Respite Open Thread: Happy Birthday, Lily Tomlin

by 8:44 pm. It has 147 Comments.

A patron saint for this, our moment in time…

“No matter how cynical you become, it’s never enough to keep up.”





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Election 2020 Open Thread: Kirsten Gillibrand Has Dropped Out

by 7:10 pm. It has 145 Comments.

Ave atque vale! Her kids are young, and to someone interested in making a difference, there are worse jobs than being a senator from New York, so…

… A Gillibrand aide told CNN that the senator decided to end her presidential campaign last night after talking with her family and “after it was clear she would not make the stage.”

Gillibrand, in a sign that the campaign viewed qualifying for the third debate as critical, had spent millions on TV and digital ads aimed at boosting her support. But those efforts failed to break Gillibrand out of the pack of candidates polling under 1% nationally.

The senator entered the presidential race with an exploratory committee in January, outlining a campaign that would focus on fighting for equality, especially for women, something that she has also made central to her time in the Senate.

Gillibrand joined the 2020 field with $10.5 million in the bank, a massive campaign bank account that quickly made her one of the most financially formidable candidates in the race. But that advantage was short lived as Gillibrand struggled to raise money in the crowded field, an early sign that the senator’s bid would eventually fail.

Unlike some Democrats running for President, Gillibrand took her fight directly to President Donald Trump, regularly calling him out on the campaign trial. This was a clear strategy for the senator from Trump’s home state: Gillibrand officially kicked off her presidential campaign in March with a rally outside Trump Tower in New York City…

A number of her Democratic opponents took to Twitter to tout Gillibrand’s work after her announcement on Wednesday.

“Kirsten, you are my sister and one of the most righteous fighters I know,” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker wrote. “I’ll miss our run-ins on the trail, but women, New Yorkers, and all Americans are lucky to have you resolutely at their sides.”

“My friend ⁦‪@SenGillibrand⁩ is a brave voice on some of the most critical issues facing our country today — from childcare to sexual assault. She is a champion and I know she’s not done fighting for women and families everywhere,” California Sen. Kamala Harris said.

And former Rep. Beto O’Rourke wrote, “Thank you, ⁦‪@SenGillibrand⁩, for always fighting for what’s right. Every day of this campaign, your leadership brought attention to the issues that matter most—and our party, and our country, are stronger because of it.”





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Wednesday Morning Open Thread: Congratulations, USWNT

by 6:11 am. It has 131 Comments.

CBS New York, “USWNT World Cup Parade: NYC Readies To Celebrate U.S. Women’s National Team”:

Ticker-Tape Parade Planned For USWNT World Cup Champions Wednesday, July 10, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)

Roaring crowds of enthusiastic fans are expected to pack Lower Manhattan Wednesday morning to celebrate the World Cup champion U.S. Women’s National Team.

The U.S. woman will be passing through the Canyon of Heroes.

The sidewalk along Broadway is decorated with names of the United States’ greatest athletes.

Fans will gather to celebrate the American women capturing their record fourth World Cup championship with Sunday’s 2-0 win over The Netherlands…

But it’s not all about celebrating for the women on the team. It’s about delivering a message as they fight for equal pay.

“I think that this win changes the conversation [from] ‘do we deserve it’ to OK, how are we actually going to get the action? What are we going to see from FIFA, from U.S. soccer, from the sponsors?” midfielder Kelley O’Hara said.

According to Nielsen ratings and other streaming services, here in the United States, Sunday’s match ranked as one of the highest-rated soccer telecasts in history. It drew bigger ratings than the 2018 men’s World Cup final…

Team co-captain Megan Rapinoe, who won the Golden Ball as best player of the tournament and the Golden Boot as top scorer, spoke out on Good Morning America on Tuesday.

“Go watch your team. Watch the national team. Watch your local club teams. I think that there’s a part in this for everybody to do,” she said…

If you click on the link, there’s instructions on how to livestream the event, “Free access – no sign up.”





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Monday Morning Open Thread: Remember the Ladies…

by 4:42 am. It has 156 Comments.

Rep. Chisholm, and Bella Abzug, were my first IRL political heroes when I was in high school. “In 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, as well as the first ever woman (of any race) to appear in a United States presidential debate.”

It’s not just Black women she inspired / motivated, either! From the NYTimes, “Warren and Harris Rise in Democratic Primary, Challenging Male Front-Runners”

… “I want someone who I know will stand up, that has a backbone,” Ms. Krerowicz said, suggesting that Ms. Warren and Ms. Harris could perhaps form a ticket. “They’re both very, very strong women. I would love to see them together, but I think Elizabeth has the experience.”

In the span of just a few weeks, voters like Ms. Krerowicz have pushed the race into a new, highly uncertain phase, propelling a pair of women toward the top of the Democratic pack at the expense of the onetime front-runners, Mr. Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Neither woman is yet in a position to take control of the race. Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders retain considerable advantages, most notably the backing they enjoy among working-class voters and their significant financial reserves. Mr. Biden, 76, is still the clear front-runner, and both he and Mr. Sanders, 77, are not likely to see their support simply melt away.

But recent polls, and interviews with voters in the early primary and caucus states over the last week, found that Ms. Harris and Ms. Warren had plainly broken through, drawing on a deep hunger within the Democratic electorate for big ideas and groundbreaking female leadership…

Gonna be another busy week, like it or not; remember the long game, and try to hang on to your sense of humor…





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WWC Open Thread: Equal Pay — At the Very Least

by 9:30 pm. It has 98 Comments.





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