The Sunday Funnies

Calling for Real Housewives of D.C.!

On Tuesday, Bravo announced that it is expanding its popular Real Housewives franchise once again, this time heading to the nation’s capital and seeking women for The Real Housewives of D.C. I have no doubt that in five years there will be a Real Housewives in every state. Real Housewives of Utah? Interesting.

“We’re tapping personalities who are among Washington D.C.’s influential players, cultural connoisseurs, fashion sophisticates and philanthropic leaders,” Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo Media, said in a statement. “The people who rub elbows with the most prominent people in the country and easily move in the city’s diverse political and social circles.”

As lame as it is, I can't wait to see who they pick for the show. Wives of Senators and Congressional members will likely avoid the spotlight. Too much political risk for their husbands. Orange County housewives are known for their surgical "enhancements." Atlanta housewives are known for marrying NFL and NBA players. New York housewives are known for hitting the high-fashion and socialite scene. New Jersey housewives are known for paying for expensive items in "cash." What will the DC housewives be known for?

Rant of the Week: So Let Me Get This Straight…

Republicans nominate a moose-hunting pageant queen who was governor of one of the least populous states in the nation for less than two years to be Vice President of the United States but a Princeton and Yale Law grad with thirty years of judicial experience is somehow… unqualified for Supreme Court Justice. Huh?

Rush Limbaugh’s claims of “reverse racism” are almost laughable considering how Republicans attempted to skillfully play the gender card with Sarah Palin. On Tuesday evening, political mastermind Karl Rove questioned whether Sotomayor has the "broad intellectual powers" and Senator Jon Ensign (R-NV) raised questions about her "intellect" to serve on the bench. Hmm, somehow a woman who based her foreign policy experience on her proximity to Russia appeared to have the "intellect" to be second in command of the free world?!

Interestingly, Newt Gingrich has accused Sotomayor of being a big fat RACIST for saying that her background as a Hispanic female allowed her to understand cases in a different, better manner than her white contemporaries. However, Newt appeared to have no qualms with Judge Sam Alito's similar comment during his confirmation hearing, saying how he "can't help but think of" his immigrant family when evaluating immigration cases.

Republican comments about Sotomayor's experience and intellect appear to be desperate at best and discrimnatory at worst. In particular, comments about her lack of intellect may backfire given that she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton and was an editor of the Yale Law Review. They run the risk of alienating both Hispanics and women. Dangerous ground, Repubs. Dangerous ground.

Let the Political Games Begin...

From Huffingtonpost.com:

This morning President Obama announced Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the United States Supreme Court. In his press conference unveiling the choice, Obama described Sotomayor as an inspiring woman with a distinguished career, holding a "depth of experience and a breadth of perspective."

Though their numbers have dwindled in the Senate, the Republican party is not entirely devoid of options to block the nomination. Sotomayor will first need approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee before she can be voted on by the entire Senate. Though a majority vote is usually all that's required for a committee to advance a bill to the floor of the Senate, an obscure rule requires that judicial appointments be approved by a majority that includes at least one member of the minority party. In the case of Sotomayor, that means she'll need one Republican member of Judiciary to vote her to the floor.

That might draw excitement from conservative activists, but it's not likely that Sotomayor will lose a party-line vote of the judiciary committee. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), a key Republican vote on the committee, has already suggested an unwillingness to block the nomination. And Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), another Republican member of the committee, has already voted to confirm Sotomayor once before (for the Second Circuit eleven years ago) making it unlikely he'll oppose her this time. By the time she makes it to the floor of the Senate, Al Franken will likely have been seated in Minnesota, providing the Democrats with a 60 vote, filibuster-proof majority. At that point, and without the filibuster option, Republicans will be powerless to prevent Sotomayor's confirmation.

Still, the GOP is angling for a fight. Among the few who graced Obama's short list, Sotomayor was largely considered the most progressive of the bunch. But as the Republican leadership gears up, they may be walking squarely into another political trap, carefully designed by the president. Should she be confirmed, Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic on the bench, chosen at a time when the Hispanic vote has emerged as a critical component to sustaining a Democratic majority over the long-term.

