of the criminal justice forum at Benedict College in Columbia, SC.

News & Analysis

• A New Poll Shows Elizabeth Warren Leading the Democratic Field, With 28 Percent Washington Post
• Missing From Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 Surge: Democratic Endorsements New York Times
• Elizabeth Warren is Beginning to Win the Electability Argument Vanity Fair
• Elizabeth Warren’s Big Challenge: Winning Black Voters New York Times
• The Transformation of Elizabeth Warren Washington Post
• Elizabeth Warren Swears Off Major Donations from Facebook, Google Executives The Verge
• This Elizabeth Warren Impersonator is So Good It’s Freaky Elle
• Black Voters Decide the SC Democratic Primary. Can Warren Reach Them in Time? Slate

Opinions & Columns

• David Brooks: If It’s Trump vs. Warren, Then What? New York Times
• E.J. Dionne: For Elizabeth Warren, the Hard Part Begins Now Washington Post
• Josh Rogin; Elizabeth Warren is Failing the Commander in Chief Test Washington Post
   

➤➤Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard was on the debate stage Tuesday night, despite indicating that she might boycott because “the DNC and corporate media are trying to hijack the election.” She did not have a strong showing at the debate: Gabbard maintained a cool façade but her comments about “regime-change wars” and her continued attacks on mainstream media did not seem to  play well with most observers, including those at the New York Times. Journalist Tanzina Vega said, “She threatened to boycott the debate. She should have stayed home.” 

Gabbard’s lackluster performance may signify trouble for the November debate; while she has reached the funding requirement, she has not yet reached the polling cutoff point. Gabbard’s campaign raised $3 million in the third quarter, but she is still polling less than 1 percent. 

News & Analysis

• Tulsi Gabbard’s Stance on Abortion is Stuck in the ’90s VICE
• What, Exactly, is Tulsi Gabbard Up To? New York Times

Opinions & Columns

• Jack Hunter: Democrats Hate Tulsi Gabbard Because She Reminds Them of What They Used to Stand For Washington Examiner
   

➤➤Marianne Williamson

Marianne Williamson did not qualify for Tuesday’s debate, but after watching it, Williamson declared that she would not drop out of the election race. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, she wrote: “Last night’s debate was a lot of things, but it was not exciting. It contained no magic. If anything, it reduced some very nice people to behavior their mothers probably raised them not to engage in. Which woman who claims feminist ideals can be the nastiest to another woman?”

Williamson went on to chastise the Democratic establishment and warn against attacks on American democracy.

News & Analysis

• Why Marianne Williamson Wasn’t at the October Debate Elle
• Marianne Williamson: I'm Not Some 'Crystal Woo-Woo Lady' People on the 'Left' Say I Am Fox News

Opinions & Columns

• Jonathan Capehart: Marianne Williamson is a Polarizing Figure. But Everyone Has a Point Washington Post

Gender In U.S. Campaigns: The Center for American Women and Politics, part of Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics, has released a new report that underscores how much progress is still needed to create equitable conditions for women in American elections, even after the historic gains of the 2018 midterms. A comprehensive look at the current state of women in politics, the report analyzes how gendered stereotypes play into perceptions of female candidates, as well as how violence and harassment unduly affect women running for office. Looking ahead to 2020, the report offers a number of questions about gender politics in the presidential race. Among them, the researchers wonder how the many male candidates in the race will navigate the gendered terrain of electoral politics in 2020. Center for American Women and Politics

Pondering Paid Leave: Despite the fact that a majority of American voters support a comprehensive paid family and medical leave policy, the United States is alone among major industrialized countries in having no national guaranteed paid leave program. Millions of American workers are unable to access paid family leave through their employers; low-wage and part-time workers (who are predominantly female) are even less likely to have access to these benefits. Research associate Diana Boesch outlines a number of solutions she believes must be implemented in order to pass paid leave legislation, examining the rhetorical myths and misconceptions surrounding the debate of paid family and medical leave. Arguing that women need paid comprehensive leave in order to achieve gender parity and increase their attachment to the labor force, Boesch concludes that current policies ultimately fail to do enough to support workers when they need time away from work. Center for American Progress

Impact of Gender Stereotypes On Kids: Tulane University professor J. Celeste Lay, and a team of political science researchers from a number of universities, examined coverage of political leaders in the children’s magazine TIME for Kids, an academic source commonly used in elementary school classrooms. The team inspected six years worth of content from the magazine, scrutinizing the periodical for references to male and female political leaders alike in order to draw conclusions about the way in which gendered messages shape children's understanding of the world. Their results demonstrate that TIME for Kids' coverage of female leaders contains gendered messages that portray politics as a conventionally male field. Furthermore, they find that feminine, communal traits are frequently ascribed to women leaders, while men and women are equally described as possessing masculine, agentic traits. These differences are problematic, they argue, because early messages influence children’s view of gender roles. Politics & Gender

Enduring Confrontation: NYT’s “The Daily” podcast spoke to Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a moderate House Democrat who now must face her own district of swing voters after supporting an impeachment inquiry into President Trump. Slotkin went to three town halls in the Wolverine State to interact with concerned constituents, and The New York Times podcast followed her journey. New York Times

Delegate Download: Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI) appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal on Thursday to discuss the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. She also expressed sadness about the death of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), who passed away on Tuesday. Plaskett and Cummings served together on the House Oversight Committee and she called him “a mentor to me in many ways.” C-SPAN

