EMILY’s List Gala Reception

OK, so I couldn’t squeeze into the PACKED Sheraton ballroom for the EMILY’s List luncheon, but I did manage to get onto the media waiting list (that had 450 names) and eventually the overflow room. Fortunately, the good people at EMILY’s list provided food so at least there’s plenty of cheesecake along with the giant screen TVs.

With a lineup of Speaker Pelosi, Senator Clinton, and Michelle Obama, this is the ticket to have here in Denver. I’ll cover the speeches in case C-SPAN coverage isn’t enough.

EMILYs list is a vital part of the Democratic coalition. It was created as a fundraising and candidate recruitment vehicle for Democratic women candidates. And unlike a lot of other political organizations, EMILY willingly takes on entrenched Democratic incumbents in primary elections and goes against the party establishment candidates in open primaries. It is unabashedly progressive and feminist in a political environment openly hostile to both. Still, they have been instrumental in increasing the representation of women in Congress (both numerically and substantively) and have reshaped the Democratic Party (as evidenced by Senator Clinton’s historic run for the presidency) and the critical role of women in the party apparatus.

And their record of success is fairly stunning… 8 women Governors, 11 Democratic Senators, and 70 women elected to the House.

Based on the response, a large majority of those in attendance are Clinton delegates/ supporters. And the message of the day (and of every day between now and November) is unity.