Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Sheila Capone-Wulsin talks about health care on NECN

Sheila Capone-Wulsin appeared on NECN last night to discuss the status of health care reform, including provisions in the House and Senate proposals relating to abortion.

Check out the video below!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Congratulations to NWPC PAC endorsed candidate Martha Coakley



MWPC PAC would like to congratulate Martha Coakley on her extremely impressive 19-point victory last night in the Democratic primary to fill Senator Kennedy's vacant US Senate seat.

MWPC members were busy helping to support Coakley's candidacy all day yesterday, including the MWPC Young Professionals, who were phone banking all last night.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Election Day is Today!

Today is Election Day here in Massachusetts.

December 8 is the date set for the primary in the January 19, 2010 special election to fill the vacancy in Senator Edward Kennedy's seat in the United States Senate.

MWPC's PAC has proudly joined the NWPC PAC in their endorsement of Attorney General Martha Coakley in this race, and we encourage all MWPC members to do everything they can to support her.

If you have some time today to volunteer, please let us know. You can call Sheila Capone-Wulsin (617) 451-9294 to find out more about opportunities.

Sheila was quoted in an editorial by Margery Eagan today, talking about the role of women in the race. You can read more about her comments here.

But most importantly, please remember to get out and vote today!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

In the News

Joan Vennochi has a very interesting column about women and the federal health care bill in the Boston Globe today. The first two lines sum up her thoughts pretty well: "Women must always fight to make sure they are not thrown under the political bus. The latest example is health care reform."

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/11/19/taking_a_hit_on_health_care_why_thats_womens_work/

The Women for Coakley Web site also has an interesting speech by Evelyn Murphy, which is a great read. Murphy talks about the fact that the language the press uses regarding candidates on the subject of toughness and strength holds them up to stereotypical male standards, and that women are every bit as strong, just in different ways.

http://www.womenforcoakley.com/2009/11/18/evelyn-murphy-on-coakleybig-and-loud-no-strong-absolutely/

As always, these stories show exactly how important it is for us to continue our mission at MWPC to make sure the voices of women are heard in the political dialogue.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Letter to the Editor Praises Coakley

Today, the Boston Herald contained a letter to the editor from MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin.

The letter praised U.S. Senate candidate Martha Coakley for her courage, character and principles in saying that she would vote against the health care bill for its restriction of funding for reproductive services.

Attorney General Coakley is endorsed by the NWPC PAC.

To read the full letter, please click below:

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/letters/view/20091116coakley_shows_courage/

Thursday, November 12, 2009

MWPC Exec. Dir. Sheila Capone-Wulsin on NECN

MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin appeared on NECN's "BroadSide" with host Chet Curtis last night.

The topic was Martha Coakley's position that she would vote against a health reform bill if it limits access to abortion coverage. MWPC endorsed that view in a statement earlier this week.

Also joining Curtis is former Mass. State Senator Lois Pines, a supporter of Michael Capuano in the Senate contest.

Please click here to watch the video:

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/11/11/Broadside-Race-for-Senate/1257984965.html

Friday, November 6, 2009

Bernstein and Chabot Speak at Commonwealth Commentary Breakfast



This morning, MWPC sponsored another of its "Commonwealth Commentary" breakfast series events at the Harvard Club of Boston.

The Commonwealth Commentary breakfasts are presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts and provide participants with an opportunity to network and to hear first hand from some of the most influential and notable faces in Massachusetts politics.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Globe Endorses Ruth Balser for Mayor of Newton

Congratulations to State Representative Ruth Balser, who today picked up the endorsement of the Boston Globe in the race to be the next Mayor of Newton.

Ruth Balser also is proudly endorsed by the MWPC PAC. It was our first municipal endorsement ever.

For those who do not already know her, Ruth Balser is a lifelong resident of Newton and she has spent more than 20 years as a public servant, serving as a Newton Alderman and now as a legislator in her sixth term. She has been an active member of her sons' PTOs, as well as civic, political and religious organizations.


