May my daughters get to choose

Driving back from a 1 year old's birthday party in Naperville on Sunday, we passed two dozen anti-choice picketers holding up signs.

"Abortion... kills... babies. Mommy, what's an abortion?"

Although I winced, I'm not one to ignore pointed questions from my bright almost 7 year old 2nd grader. We've discussed where babies come from (I recommend the book It's Not the Stork), but I wasn't prepared to discuss abortion. How would I provide a truthful answer while that also conveyed my solidly pro-choice perspective?

Now, I'm not pro-abortion. I can't imagine anyone is. But I believe there are valid reasons a woman may want to terminate a pregnancy, and it is not my place (or our government's) to interfere in what is a very personal, private, emotionally-fraught medical matter.

"Well, honey, an abortion is what happens when a woman had a very tiny baby in her tummy and either that baby is very sick and might die or that woman is very upset that there is a baby in there and doesn't want to be pregnant and have a baby. It is very sad when there is an abortion and some people believe they shouldn't be allowed. But your mom and lots of other women believe every lady has the right to decide if she wants to have a baby. It is her choice."

I walked through another batch of anti-choice protesters today, these ones shouting and holding up far more gruesome posters. It was an uncomfortable approach to NARAL's Pro-Choice America's Chicago Power of Choice Luncheon, but one women in crisis deal with daily as they try to approach a Planned Parenthood or other women's health clinic for reproductive services.

The speakers, journalist Sylvia Ewing, NARAL President Nancy Keenen and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, drove home how anti-woman the so-called pro-life movement is and how much scary legislative progress they've made in states across the U.S.

Now I understand wanting to end abortions, but the anti-choice lobby is anti-contraception. Contraception! Last I checked, the Pill, IUDs and condoms were without a doubt the best way to prevent unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. And as if that wasn't galling enough, some Republicans want to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest. This cause matters. For my friends, who've endured so much pain and heartbreak securing second trimester terminations for non-viable pregnancies, and for my daughters, who most certainly will need affordable, reliable contraceptives before they decide to start having children.

Oh hell, no

I finally answered the D.C. area robo-survey that's been dialing my cell phone for days. It went like this...

"Do you plan to vote in the November elections?" Yes

"Do you consider yourself a tea party patriot?" No

"Do you have a favorable opinion of Governor Sarah Palin?" No

"Are you male?" No

"Are you over 50 years of age?" No

"Have you ever contributed to a political party, religious organization, church group..." Yes

I was there

I had planned to throw a pizza party on Election Night, but on Monday two of my coworkers volunteered their plus-one passes to the rally in Grant Park. I spent my lunch hour finding a babysitter, retracting my party invitations and logging onto CNN and Huffington Post for the latest news.

I voted early Tuesday morning and spent the day at work giddy with excitement and the caffeine from my free cup of Starbucks coffee. My downtown office closed early so I was able to spend time with my kids before begging our neighbor's teenager to come over soon so we could make it to the rally. We'd planned on meeting my friends at 8:00 since the gates were scheduled to open at 8:30, but the rally organizers started letting supporters in a little after six.

Josh and I jogged to the El and made it downtown around 7:30. Finding Casey, who is 6 feet tall, is usually a cinch, but we struggled, text-messaging and calling, through the tightly packed throngs before finally meeting up near the front of the line.

Security wasn't as tight as we'd heard it might be. Although we were asked to have them out and ready, IDs weren't given more than a cursory glance as we moved from one gate to the next.

At 8:30 we were in Grant Park. The mood was celebratory as we'd just heard Pennsylvania had gone blue. When the news from Ohio came in, spirits lifted even higher. Strangers were updating each other with news feeds from their iPhones and admiring each others' Obama apparel. The jumbotron was tuned to CNN and as the crowd watched, cheering as projections came in for Obama and jeering states that went for McCain.

At 10 o'clock Chicago time the polling places in California, Oregon and Washington closed and Barack Obama was declared our next president. The crowd went wild, hugging, kissing, clapping and crying before quieting down to listen to John McCain's concession speech.

I haven't recited the Pledge of Allegiance since the fourth grade, but at 10:30 PM I was saying those familiar, sober words alongside 200,000 others on a crisp, beautiful evening in my favorite city. There were tears in my eyes, but they were tears of joy.

I've never felt so proud to be an American.

Since we'd promised our babysitter we'd be home before midnight, Josh and I left Grant Park midway through Obama's speech. We could still hear his inspiring worlds as we walked toward Michigan Avenue, passing the opportunistic vendors of bootleg "Obama, Commander in Chief" and "Yes He Did" t-shirts, buttons and posters.

As we headed for the El, I felt like I was leaving the frustration and turmoil of the Bush years behind and entering a new era.

I felt hope.

No voting hiccups here

I woke up at 6:15 this morning, before either of my children had greeted the dawn. By 7am, Josh and I were both showered and downstairs eating breakfast with the girls. I biked over to my local polling place at 7:30. No line, no waiting. I Baracked the Vote and cycled home (slowly, my back tire is almost flat) before 8am, leaving me just enough time to pack a lunch and train it to work, getting in before 9.

If only every morning could run so smoothly...

One more day

I feel like a kid on the day before my birthday, I'm that keyed up about tomorrow's election! I'm going to vote first thing in the morning, and I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep a wink tonight.

And here's the best part: I will be in Grant Park watching America's first Black president deliver his (knock on wood) acceptance speech. Three of the women I work with managed to score tickets, and each ticket is for two. I don't know yet if we'll get a babysitter and Josh will come downtown with me (he should, given his dedication to the cause), but I will be joining my friends and about 1 million other celebrants tomorrow night on the lakefront. Woo-hoo!

