Dear President Obama, Qualified Women are Everywhere...

In my last blog I boasted that Vermont was the number one state in the percentage of women in our state legislature. Yesterday there were new results from Colorado; two more women were elected. That gives Colorado the distinction of being the first state in the nation for women, at 38%. But Vermont and New Hampshire are not far behind, with 37.8% and 37.7% respectively. Once we drop the decimal points, we know that women will have arrived.

There still is a lack of women on the lists being floated by the Obama transition team and the press. It's hard to know which names are being leaked and which names is pure speculation. The absence of women in notable, either way.

There are no more excuses for leaving women out of the inner circles of power. Qualified women are everywhere. Women are ready for leadership; they just need to be identified and asked.

And women must promote themselves. Having worked in the Clinton transition, I can say from first-hand experience that the appointment process, like most things in life, is not based on merit alone. It involves politics in the broadest sense of the word. Those who speak up, those who use their connections are more likely to succeed than those who sit and wait.

When I was Governor and had to make appointments, ranging from cabinet positions to boards and commissions, I had a rule. I would not accept a list of potential appointees without a significant number of women on it. I hope President-elect Obama will do the same.

This was originally posted at Chelsea Green.

Madeleine M. Kunin is the former Governor of Vermont and was the state's first woman governor. She served as Ambassador to Switzerland for President Clinton, and was on the three-person panel that chose Al Gore to be Clinton's VP. She is the author of Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead from Chelsea Green Publishing.

Comments

[mikeant50]

Governor,

Are you saying that you passed up qualified people and used gender as a basis of selection? Since the election, we have become a demanding and arrogant bunch. I voted for this people to get us out of the mess we are in, not to become my yes man. You people need to get over yourselfs. I though this election was about picking the right person no matter gender or race.

[IForgotMyName]

So you are demanding that the anonymous sources that are responsible for the leaks now mention 50% women?

[Danigirl65]

Some of you are being awfully demanding. I personally voted for this man because I trusted his judgement to make the right decisions and place the right people where they need to go.

Next thing you know, the Republicans will be demanding 50% because he said he would have a bipartisan cabinet.

Quit the demanding and let the man get inaugurated and do his job. This is getting ridiculous (and so are some of you).

[mikeant50]

We said. I totally agree.

[NABNYC]

Fifty Percent and Not One Less. That needs to be our demand. And yes, I've been seeing the same thing. As is always the case, women do much of the campaign work that gets someone elected -- most of the local offices are staffed by women, phoning done by women, showing up, being there, getting it done -- done by women. Now that our candidate has won, where are the women?

I'm not going to slam Obama until he gets going with his choices. We do not know who will be where. But I surely hope that he will have 50% of his top positions staffed with women. And then I hope he comes out publicly in support of 50% women as mayors, governors, senate, house, CEOs, university professors, and anything else he can think of.

[Danigirl65]

You don't DEMAND of the President-elect. Some of you are getting a tad ridiculous!!

Read canarypapers post. I'll settle for a few good women. Perhaps the homosexuals should now come out and demand 25% of the staff be gay - come on now.

[GayGrandpa]

Now that you mention it! It wouldn't hurt to have some visibility. I would settle for one, but I must say that NABNYC's point is well taken...it is time for more women, and 1 of them also might be gay, that would be sweet.

Is there something wrong with being gay...don't you dare go there!

It is time for this country to say it is OK to be gay! Gays in the military would be a good start and throw away 'don't ask don't tell.' It is time! We should of made it time when the Senator was cheating on his wife and crawling on the bathroom floor! Or the congressman chasing aides!

All sorts of slimy ooze comes squeezing out of cracks because this country refuses to say, IT IS OK TO BE GAY! Maybe it is time for big change! Maybe it is time to be brave and maybe it is time to DO THE RIGHT THING! Maybe it is time for this culture to wake up and smell the coffee. Maybe it is time for this culture to grow up!

I can't wait until the Supreme Court has to rule on gay marriage. Let these strict Constitutionalists give me reason why I cannot marry the one I love! What do I have to be one hundred years old? Does it has to be 2050 before I can marry? Equal rights now!

btw THANKS A LOT California. No on 8 - NO ON HATE!

