Wellesley Alum Blog

Breathless

Carol S Savage — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:24:12 EST

Today I watched the inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama, with 16 friends from my hometown, who assembled with less than 24 hours notice to be together for this historic occasion. We work together to make things happen in out town, and we supported his candidacy for president. Many who replied to the impromptu email invitation but could not attend were planning to take a break from work, some were planning to stop class teaching high school students or college students or watch at home with a mother or children. But nobody was planning to miss it. I got the sense of a moment in which the whole world paused to show reverence for this remarkable man, his remarkable family, on this remarkable occasion. Barack Obama is not just the most dignified and capable candidate and leader I could imagine, but he is so warm and engaging across such a wide spectrum, relevant and contemporary, and yes, fun! This is the changing face of America indeed.

The people who attended were moved to tears, inspired for our future and glad to be together with friends to celebrate. Obama will bring people together, as he inspired us to do in my living room today. These friends are the ones who make change in their neighborhoods, schools, and community in a multitude of small ways, and they were recharged to go out and do more. Thank you, Obama, for the Renewed Energy!

How did you mark the occasion? Let's share our stories!

Let's Build Wellesley Numbers here!

Carol S Savage — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:08:58 EDT

This site is now set up to require its members to have a Wellesley alumnae listing on the college website.

Let's build our numbers to demonstrate that Wellesley alumnae are engaged in this election! We can be registered and campaigning here and in other places as well, but in grassroots campaigns, NUMBERS matter! We have a chance to be a strong and articulate voice in this campaign. Let's become a large group within the campaign and show that Wellesley alums are making a difference. Let's get to work!

GO WELLESLEY!!

CLINTON RALLIES SUPPORT FOR OBAMA

Carol S Savage — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:03:02 EDT

The article below is from today's Boston Globe, page A11. Yay, Hillary!! Senator Hillary Clinton today will launch a new grass-roots effort to get her supporters to fall in behind onetime rival Barack Obama.
"Today I am asking all of you to hit the phones, hit the road, and spread the word that we must elect Barack Obama president and we must send a filibuster-proof majority to Congress," Clinton, who attended a private event yesterday in Boston, said in a statement. "We all have a role. And there is not a moment to lose."
The effort is being organized by Clinton's political action committee, in conjunction with Obama's campaign and other Democratic campaigns, and will launch this morning at her PAC's website, where there will be information on canvassing, phone banking, blogging, and other activities.
Each weekend, the effort will focus on a different battleground state, starting Sept. 27-28 in New Hampshire. Pennsylvania is scheduled for Oct. 12-13. She won both states during the primaries.
FOON RHEEHere's the link to the article:http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/20/clinton_launches_effort_to_rally_support_for_obama/#

Women for Obama -- check this out

Carol S Savage — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:01:28 EDT

An Extreme Choice

Last Friday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as his vice presidential running mate, "catching almost everyone but his inner circle by surprise." Of the very little that is known about Palin is her extreme right-wing policies on a wide range of issues. For example, shesupports teaching creationism in school, favors privatizationof health insurance, boasts of being a "lifetime member of the NRA," opposes stem-cell research, and declared that "she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to homosexual couples." On some of the most important issues of this election -- Iraq, energy, abortion -- Palin represents the extreme right wing.

EXTREME ON ABORTION: One of the only policy stances widely known about Palin when her name was first announced is her extreme opposition to abortion. She once said that she would not support an abortion for her then-14 year old daughter, even if she had been raped. Palin has also declared that "explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support," favoring abstinence-only programs instead. The right wing has lauded both Palin for choosing to carry her most recent child, who has Down Syndrome, to term, andher 17-year-old daughter for deciding to complete her pregnancy. Yet as the American Prospect's Ann Friedman points out, "John McCain and Sarah Palin don't believe women have a right to choose. It's absolutely absurd for the campaign to emphasize the fact that [Palin's daughter] Bristol 'made this decision,' and then push for policies that take away that choice."

For the complete article:

http://pr.thinkprogress.org/

I take it back - & a great blog!

Carol S Savage — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:14:24 EDT

I wrote an earlier post indicating there was at least some positive news for women in the nomination of Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate as evidence that women have shattered the political ceiling. I've since pulled that post because the more I learn about Sarah Palin, the more startled I am that even a republican "maverick" would choose a running mate with so little experience for a Vice President, a heartbeat away from the presidency. Today's New York Times (Article "Paiin disclosures Spotlight McCain 's Screening Process" pg A1 & A19) indicated that McCain had favored Senator Lieberman or Governor Ridge as late as last week, but because both men favored abortion, the "campaign was bombarded by outrage from influential conservatives who predicted an explosive floor fight at the convention and vowed rejection of Mr. Ridge or Mr. Lieberman by the delegates." How is it possible that any group, regardless of their religious views, could want a candidate with so little experience in the White House? It is a scary thought that a significant voting block thinks so narrowly, and makes me all that more committed to education and the need for critical thinking to become a national priority. And I hope it will motivate the Obama-Biden supporters to work even harder to win this election!