Already in 2008, Hispanic voters, who represent the fastest growing minority population in the country, were responsible for a dramatic political realignment. In the wake of an anti-immigrant nativism that came to define the Republican presidential nominating contests, Obama won two-thirds of the Hispanic vote, fourteen points higher than John Kerry's share four years earlier. That meant wins in states like New Mexico and Colorado, Nevada and Florida, and it meant an insurmountable electoral margin for Obama. The president recognizes that if the Democratic party can turn Hispanic voters into a loyal bloc of supporters, they can continue to expand their margins around the country, even in places as conservative as Texas, driven almost entirely by Hispanic population growth.

Read the rest of the article here.

Obama Nominates Woman to Supreme Court

On Tuesday, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and third woman to sit on the Supreme Court. Woot!

Sotomayor was raised in the Bronx housing project and is the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants. An alum of Princeton University and Yale Law School, she was appointed to the federal district court in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush. Although Republicans held up her confirmation to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, she eventually passed the Senate and was appointed by President Bill Clinton.

In his announcement, President Obama noted Sotomayor’s “inspiring life story” and “distinguished career.” He also cited her varied judicial experience in his decision to nominate her to succeed retiring Justice David Souter. In response, Sotomayor said she is an “ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences.”

After facing pressure to nominate a Hispanic and a woman to the bench, President Obama received praise for his decision from Rev. Al Sharpton, New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Democrats from Sotomayor’s home state. The decision shows the President’s commitment to diversifying the court.

The Senate has four months to complete confirmation hearings and proceedings before the Court begins in the fall term.

Why Michelle O Reps the Modern Day Woman

By the time I reached my late teens, I developed such an extreme revulsion for tights that I decided to do away with dresses altogether. I have always been a bit on the clumsy side so my tights would often get caught on the corners of tables and the embarrassing runs inevitably followed.

Throughout my childhood and early adult years, tights and dress slips were mandatory accessories with a dress. White was not worn after Labor Day. Short-sleeved dresses were not worn in winter. Period.

The first day in my professional life that I decided to ditch the tights and walked into my office in all my bare-legged glory, I felt an immense sense of freedom. I was no longer bound by the constraints of traditional female fashion guidelines.

During the 2008 presidential election, I watched with extreme adoration when Michelle Obama made no apologies for her bare-legged appearances. I thought: Now, this is my kind of First Lady. She was not only sharp and smart but a woman that broke free from the fashion rules that mom always told you.

As First Lady, Michelle Obama represents the new young professional woman. She wears chic and fashionable short-sleeved dresses sans tights. She rejects the top fashion brands for no-name designers. She embraces colors like purple, orange and teal in lieu of the drab black and grey that is the fashion norm in the political and corporate worlds.

Even though her style is simple and elegant, Michelle is a fashion renegade in her own right. She assures women that they can be professional without adhering to the silly old-school rules that constrain them from being who they truly are.

Now, that’s change that I can believe in.

Cross-posted on Political Voices of Women

Survey Says: Latinas Have Highest Teen Birth Rate

From CNN.com:

(CNN) -- She had many plans for the future: to go to college, start a career, meet the man of her dreams, raise a family -- when the time was right.
Expert: "There's a big disconnect between pregnancy rates and what Latina families want and value."

It was all cut off by an unexpected pregnancy. The baby became her life, consuming her energy and forcing her dreams to the back burner of her life.

She is 19 or younger and Latina, and has had her first baby.

It's not what she wanted. Nor did her parents, who are the greatest influence on her decisions about sex, according to a wide-ranging survey released Tuesday by experts on the Hispanic community in the United States.

The survey also found that 84 percent of Latino teens and 91 percent of Latino parents believe that graduating from college or university or having a promising career is the most important goal for a teen's future.

Somewhere along the way, the aspirations fail to match up to reality. The survey attempts to examine some of the reasons for the disparity and why Latinas now have the highest teen birth rate among all ethnic and racial groups in the United States.

"There's a big disconnect between pregnancy rates and what Latina families want and value," said Ruthie Flores, senior manager of the National Campaign's Latino Initiative.

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 53 percent of Latinas get pregnant in their teens, about twice the national average.

After a period of decline, the birth rate for U.S. teenagers 15 to 19 years rose in 2007 by about 1 percent, to 42.5 births per 1,000, according to preliminary data in a March 2009 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

In 2007, the birth rate among non-Hispanic whites ages 15 to 19 was 27.2 per 1,000, and 64.3 per 1,000 for non-Hispanic black teens in the same age range. The teen birth rate among Hispanic teens ages 15 to 19 was 81.7 per 1,000.