I wouldn't be Marketing Mommy if I didn't pause to tell you about the promotions companies are offering on Election Day. You can show your "I voted" sticker to the baristas at Starbucks and get a free tall coffee. Krispy Kreme is offering free doughnuts and Ben & Jerry's will be giving out free ice cream cones after 5pm. My jewelry-loving Oak Park peeps can head over to Team Blonde's new location in Forest Park for 10% their purchase.

Which tax cut will work for you?

Josh and I would save $1000 a year under Barack Obama's tax plan and $120 a year with John McCain's. Figure out who benefits you.

Propaganda begins at home

Rumor has it my paternal grandmother (the non-Jewish one) is considering a vote for the dark side. Fortunately, Z made her this, which I will be popping in the mail tomorrow. How can she vote McCain now?

P.S. Have you entered for your chance to win a coupon good for a free package of Pampers? You only have one more day to comment!

Silvermans for Obama

Lovely Lorraine Silverman, how I wish I could fly down to Omaha, pick up a shovel and unearth you today. Then we'd sit down with our gin martinis and our salted cashews and have a really good laugh together.
Grandma, this one's for you. You tracksuit-wearing, oy-swearing, thank G-d far left McGovern supporter, you!

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Too preoccupied with politics to write about poop

I'm too distracted by the political circus to write down any witty thoughts, but I thought I'd share a few articles and rants that capture my feelings on the election and the economy--now so solidly intertwined by McCain's suggestion that the debates be postponed to hammer out the Wall Street bailout.

Truthiness Stages a Comeback (a round-up of Republican lies)
David Letterman Mocks John McCain
Sarah Palin Sounds Out of her Depth with Katie Couric
Devra and the MomsRising Gals Get Snubbed by Sarah Palin
How Sweden Solved Its Bank Crisis (A smart solution from the nice people who brought us IKEA and H&M)

Hockey moms don't always play fair

I watched Sarah Palin's speech last night. She was articulate. Her kids were adorable. But in addition to building on the convention's xenophobic tendencies with lots of talk about "America this" and pauses for "U! S! A! U! S! A!" and "Drill more oil, drill more oil!" that she placed fast and loose with the truth.

Taking down Sarah Palin

I'm a lousy political pundit, but I had say something about Senator John McCain's pick for VP.

Moved by Michelle Obama's speech

"All of us driven by the simple belief that the world as it is just won't do, that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be."

Did you catch the broadcast last night? I was actually clapping from the couch, tears in my eyes. These words mean so much to me as I struggle to remain an idealist, someone who wants the best for my country and refuses to believe it is too late to affect change.

Yes we can.

Unless, of course, haters like this Ann Coulter look-alike have their way.

The Olympics: Is it something to believe in?

That's the question I'm asking over at the Chicago Moms Blog. Won't you join me and weigh in?

Barack Obama is speechifying

And it's electrifying. I'm a blue-eyed, pale-faced Jewish girl, but I'm positively thrilled to see a Black candidate for President--and not just any person of color, but a passionate, intelligent leader who I sincerely hope will be our next President.

Will we end up with a female Vice-President? I think Hillary would make a good VP, but I'm worried that adding her to the ticket would further alienate otherwise swinging Republicans.

Mrs. McCain's no cook

Apparently the "McCain Family Recipes" featured on John McCain's campaign website were direct lifts from the Food Network. For shame!

The cost of war

No, I'm not talking about lives lost. I'm talking about money. Read The $2 Trillion Nightmare and tell me George W. Bush isn't the worst President in U.S. history.

Afraid to click? Know that, for what we spend on war each day, we could pay for:

58,000 additional children in Head Start for a year
Pell Grants for 160,000 low-income students for a year
The annual salaries of nearly 11,000 additional border patrol agents
The annual salaries of 14,000 more police officers

Imagine how much we could invest in environmental protection, green energy and incentives for reducing emissions! We could fund universal health care for the uninsured!

On top of that, it is believed that the $2 trillion estimate is too low. With the cost of care for returning veterans, we'll end up paying $3 trillion. For what?

Cross-posted to Chicago Moms Blog

Obama-rama

I am thrilled to read that Barack Obama swept all three D.C. area Democratic primaries.

Vote for him? I've barely heard of him!

I took this survey to find out which Presidential candidate's platform best aligned with my political views, and it matched me up with Alaska Senator Mike Gravel. I only know of him because I heard an NPR story last week about how he was left out of a recent NBC Democratic debate because he hadn't raised his profile or enough money (or both).

Anyway, both Gravel and Ohio Vegan Dennis Kucinich support over 90 percent of my views. Hillary Clinton shows a 78 percent match and local favorite Barack Obama matches up with me 73 percent of the time.

The more I read about Mike Gravel, the more I admire the guy, but I'm not going to vote exclusively on platform. I also consider personality, electability and how each candidate might be perceived in other countries, both friendly and hostile.

Who wants my vote?

Hillary, Barack or John...I'm not on a first name basis with any of you. But that could change if Illinois Senator Barack Obama responds to the Chicago Moms Blog call for a face-to-face meeting with Chicago's best-read mommybloggers. We want to meet with you and tell our corner of the world all about it.

So far the Democratic candidates are in about a dead heat for my vote. None has come out strongly enough in favor of the issues that matter the most to me: universal health care (preferably modeled on the Canadian or French system), paid maternity leave and strengthened environmental protection.

Lady and Gentlemen, I'm all ears.

Rosie vs. Elisabeth

Although it is amusing to see lame-duck Rosie and lame-o Elisabeth lose their tempers on The View, this clip also worth watching for Joy Behar's litany of outrages our President has committed since coming into office.