"Women Choose Webb" Event Today

[UPDATE: Programming note.  Jim Webb's oldest daughter, Amy Hogan, will be "live blogging" tomorrow (Tuesday) at Daily Kos about her father and also about her thoughts on the Webb-Allen Senate race.  I will cross-post her writeup here as well, and will also post the link to the Daily Kos discussion when it is available.  Come join the chat; it should be interesting!]

[UPDATE #2:  Complete report on the "flip."]

[UPDATE #3:  More photos available here, courtesy of Cassie Arnold.]
Another day, another great event with tremendous energy for Jim Webb!  Today, it was a "women for Webb" rally in which you could feel the energy flow through the room like an electric current.  Wow.

Speakers included Arlington Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy, Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur (the first female county sheriff), former Virginia "second lady" Megan Beyer, former Virginia "first lady" Lynda Robb, Jim Webb's wife Hong Lee, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, and State Senator Toddy Puller (D-36). Other women "electeds" included Arlington school board chairman Libby Garvey, Arlington school board member Mary Hynes, State Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-31), Delegate Vivian Watts (D-39), State Delegate Kris Amundsen (D-Mount Vernon), and probably a few others I left out by accident.  There were also at least 100 women in the restaurant (Ireland's Four Courts), not including reporters and staffers, plus Congressman Jim Moran's wife LuAnn Bennett and Gerry Connolly's wife Cathy.

Ingrid Morroy served as M.C., and did a fine job.  Ingrid talked about how Jim Webb "is the right candidate for Virginia women and the other guy is not."  Ingrid joked about George Allen wearing cowboy boots "to honor...cowboys? - which we don't HAVE in Virginia!"  (big laugh)  Ingrid pointed out that Jim Webb wears combat boots to honor his son Jimmy, a Marine who is serving in one of the most dangerous places in the world right now.  Finally, Ingrid talked about how all the women today were wearing sneakers, since that's what they wear on their way to work, running errands, running around with their kids, and running to bring home this election for Jim Webb!

Sheriff Beth Arthur said she was concerned about safety in our schools and in our communities, noting some recent, horrific incidents of violence.  Arthur pointed out that George W. Bush and the Republican Congress of George Allen put forward a budget that significantly reduced, even gutted programs for local law enforcement and first responders.  She recounted how she had written a letter to George Allen on this issue and had never received a response.  In contrast, according to Arthur, Jim Webb cares about our kids and our commmunity.

Megan Beyer said that, having served as "second lady" while George Allen was Governor, she "knows a little bit about this guy."  She talked about how she had seen "some desperate candidates," of which George Allen obviously is one.  Beyer asserted that this Congress has "not been kind to families," and that women should choose Jim Webb because he supports - unlike George Allen - the Famliy and Medical Leave Act.  In addition, Webb supports not just the idea of "No Child Left Behind," but the actual FUNDING to make it work.  What a concept! :)

Beyer continued, talking about the importance of embryonic stem cell resarch (Webb supports, Allen opposes), and the need to raise the minimum wage for working families (Webb supports, Allen opposes).  Beyer also said that we are too polarized and that we need someone who will be independent and passionate about change.  We need leaders who believe that power should flow from the bottom up. 

Beyer declared that women are going to decide this race, and that this could determine the majority in the US Senate.  Beyer said, only half jokingly:

OK girls, once again it's up to us!  Our families, our Commonwealth, our nation are depending on us.

You can say that again!

Lynda Robb pointed out her "gorgeous red tennis shoes," and how we all had to "put our best foot forward" in the next 8 days - "run as fast as we can to round up people and get them to the polls."  According to Robb, "Jim Webb does not discriminate - we will take Republican votes!"  And, since Jim Webb can't get around and see all of us, we have to help him.  "Get Out the Vote" is key.  Talk to your neighbors.  E-mail everyone on your list.  Tell everyone you know that Jim Webb is their man.