Of the 759 Latino teens surveyed, 49 percent said their parents most influenced their decisions about sex, compared with 14 percent who cited friends. Three percent cited religious leaders, 2 percent teachers and 2 percent the media. Video Watch more on the survey results »

Three-quarters of Latino teens said their parents have talked to them about sex and relationships, but only half said their parents discussed contraception.

Read the rest of the article here.

Jesse Ventura: 2 Repubs: 0

Once again, Jesse Ventura essentially (insert cliched wrestling move here) Sean Hannity on Monday. And it's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

And In This Corner We Have...

On Monday's The View, former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura verbally body-slammed Elisabeth Hasselbeck on the topic of torture. Ventura, who was waterboarded during his military training, reconfirmed an earlier comment that waterboarding is - in fact - torture.

"If waterboarding is OK, why don't we let our police do it to suspects so they can learn what they know?" he asked. "If waterboarding is OK, why didn't we waterboard [Timothy] McVeigh and Nichols, the Oklahoma City bombers, to find out if there were more people involved? ... We only seem to waterboard Muslims... Have we waterboarded anyone else? Name me someone else who has been waterboarded."

Hasselbeck attempted to defend the "enhanced interrogation techniques" but her Republican talking points could only get her so far. She quickly shifted the debate to Nancy Pelosi's alleged dishonesty about President Bush's torture program.

"I think what's worse is the fact that it happened," replied Ventura. "If we hadn't waterboarded to begin with, none of this would be a controversy, would it? Torture is torture. If you're going to be a country that follows the rule of law, which we are, torture is illegal."

Zing! Watch the smack-down below:

Apply for WeLEAD Class of 2010

Celebrating its fifth year, WeLEAD is a bipartisan leadership training program for women ages 21-25 and FREE of charge to those admitted. Run by the Women & Politics Institute’s (WPI) Young Women Leaders Board (YWLB), the program is aimed at helping the next generation of women succeed in politics and public service.

WeLEAD seeks to increase the number of women working in political professions such as the administration, congressional staffing, non-profits, lobbying and campaign consulting, as well as to encourage young women to run for elected office. One of the goals of WeLEAD is to empower and inspire young women, and to help them develop the confidence to succeed.

For the 2009-2010 session, WeLEAD will consist of seven training sessions from August 2009 through graduation in May 2010. These sessions are each held on a Saturday in the months of August, September, October, November, January, February, and April, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at American University. In addition, there are evening programs in October and January highlighting the work of important political women and a Congressional Dialogue in March that provides participants with the opportunity to meet with women members of Congress.

The application to apply for the Class of 2010 is June 1st. To learn more information or to apply, click here.

Our Fabulous Political Woman of the Month: Heather Higginbottom

Top of the morning, political divas and divos! Once again, I’ve decided to spotlight a woman who is accomplished, dynamic, poised, politically savvy and just plain fabulous all the way around. This month that woman is Heather Higginbottom.

One of the leading ladies in the White House, Heather was named, by President Barack Obama, as Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council on November 24, 2008. Prior to that, she served as Policy Director for the Obama for America campaign, overseeing all aspects of policy development. Take notes, my friends!

From 1999 to 2007, Higginbottom served as Senator John Kerry’s Legislative Director. She served as the Deputy National Policy Director for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign for the primary and general elections. She has also served as a Legislative Assistant and as Deputy Legislative Director for Senator Kerry. After the 2004 election, Higginbottom founded and served as Executive Director of the American Security Project, a national security think tank. She started her career as an advocate at the national non-profit organization Communities in Schools and worked on President Clinton’s ‘President’s Summit for America’s Future’ where she coordinated the role of communities of faith in the Summit.

Higginbottom received her Master of Public Policy degree at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University and her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester.

Everyone who knows this talented chica (and I’ve had the pleasure!) can attest to the fact that she is one sharp, classy, and fashionably fierce lady with the passion and smarts needed to get the job done. A woman shaping our nation in a time of economic crisis, we applaud you Heather Higginbottom!

So three cheers and two snaps for our Fabulous Political Woman of the Month! If you have someone you’d like to nominate for next month, hit me up!

CNN Gets "Punk'd"

Actor and "Punk'd" host Ashton Kutcher pranked CNN and its founder Ted Turner on Wednesday after beating the cable network in a twitter challenge. After claiming 1 million Twitter followers in April, Kutcher donated 10,000 mosquito bed nets to charity for World Malaria Day and vowed to "ding-dong-ditch" Ted Turner.