Check out this blog from a friend who was an Obama delegate at the convention. She stays up-to-date on the campaign developments and there is great info here to pass along:

http://barackdelegate.typepad.com/convention/

Wellesley Alum group admin: Please change title of the Group Profile

Carol S Savage — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:59:43 EDT

Please remove the parentheses from the title in the Group Profile. Thanks.

Emily's List warns Hillary Dems Off McCain

Carol S Savage — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 22:46:22 EDT

A Posting for Women for Obama:

Check out this article on Women's enews, and sign up for their email news list.

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3633

Here is an extract of the introduction and lead-in:

After a bruising Democratic primary some Hillary Clinton supporters are mulling voting for John McCain. One of Clinton's staunchest supporters, EMILY's List, argued against that yesterday, calling a vote for the GOP candidate a vote against women.

(WOMENSENEWS)--EMILY'S List, the political action committee that churned out money and support for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton until the last gasp of the Democratic primary campaign, urged disgruntled supporters on Wednesday away from the GOP candidate.

A vote for Arizona Sen. John McCain would be "unthinkable," Ellen Malcolm, EMILY'S List president, said in conference calls with reporters yesterday to counter the McCain campaign's efforts to woo disappointed Clinton supporters. EMILY's List supports only Democratic, pro-choice female candidates. McCain has consistently voted against pro-choice and anti-discrimination legislation in the U.S. Senate.

Thank you to Hillary and her campaigners

Carol S Savage — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:24:38 EDT

I am posting this as a new member of the Women's group, though I've had a page on the Obama '08 site for months.

I have many talented women friends who supported Senator Clinton's campaign, and at times that has been difficult. I wanted to take a moment to thank them, along with Hillary, for the difference they made for all of us. I am proud that Senator Obama's campaign launched an effort to ask his supporters to simply thank her. Here is an extract from a thank you message I made for Hillary:

I am grateful for the difference you have made in so very many ways for women around the world. Thanks to you, my daughters will enter adulthood knowing more than ever before that America can and will have a woman president. I can already see how it is empowering them to make a difference in their world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail." While your head may have taken a beating from those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, wait'll you feel your shoulders from the weight of all the women who will be standing on them....

Thank you.

More thanks to Hillary

Carol S Savage — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:55:11 EDT

At Kim Bottomly's Wellesley presidential inaugural, Massachusetts State Representative Alice Hanlon Peisch said to a rousing cheer, "I fully appreciate the tremendous role that Wellesley College plays in promoting women's education in Massachusetts and indeed across the globe. It is the education offered here at Wellesley that has opened the doors of opportunity and allowed women to take their place alongside their male counterparts in all arenas. And, regardless of where you personally stand on this, I believe we can all agree that it is no coincidence that the first viable woman candidate for President of the United States is a graduate of THIS institution."

Thank you, now, for your leadership in uniting the Democratic party behind Barack Obama for the sake of our future. Just as we celebrate women, this spring's Wellesley magazine's cover story underscored the opportunity to once and for all, with the help of your leadership, celebrate America's racial diversity as an asset in our democracy. May Wellesley help lead the way and pave a path for the next generation!

Thank you.

Time for us to Act!

Carol S Savage — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:19:13 EDT

Congratulations, Barack Obama, our NOMINEE!! You took the high road through a hard-fought campaign, impressing me with your integrity at every obstacle in your way. You are the kind of leader our country needs and you give me hope for the future of my children and grandchildren. Now, we need to help to unify Democrats. As Wellesley alums, we know that the women who supported Hillary voiced valid concerns on behalf of women and as Obama supporters, we are confident we can work together on these issues as well as so many others.

Wellesley Alums for Obama have an opportunity to make a difference! What is our plan?

View my Obama in :30 Seconds Ad

Carol S Savage — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:12:37 EDT

I entered an ad in the Moveon.org contest for "Obama in:30 seconds" Please view it and pass it on!
It's called "Headlines" (but turn the volume up, because my audio equipment isn't great!)
Cut and paste this link into your browser to view! And pass it on - the # of views counts towards its success.http://obamain30seconds.org/vote/?v=view-1975-H67fAt
The prize is camera equipment and editing software which I'd like to use to help with local and state advocacy efforts for cities, towns & public schools and other worthwhile campaigns. Thanks!

Can we Grow this Wellesley Community?

Carol S Savage — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:09:43 EDT

We have an opportunity to make a difference in this election with our thoughtful participation. Who is our group adminstrator? Could someone explain how the men in this group are connected to Wellesley? Thank you.

See why I support Barack

Carol S Savage — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:36:12 EST

http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/women/betterworld