Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz each have two things in common. They were featured speakers at the Democratic National Convention and they're moms. I'm not bringing up their motherhood status because I think it's important. They did. I'm the first person to applaud women who are mothers who openly embrace their [...]
Ann Romney was after the mom vote big time at the Republican Convention last night. Moms hold the country together. Moms sigh a lot. Moms worry a lot. She was a mom who worried a lot. But she trusted Mitt and she got through her motherhood experience. So all of us moms should trust Mitt, [...]
As increasing numbers of women who have young children become involved in the political process, the issue of child care gets more attention. That's good as far as it goes. But with the GOP Convention going on in Tampa and the Democrats getting ready to nominate Barack Obama for a second term, I've been [...]
Guess who's going to the Democratic National Convention? Yup! I'm super-excited that I'm going to be headed to Charlotte to experience my second presidential convention and my first one with the Democrats. (I covered a Republican Convention back in my broadcast journalism days, but I won't tell you which one, as it would totally [...]
What do new GOP VP candidate Paul Ryan and former GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin have in common? They're both the parents of young, school-aged children. Ryan's children -- ages seven, eight and nine -- are in that childhood sweet spot. They're just old enough not to need attention every moment of the [...]
Mitt Romney doesn't have it in him to "go rogue" when it comes to his vice presidential selection. In a way, I wish he did -- it sure would make the rest of the campaign season more interesting. But no matter who the GOP candidate ended up being, the queen of the rogues herself, Sarah [...]
Republicans see dead people. Well, they see dead people, and possibly zombies, when it comes to the visions of voter fraud that dance in their heads. The GOP likes to conjure up images of the dearly departed to convince the rest of us that untold numbers of live voters are using their [...]
You know, I thought Funny or Die was a comedy site, but it turns out they are going to a major political player this election year. Ashley Judd taking on Rick Santorum. Bringing President Bartlet back to us. And now, in a mere two and a half minutes, Kate Beckinsale and some of her friends [...]
Mitt Romney needs a lot of things to happen and a lot of stars to align for him to become the President of the United States. But of all the items on that ever-growing list, there's an intangible, yet important, one he just hasn't been able to check off -- enthusiasm. The members of his [...]
With Rick Santorum out of the presidential race, Mitt Romney can unofficially turn his attention to campaigning against President Barack Obama. But he's been having problems connecting with voters, especially women. Can Mitt turn that around? And if so, how? I had a chance to discuss that with Kelly Wallace as part of the iVillage [...]
It's no secret that GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney has some issues. He's the front-runner in a field of less-than-perfect Republican candidates, and he's got a little bit too much of the Al Gore thing going in his campaign. You know what I'm talking about -- he's a not comfortable in crowds, [...]
Conservative women voters LOVE Rick Santorum! While those of us on the Democratic side of the aisle worry about what will happen to our access to birth control and our reproductive health rights if the former Pennsylvania Senator were to become president, many Republican women favor Santorum over Mitt Romney by huge numbers. But why? [...]
Thank you for this, Rachel Maddow Show!
PunditGirl: Mom, why don't you and dad like Rick Santorum? Me: Well, remember a couple of years ago, when we talked about how babies get made? PunditGirl: Yeah .... Me: And remember how you got all worried and said, "But Mom, what if I don't want to have a baby? What if I want to [...]
If you're feeling a little rogue, get ready for more Mama Grizzly than you can stand because Sarah Palin is coming to multiple screens near you! As frustrated and conflicted Republicans are trying to choose a standard bearer to challenge President Obama, is it any coincidence that Palin's PAC has announced the re-release [...]
Mitt Romney was the big winner on Super Tuesday. Or was he? Yes, he placed first in six of the ten state races. Yes, he came out on top in Ohio, the most watched contest of the night. But it's hard for anyone who's objective about the primaries and caucuses to say Romney got the [...]
All the political wonkiness is swirling around for Super Tuesday! What's going to happen? What will the results mean? Who's in and who's out? Third-party candidate here we come? If you're like me, you'll need someone to talk about all this with. The solution? Join me over at iVillage iVote! I'm [...]
I feel like I'm living in the time of Hester Prynne and her Scarlet Letter in light of the ongoing and escalating attacks on women's health, especially when it comes to anything concerning our 'lady parts.' Some women on the right say birth control has nothing to do with our health. I say, "What?" Recently, [...]
Just when I think Rick Santorum can't say anything else to make my jaw drop, he conjures something new to confirm my suspicions that he's not just an uber-conservative, but that maybe he's gotten a few too many whiffs of those campaign bus fumes. His latest remarks in his efforts to convince Republicans [...]
White guy, white guy, white guy, white guy with a yamulke, black guy. I don't have an image I can show, but that's how I would describe the witnesses invited to Capitol Hill by Republican Congressman Darrell Issa (also a white guy) to talk about -- prescription birth control! Well, Issa claims his oversight [...]
If Rick Santorum wants women voters to support his presidential candidacy, he might want to stop talking about women. Soon. He’s clearly doing well with conservative Christian voters around the country, as his wins in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado show. But Santorum can’t win the big contest in November without women. And in light [...]
Vocal Catholic bishops and members of the religious right community want America to think that President Obama has launched an all out assault on religion with the announcement that employer-provided health insurance policies have to cover birth control without a co-pay. They're yelling, stomping their feet and have taken to the airwaves to [...]
Much ado has been made about Jodi Kantor’s book, The Obamas, for its focus on the First Couple’s marriage and the role that First Lady Michelle Obama has a White House influencer. Critics (of both Michelle Obama and Kantor) have chimed in with the question, “Why do we need to know about married [...]
South Carolina women loved Newt Gingrich. Women voters in Florida? Not so much. The results of the Florida Republican presidential primary show that while the ladies in the Palmetto State liked what Gingrich had to say as a candidate, the gals in the Sunshine State wanted another candidate to take to the general election prom. [...]
Who are the current Republican candidates running for president? The list is changing every week, as some of the candidates we thought we'd see through more of the primary season have dropped out. We've said goodbye to Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman. But here's what you need to know about the remaining candidates [...]