On Wednesday night, Kutcher and his wife, Demi Moore, arrived at the Atlanta offices with a banner displaying his Twitter name @aplusk and placed it over CNN’s neon logo sign. Earlier on Wednesday, Ashton and twitter fans showed up at Teddy's Atlanta restaurant, stacked hundreds of boxes of Ding Dongs at the restaurant, and repeatedly rang the bell.

“You know, CNN lost. That’s what happened,” Ashton told a crowd of more than 100 fans who came along to watch the shenanigans. “I’m just fulfilling a promise I made… that I’d do this thing and I’m doing it.”

LAME prank but I applaud him for his tweet donation to charity! Kutcher will appear on Oprah Friday to celebrate the win again.

Watch Ashton Kutcher address his tweeps prior to the prank:

Michelle-O-Watch: A Slammin' Look

I just had to share this photo because Michelle O looked absolutely fabulous in the pictures from the White House Poetry Slam on Tuesday, May 12th. SNAPS!!


Check out more photos from the event here.

Hill Still A Climb for Female Staffers

From POLITICO.com:

Even with a woman wielding the speaker’s gavel, Washington can still feel like the old boys’ club it once was.

Consider the top leadership offices in the House and Senate. Women run just two out of 17: those of House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio and House Democratic Caucus Co-Chairman Xavier Becerra of California.

While Congress has mostly sloughed off its reputation as an unruly domain for cigar-smoking skirt-chasers, female staffers complain that the clubby atmosphere of congressional offices — and its after-hours equivalent in Capitol Hill bars — still makes it easier for men to climb the career ladder. And some are frustrated that Congress hasn’t done more as an institution to make the ascent to top staff jobs more even.

“Congress has a terrible track record” when it comes to elevating women to the top jobs, said Stacy Mason, the executive director of WomenCount, a group established after Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic presidential primary.

Republican staffers are particularly dissatisfied with the lack of gender parity among aides on their side of the aisle.

“Are there powerful Republican women? Yes,” said one senior GOP aide. “But there’s also a men’s club. To say it’s frustrating would be an understatement.”

Some even suggest the gap — however real — might hurt the GOP as the party struggles to rebuild its brand. “If the party is going to effectively communicate to women, it just makes sense to have more women around the decision-making table,” one former top GOP aide said.

Democrats give themselves higher marks for promoting women to top jobs, but many acknowledge room for improvement. To that end, four women launched the Women’s Congressional Staff Association last summer to build a network of female peers on Capitol Hill. The bipartisan group has since swelled to more than 100 members, and founders would like to someday see a member in every office.

Read the rest of the article here.

How to Build Your Kitchen Cabinet

Over the last few months, I’ve been working with some women leaders to start a Women in Public Policy organization on my campus. Shocker. On Thursday, we had our first “Building Your Kitchen Cabinet” Happy Hour at a hip and swanky LA bar/ restaurant. No, it didn't have anything to do with assembling a cabinet. It had everything to do with how to help women build a network of like-minded, smart and capable women that are willing to have your back when looking for a job, running for office or starting a non-profit.

The event could not have gone more fabulously. We had a great turnout of graduate, undergraduate and alumni women interested and involved in the fields of public policy, public health, philanthropy, law and public affairs. Complete with yummy drinks, delish aps, Women in Public Policy trivia and great conversation.

The reality is that we live in a society where who you know can make all the difference in the world. And it's the understatement of the century if you're in the field of politics. Therefore, we need to know how to tap into new and existing networks and find ways to build our "kitchen cabinet." A little shy about networking?

Here’s a Networking 12 step program, courtesy of the eHow Careers & Work Editor:

1. Stay in touch with people you like and respect even if they can't help you immediately. You don't want to go to someone only when you are desperate.

2. Talk to people you don't know everywhere you go. Cocktail parties and weddings are just the tip of the iceberg; don't forget about airplane rides, supermarket lines, sporting events, festivals, bookstores and so on.

3. Learn to ask "What do you do?" with comfort, sincerity and interest.

4. Become a better listener. Ask a question and then be quiet until you hear the answer.

5. Practice your own presentation of your skills. Learn more than one approach, whether frank or subtle.

6. Keep a great updated brochure, business card or other form of information about yourself on you at all times. Get comfortable handing out your card.