Robb talked about how she is the grandmother of a new baby, and how happy she is that the child's mother was able to "stay home and nurse that baby, not just rush back to work."  The point is that a lot of people can't take off from work, must make decisions between earning a living and taking care of a child or sick relative, etc.  That's why we need things like the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Robb talked about how she was extremely proud of her husband for his political accomplishments, but that she's probably proudest of his service to our country as a US Marine.  Today, we need to show military people that we are concerned about them and about what this war is doing to our country.  It's our duty to take care of our military members.

Hong Le Webb talked about being a first-generation immigrant to this country, coming from a "large Catholic family" in which her mother was the primary bread winner (an unusual thing in Vietnam).  She said that Jim's family life "parallels mine very much," and that he "understands womens' issues" in part because of all the strong women who helped to raise him.  Hong said she wanted to "publicy and personally thank him," that without his service and the service of many others in Vietnam, she "wouldn't be the woman I am here today."  She said that "Jim and I are very grateful for your support."

[Lynda Robb interjected that it's a great tribute that Hong is out here campaigning for Jim, although she's "with child."]

Eleanor Holmes Norton said that Virginians aren't the only ones who want Jim Webb to replace George Allen in the US Senate.  According to Norton, it's also Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives.  Norton sayid, "I know how to pick my men and pick 'em carefully."  Norton elaborated that she knows the difference between "a man you gotta be for and a man you gotta be against."  Norton served with Allen in the House, and she believes that he was one of the most conservative members there and also "carried that to the Senate."  Which is why, in Norton's opinion, we need to "carry him out the door" on November 7.  The bottom line:  "George Allen is not an ally of the District of Columbia, of Virginia, or of the women of Virginia."

On womens' issues, Norton talked about Allen's votes in the wrong direction with regard to the Family and Medical Leave Act, Title 7, and sexual harrassment.  All in all, Allen has "an impressive record AGAINST women."  Norton is not just against George Allen, but - as a strong feminist - she's FOR Jim Webb.  One thing women should look at is whether a person is "educable."  Unfortunately, George Allen "cannot be educated."  Norton has "no question on where [Webb] stands on the core issues."

In sum, "we can't do this without you, Virginia."  So, "pick your man carefully, it won't be hard."

Toddy Puller gave perhaps the most powerful speech of the day - and that's not taking away anything from the other womens' speeches.  Puller was simply great.

Puller started by saying she was proud to be there on behalf of Jim Webb.  She talkeda bout how we needed to get out the womens' vote for Jim Webb.  And she declared, "we are women, hear us roar!"

Puller talked about how the Founding Fathers - Virginians like Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Mason - would be appalled at what's happening in this country today.  Our system of representative democracy is not going in the way that they would have approved of.  Many Virginians, including the Founding Fathers, "sacrified to get this [country] going."  Yet today, too many people think you don't really have to sacrifice.

Another thing that "galls" Puller is the divisiveness in our country today.  For instance, the criticism of Jim Webb's highly acclaimed novels hits a new "gotcha" low.  The fact is, "war is ugly" and "war is hell."  Which is why decicions to go to war should be made carefully, with facts, and with those who know the cost of battle.  War should be turned to as a last resort.  When declared, funds need to be appropriated to equip our troops adequately. 

Webb knows war.  He's been there...been willing to sacrifice for his country.  So did Puller's husband, who was a Marine 2nd Lieutenant in Vietnam who lost both legs and six fingers. Today, the same kind of war is going on in Iraq. Things aren't going alright.  War affects families, children, women.  Puller talked about how her husband took his life 26 years after he got home from Vietnam.  This is why you should never go to war unless there's a clear reason to do so.

Today, according to Puller, we need someone with courage, independence, ability to lead, not just a rubberstamp whether it's the right thing or not.  We need Jim Webb.  Jim wrote about the awful toll of war in his books.  Jim is a man of character and intellect.  Jim wants to protect our middle class.  In contrast, this Congress - including George Allen - only wants to protect the very rich and help them get richer.  It's time to take back our country.

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.

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