My interview with Jeanne Shaheen at the Pepsi Center after last night's convention. Click through below to read the story behind it.
Rule number 1-100 of covering events as a credentialed blogger at the DNC: remain flexible and be prepared for anything.
Rule number 101: carry lots of water and chapstick
Rule number 102: do not be afraid
Last night, Cyn and I joined Sheila and Stephanie inside Tent City at the First Data media lounge. It was our night to cover the convention from the inside. One of our top assignments was to meet and interview Jeanne Shaheen, who was the first elected female governor of New Hampshire, and, if she prevails in her race against Sununu, she will be the first female senator.
I've followed Shaheen's career since 1997, when she was first elected governor. I was living in Massachusetts then, and it was an easy drive to cities such as Nashua, where I could find Shaheen sitting on a roundtable, for example, at a women's shelter with people such as Hillary Clinton.
When I greeted Shaheen after the close of the convention last night---after Senator Clinton's speech---we chatted about that roundtable from so long ago. Shaheen asked me why I had come to it, and I froze; the answer was so clear to me I couldn't find an eloquent way to explain.
After a moment I said, "Because it was a shelter. For women. Who were, you know, homeless, many because of domestic abuse. Those things are all...they're just so...and you and Hillary Clinton were addressing these issues."
What I meant was: it is, despite a state of commonality that creates a tragic norm, absolutely incomprehensible to me that women face such alarming numbers of domestic abuse, that it is still so prevalent, and that the protection is so missing that to save themselves and their children, women must run, often becoming homeless, often while their abuser retains the home and money.
Male politicians rarely---if ever---talk about this. It's a "Woman's Issue." It's not sexy, it's not high on the list of donors' interests apparently, and I've never seen the issue ranked as a top priority by voters. So...it's a wraith issue---ghostly pale and nearly invisible, insubstantial despite its weightiness.
It's left to the women to discuss this. That's why I have erred on the side of gender bias and choose to support female candidates in no smal part because they are female: when women are running or elected, they can---and do---change the conversation. They take issues, such as homeless domestic abuse victims, and make them part of the national conversation, which, in turn, can create change, and improvement.
They also take things such as women's health care access, rights and services and say no, the buck stops here, women's legal rights to health care is not politically expendable.
You can't ignore women's issues---such as domestic abuse---and then use women as an issue to promote a politically expedient agenda---such as redefining birth control bills as abortion.
Women aren't an issue. They aren't something to notice when it benefits and ignore when it doesn't.
Yesterday's theme was women and equality. At countless events, female leaders and politicians repeated over and over that women can make a difference, and that women can change the conversation and power structure.
I believe that, and, although not ever femal leader or elected official is on the same page with progressive me, a fair number are and in the end, each woman who is a leader takes the perception and question of "can a girl/woman...?" to "a girl/woman can..."
That's the biggest change, the most important thing.
But, in my 20 seconds or less, I didn't have time to explain all of that to Jeanne Shaheen, but, then again, I suspect she already knows this very well.
What I could do is ask her a few questions about health care, a topic I think she addresses very well, and somethinng essential to me---to us all really.
I had originally planned to conduct this interview with pen and paper, for an article. Cyn was meant to be with me, covering the tax and finance questions, and Erin Kotecki Vest, Maria Niles and Katy Chen of BlogHer were meant to conduct a video interview afterwards.
However, circumstances changed, the interview time shifted substantially later, Cyn had to leave to back up Sheila when the media lounge closed, Maria had to assist Erin, and that left Katy and me---who was suddenly doing a video interview instead, and without a tube of chapstick to be found. My lips and mouth were dry, my hair standing on end after a long day, my makeup melted off about six hours earlier, my voice was weak and nasally due to three doses of antihistamine, I have very little on camera experience, and...I enjoyed every single second. Katy is a pro videographer and all around fabulous person. Jeanne Shaheen is one of the best people I've interviewed, with thorough, detailed, interesting answers and a very calm and comfortable demeanor.
I thought it over a decade ago and I still think it now: New Hampshire residents are incredibly lucky to have Shaheen on their side.
I will count this time here at the convention and each thing I've gotten to do as one of the most incredible experiences of my life. These people here---the leaders and the citizens alike---shape our country and thus our culture. I'm right in the middle of it, surrounded and assisted by amazing women. Inspiring. Awesome. Beyond description.
Women count? Oh yes, they do.
Big thanks yesterday to Womencount.org and EMILY's List for an incredible up close and personal experience with some of the most incredible female politicians, including Carolyn Maloney, Jeanne Shaheen, Hillary Clinton, Sheila Jackson-Lee and more.
Signing off for now...more later...and links to be added. Plus, coming up, my answers to your fantastic questions, my other on camera interview with PUMAs, more protestors, more descriptions aand experiences, and, well, just more.
Julie Pippert
"Interview production assistance by Cynematic, with the use of cell phones and service provided by AT&T."
Great interview Mommy. Next time can you say hi to me though:)
Love Elisabeth
Posted by: Elisabeth | August 27, 2008 at 08:41 AM
Good Job Julie! Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Sean & Cheryl | August 27, 2008 at 08:29 PM