7. Take classes to improve your public speaking, body language and writing skills.

8. Join every networking club and association in your field.

9. Follow up on any lead, no matter how minor.

10. Remember people’s names and repeat it when you speak to them.

11. Keep track of people's birthdays and send them birthday notes.

12. Talk in terms of the other person's interests and find common experiences, activities, interests, etc.


Check out a video of the event here.

The Sunday Funnies

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

HOT: Joe the Plumber is Quitting the GOP. The man who once served as the mascot for the GOP during the '08 presidential election has decided to leave the party. Joe the Plumber cited overspending by Republicans as the reason for his dissent but also said he would not support any cuts in defense, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Rrrrrrrrrright.

NOT: Hannity Attacks Obama For Putting Mustard On His Burger? Sean Hannity officially ran out of material and criticized Obama for ordering a “spicy” or “Dijon” mustard on his cheeseburger at Ray’s Hell Burgers in Arlington, VA. Sounds like a plate full of desperation topped off with a condiment of hateration.

HOT: Palin's Popularity Plunging In Polls. According to recent polls, Connecticut Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell has taken Sarah Palin’s spot as the most popular governor in the county. What’s more, Senator Lisa Murkowski is now the most popular politician in Alaska.

NOT: GOP Appoints Sessions to Judiciary Committee. GOP leadership has appointed Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to replace Arlen Specter as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sessions, who was nominated to become a U.S. District judge by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, has been called a "crypto-segregationist" for racially insensitive remarks he's made in the past. Now, that's how you rebrand a party.

HOT: Ridge Not Running For Senate. After much speculation, PA Gov. Tom Ridge has decided not to run for the Senate in Pennsylvania. The decision is a letdown for Republicans hoping for Ridge to run against Specter in the general election. And, another one bites the dust.

NOT: Dick Cheney’s Advice to Republicans. In a radio interview, Dick Cheney stated that it would be a mistake for the Republican Party to become more moderate. Because loving torture and appointing racially insensitive committee heads seems to be working so well.

Why Elizabeth Edwards Stands By John

From CBS.com:

(CBS/AP) Political wives stand by their men more often than not.

Now Elizabeth Edwards, in her new memoir, "Resilience," reveals why she stood by her husband, former 2008 presidential hopeful, John Edwards, after she learned he cheated on her with a former campaign worker, Rielle Hunter.

Edwards, who has terminal breast cancer, appears on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Thursday to talk about her new book and how she learned Edwards was cheating.

In the taped interview, Edwards says John Edwards met then-42-year-old Hunter at a hotel. Her pickup line, according to Edwards, was "You are so hot."

Elizabeth says she cried, screamed and vomited when she learned of his infidelity. But even after John initially revealed the truth to Elizabeth -- just days after declaring his presidential run in 2006 -- she stayed with him.

"He should not have run," Edwards wrote in her book, adding that she wanted her husband to drop out to save her family from media scrutiny. The Edwards have three children: Cate, Jack and Emma Claire.

On The Early Show Wednesday, Dr. Robi Ludwig, psychologist and contributing editor of Cookie magazine, told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez why many political wives stand by their cheating spouses.

"You know, (the wives) may understand that with these kinds of people -- these men are in the spotlight, they're very powerful, there are women throwing themselves at these kinds of men," she said. "I think, in some way, (these women) make a deal, whether it's conscious or unconscious, they understand that, if you enter into a political relationship, you might be dealing with a guy who might cheat, and to really keep the whole picture in mind. Do you want to maintain your life? Do you want to fight for a person you love? Maybe at the end of the day that's what's important."

Read the rest of the article here.

Election 2012 Preview: Mitt Romney v. Sarah Palin? You Betcha!

In the latest instance of Republican-on-Republican crime, Mitt Romney took a swipe at Governor Sarah Palin in an interview broadcast Sunday.

Taking a cue from my grandmom's backhanded compliments (such as “Wow, you look nice TODAY” and “Good thing you have an attractive face because that haircut is just plain awful"), Romney addressed Sarah Palin's inclusion on Time's list of influential people. Mitt said, “But was that the issue on the most beautiful people or the most influential people?”

Wo-ho! Addressing the fact that polarizing figures Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin were the only Republicans on the list, Mitt said "I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that [Time list] would suggest." Like... ahem... yours truly. This recent spat underscores the divide in the Republican party and enhances suspicion that both Romney and Palin will make a run for 2012.

A spokeswoman for Palin responded with, "I think there are 100 influential Republicans alone who have tremendous ideas and I hope that we can all work together to accomplish what we believe is best for America."