Rosario the Riveter: The Washington Post profiles Rosario Dawson, the actress and activist whose own illustrious career is often eclipsed by that of her boyfriend, presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ). Though Dawson has starred in the Netflix Marvel Universe, is working on several social justice documentaries, and is on the board of Voto Latino, most media coverage of the pair focuses on Booker and his campaign, a technique Dawson calls “lazy.” For veterans of political journalism, though, the couple’s relationship represents uncharted waters: “There’s an expectation for political partners to be quietly supportive in the background. There’s no playbook for when a politician starts dating a vocal activist and Hollywood star who’s as famous, if not more famous.” Washington Post 

More Visitors, Please?: Many national historic sites celebrating great women do not attract a large number of guests from year to year. In fact, only one women-related site broke out of the bottom twenty national historic sites, highlighting the fact that much of women’s history is often ignored. Though temporary closures of many of these centers probably plays a role in the lack of visitors, the erasure of female contributions to history is perhaps responsible for the small number of tourists received at some sites in the nation. Washington Post

Self-Promoting Like A Boss: A new book, Represent: The Women’s Guide to Running for Office and Changing the World, aims to help women develop the confident mentality needed to achieve lofty goals that often appear unattainable to even the most qualified young professionals. Written by actress June Diane Raphael and former EMILY’s List Chief of Staff Kate Black, Represent argues that women are quick to discount themselves, frequently underselling their own potential. “Put your wins out there,” they write. Quartz at Work

Women Are Working: As part of National Geographic’s “Women: A Century of Change” special November 2019 issue, the magazine published a story detailing the way in which women across the globe are pushing for gender-based reforms to mitigate inequality. From Malawi and Rwanda to Iran and Tunisia, female activists around the world are more empowered than ever—and these women are taking vital steps to ensure that their voices are heard. National Geographic

Equality, Now: Pat Mitchell, an author known for her leadership in the media industry as a CEO and producer, writes that women must be braver, encounter more risks, and become more impatient in the fight for equality. In her new book, Becoming A Dangerous Woman, Mitchell delivers a call to action for all women: “Equality can’t wait,” she states, “and we can’t play our part from the sidelines.”  Ms. Magazine

Monumental Moment: Hundreds gathered at Richmond’s Capitol Square on Monday for the official unveiling of Virginia Women’s Monument, which includes seven life-size bronze statues of famous Virginia women, who have made significant—but often forgotten—contributions to the state’s history. “It’s a monumental day,” said former first lady of Virginia Susan Allen. “Part of the story was left out. I think of the years ahead when people will walk among these statues and learn the story of these women.” Richmond Times

Gender on the Ballot  is a nonpartisan project, created by the The Barbara Lee Family Foundation and American University's Women & Politics Institute, to examine and contextualize gender dynamics in the 2020 election cycle. Our website genderontheballot.org will provide resources to everyone from casual observers to political pundits, including accessible analysis and commentary from academic scholars, political strategists, and practitioners in the field; relevant research summaries and reports; and polling data to frame the conversation about gender in the 2020 election cycle.

New this week from GOTB:

Media Roundup: October Debate Edition: The GOTB team collects its favorite stories about gender in the most recent Democratic primary debate. 

When Losing is Winning: What Returning Female Candidates Gain From Previous Campaigns: GOTB contributor Tonia Bui (AU SPA and WeLead alumna) advocates resilience, laying out the advantages that women candidates—especially women of color—can enjoy if they run for office again following a losing campaign. 

Gender on the Debate Stage: October Numbers: Betsy Fischer Martin crunches the numbers on the most recent debate. The biggest takeaways: Elizabeth Warren had the most speaking time of any candidate, 38% of questions posed went to one of the four women on stage, and 10 minutes (out of three hours) were spent debating reproductive rights. 

October #DemDebate: Top Tweets: The GOTB team highlights clever and insightful tweets from Tuesday’s debate.

October Debate: What We Saw:  Barbara Lee Family Foundation’s Amanda Hunter shares some of the key takeaways from Tuesday’s debate. Hunter emphasizes that having four female candidates on stage highlighted the importance of different women’s viewpoints and also normalizes women in leadership and, most importantly, executive office. 

Coverage of Bernie Sanders’ Heart Attack Highlights This Double Standard: Amanda Hunter analyzes the stark contrast in news coverage between Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent heart attack and Secretary Hillary Clinton’s 2016 fainting spell due to pneumonia, writing that “when it comes to health and age, women have additional hoops to jump through.” 

Who Was on the Stage in the First Televised Presidential Debates? The Answer Might Surprise You: The GOTB team reveals that the first televised presidential debate was not between Kennedy and Nixon, but rather featured Eleanor Roosevelt and Margaret Chase Smith acting as proxies for Adlai Stevenson and Dwight Eisenhower, respectively. In the 1956 affair, Smith was mindful of her dress and tone during the debate, and insisted on a two-minute closing statement which is still in effect today. 

Are Leaders Born or Made? The Better Question is How to Get More Women to the Top: In this blog post, Running Start CEO Susannah Wellford, discusses the notion of “natural born” leadership. Wellford notes that innate ability is not enough to become a leader: mentorship, confidence, and connections are key for any leader, but are especially important for women.