[canarypapers]

I'm so, so, so weary of the endless speculation, second-guessing and pre-emptive demands, assumptions & accusations toward Obama. What's up with this? Qualified women -- not token gender appointees -- have always been a part of Obama's campaign & political career (e.g. Carol Browner, Valerie Jarrett and Cassandra Butts to name a few). How about some fact-checking before making dire assumptions?

To name just a few: Gov. JANET NAPOLITANO, on the list for Attorney General or Sec. of eiher Homeland Security or Education. LAURA D'ANDREA TYSON, on the short list for Sec. of Treasury. Gov. KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, on the short list for Sec. of Education, Commerce, Energy or Health and Human Services. Gov. JENNIFER GRANHOLM, energy adviser and key player in Obama's transition team, a possible Energy Secretary or a federal judgeship. SUSAN RICE, senior foreign policy adviser to the Obama campaign, will likely fill a top foreign policy post, possibly Deputy National Security Adviser or Ambassador to the United Nations. VALERIE JARRET, said to be one of the most powerful woman in Obama's inner campaign circle (who has been jokingly called "the other half of Obama's brain") will no doubt have an important role, likely as a White House advisor.

I wish people'd spend their energies harping about real-life Bush-Cheney horrors, instead of nitpicking over imaginary problems in a yet-to-be-­inaugurate­d Obama presidency.

[Danigirl65]

Canary - I could kiss you!!! I also wanted to add Caroline Kennedy to your little list.

I, too, have grown tired of the endless harping on what everybody thinks President-elect Obama - notice the title President-elect - should do. How about harping on what Bush/Cheney DID (or didn't) do.

[oregondaisy]

Thank you!!! I am a woman and am getting so sick of hearing how there aren't enough women being considered. There are many women being considered and considered for top level positions. I personaly don't care what sex they are, after 8 years of incompentancy I just want someone, anyone, who can do the job and do it right!

You just made my favorite poster of the day.

[jingles32]

Thank you Canary! You made my day, and my list of fave Huff posters! Jeesh, give the man a break is right. I'm so sick of the endless harping, demanding, speculation, second guessing too. The man has not yet named one Cabinet member!

[Chavie]

Thank you!!! Quite honestly this "demanding" is getting out of control. WE the PEOPLE put him in office. He had a broad based coalition of people, but I don't think one pol delivered a portion of the electorate to BO. (Jury is out w/ Richardson and Latinos) Therefore, he is not in the pocket of anyone.

This man hasn't even made announcements yet and we have to hear that people are upset that more women aren't being leaked? Ridiculous.

Maybe alot of women are being considered - they're just able to keep their mouths shut!!!

[ohmercy]

Thanks for bringing it up Ms. Kunin-
I've noticed that too- every time there is "speculation" or a "leak" I wonder where the women are.
It is kind of worrying.

Bill Clinton wanted an administration that looked like America and he/you/his team worked hard to get there. I hope the President Elect is as concerned about reaching out to women as he is about reaching across the aisle-- a lot of women took a chance (not that McCain was an option) even though they were not comfortable - wondered about his commitment to women's issues. He barely mentioned women through much of the campaign till it became evident that there was concern and annoyance about some things. Even now when he makes a speech he has a litany of opposites, black/white, conservati­ve/liberal­, gay/straight-etc. etc. but he never includes women. Perhaps he feels that women are just included in all the other categories as are men- but women have issues quite separate from men and have had our own struggle/fight to be allowed to be included at the table-- often fighting for the rights of other oppressed groups along with our own- (and sometimes putting our own fight on hold while we insisted some injustice be addressed, some war ended, the draft dismantled etc.)

[BCubedReg]

"There are no more excuses for leaving women out of the inner circles of power. Qualified women are everywhere. Women are ready for leadership; they just need to be identified and asked."

__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__

Absolutely agree.

[ScarletKnight1307]

If you look at the Transition team more than half were woman and the Jobs they are talking about are Treasury mostly I don't see any prominent woman that would inspire confidence on the Democratic side at least that I know of. State is the only other cabinet post they are talking about and if he is going to new people that takes out Madeline Albright.

[ohmercy]

PS
who could even imagine Albright would be considered for a cabinet position or that she would even want it?

seriously.