Palin supporters at Conservatives4Palin released a video hitting back at Romney:

Newspaper Bailout? Not so much.

From POLITICO.com:

Asked in his Monday briefing if the White House would consider bailing out the newspaper business, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters the government may not have the power to reverse the industry’s decline.

“I don’t know what, in all honesty, government can do about it,” Gibbs said in response to a question about the Boston Globe’s financial struggles.

Noting that it's a "bit of a tricky area to get into," given the relationship between the White House and the media, Gibbs said President Barack Obama “believes there has to be a strong free press" and expressed "concern and sadness" over the state of the industry.

But Gibbs wasn’t just sympathetic — he also twisted the knife a little, digging into reporters who questioned the Obama administration’s commitment to cutting spending.

“You guys didn’t think $100 million meant a lot a few weeks ago,” Gibbs said. “But looking at some of the balance sheets, $100 million seems to mean a lot.”

Check out Gibbs' comments below:

Top Jobs for Women Policy Leaders

Given current economic woes, I have spoken with quite a few amigas who have lost jobs recently and thought I'd post some faboo job ops. Check them out below:

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) seeks a full-time Program Manager for its downtown D.C. office. WISER is a non-profit organization that works to help women, educators and policymakers understand the important issues surrounding women’s retirement income.
To apply: Send a cover letter, resume and writing sample to info@wiserwomen.org

EMILY's List, one of the nation's largest political networks and the largest financial resource for women candidates is in search of a Senior Development Associate. We are seeking an experienced, innovative fundraiser to create and implement a fundraising plan for a designated territory including but not limited to Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Utah.
To apply: http://www.emilyslist.org/about/jobs/

Women Employed, which aims to improve women’s economic status and remove barriers to economic equity, is seeking an individual to fill the position of Policy Organizer. The Policy Organizer is responsible for mobilizing key constituent groups and developing and maintaining relationships to advance Women Employed’s short and long-term legislative, advocacy and engagement goals. Travel is required.
To apply: http://www.womenemployed.org/index.php?id=17

The League of Women Voters is seeking to hire a Communications and Online Outreach Manager. The Manager works to maximize opportunities to build the visibility and political relevance of the League of Women Voters. Responsible for developing and overseeing the online engagement work including shaping the outgoing messages; managing the timing of various online appeals, alerts, and messages to enhance their impact; and creating and implementing a strategic outreach plan. Reports to Senior Director of Communications.
To apply: https://member.lwv.org/ContactUs.asp

The National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), a grassroots advocacy organization, seeks a full-time Public Policy Associate for the Government Relations Department. The Public Policy Associate will monitor, analyze and research federal and state legislation, regulations, and proposals; establish and maintain relationships with key elected officials, appointees and staff in federal and state governments.
To apply: http://www.stopbreastcancer.org

The Sunday Funnies

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

HOT: Barack & Michelle Make Time's 100 “World's Most Influential People." Another year, another list. Other notables were Paul Krugman, Rush Limbaugh, Penelope Cruz (?), M.I.A. and Sarah Palin.

NOT: Fox Not Airing Obama Press Conference. In yet another “fair and balanced” move, Fox became the first broadcast network to refuse to air President Barack Obama’s prime-time news conference. The network instead opted to show their new series “Lie to Me,” about a crime-fighting expert who can spot liars.

HOT: Jump in Stocks in April. In a sign that the economy is beginning to heal, Standard & Poor’s 500 index climbed 9.4 percent in April, its best performance in nine years, and the Dow Jones industrial average increased 7.4 percent in April.

NOT: Michele Bachmann Blames Dems for Swine Flu. Good ol’ Bachmann suggested that President Barack Obama should be blamed for the crisis, mistakenly implying that swine flu epidemics tend to happen during Democratic administrations.

HOT: No Racial Gap Seen in '08 Voter Turnout. According to a study, the historically wide gap between blacks and whites in voter turnout evaporated in the '08 presidential election, mostly due to the Obama candidacy and an increase in the number of eligible voters. In particular, black women reported the highest rate than any other racial, ethnic and gender group.

NOT: CNN Talks About Barack Obama's "Swagga." CNN covered a story this week that would make any rational person of any race, age and gender literally cringe. T.J. Holmes spoke with four men to discuss the critical topic of Obama's "swagga," which ended with Kyra Phillips asking for a fist bump.