A total of 32 men have served as mayor in Newton, which is one of the largest cities in Massachusetts. We're working hard to make sure the next mayor is Ruth Balser. On June 7, a number of us attended a special event in Newton to announce our endorsement and to show our support.

For more information on Ruth Balser and her candidacy, or to see how you can volunteer on Election Day, please visit: http://www.ruthformayor.com/.

Friday, October 30, 2009

In The News Today

As supporters of MWPC's mission, there are some stories in today's papers that we thought you might be interested in...
  • Check out today's Boston Globe, which includes a great editorial endorsing Ayanna Pressley for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council. Ayanna's candidacy is proudly endorsed by the MWPC PAC. If elected, she would be only the third woman -- and the first woman of color -- ever to serve on the city council. Congratulations, Ayanna!
  • There is also a distressing op-ed in the Boston Globe about how abortion rights are being slowly eroded here in Massachusetts due to a lack of facilities willing to offer abortion procedures. In particular, there is a controversy in Brookline where residents are trying to block the opening of an abortion clinic due to concern over protests. It's an interesting column and well worth the time to read.
  • Another concerning article in the Boston Globe shows that we may be going backwards in terms of advancement of women in high-profile positions in Massachusetts businesses.
These articles show how the role of MWPC is just as necessary now as when we first got started.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas Endorses Martha Coakley With Support From MWPC

We are thrilled to report that Congresswoman Niki Tsongas has formally endorsed Attorney General Martha Coakley for the United States Senate.


The endorsement was announced earlier today at an event in Lowell, which was attended by AG Coakley and also by MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin and Pam Nourse, MWPC Board Vice-President and Co-Chair of the MWPC PAC.

MWPC played an important role in the election of Niki Tsongas to Congress a few years ago, and we are still proud to support her as the only female member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation. It’s especially gratifying to stand beside her again now as she, in turn, lends her support to Martha Coakley in her bid for the United States Senate.

Candidates who are endorsed by the MWPC PAC get a wide range of useful support, including resources, access to our network of contacts and experience of professionals who have been working in and around political campaigns for years. It’s one of the things we do best, and it’s all in support of our basic mission to promote the participation and involvement of women of all ages in the political process.

Congratulations to Martha Coakley for a Great Debate

MWPC congratulates Attorney General Martha Coakley for a command performance in Monday night’s debate of candidates for the United States Senate.

Coakley was extremely impressive as she demonstrated a deep knowledge of all the issues and distinguished herself as a capable and experienced candidate through her responses to the many questions posed by debate moderator Peter Meade.

Then again, we expected nothing less. After all, Martha Coakley and her candidacy are strongly endorsed by the NWPC PAC. In fact, we were so excited about the debate that we sponsored a special Debate Watching Party at our offices in Boston. It was fantastic for those in attendance to have the opportunity to join together and watch such an inspiring showing from our candidate.

We’re proud of Martha Coakley’s performance, and we’re proud to be joining the NWPC PAC in endorsing her candidacy. We can’t wait to watch the next debate.

For more information about Martha Coakley’s candidacy, please visit http://www.marthacoakley.com/.

"Commonwealth Commentary" Event on November 6

On Friday, November 6, MWPC will be sponsoring the next in its series of Commonwealth Commentary breakfasts.
The event will take place at the Harvard Club of Boston, which is located at 374 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, and it will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Special guests speakers will include newspaper reporters David Bernstein of the Boston Phoenix and Hillary Chabot of the Boston Herald, who will offer their insights into the current political landscape here in Massachusetts and the role of women.

Individual tickets to the event are $25 apiece. Table sponsorships (which include signage and a program listing) are $500.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit our Web page at http://www.mwpc.org/program/commonwealth_commentary_reg.htm.

MWPC Special Edition Newsletter is Available Online

Are you interested in reading more about what MWPC is up to? Would you like to see photos of our latest Tribute to Abigail Adams awards event?
Check out our latest newsletter, which is available online.

Click here to read more.

Election Day is November 3

Election Day is less than a week away and candidates endorsed by the MWPC PAC need your help to win.

The MWPC PAC has endorsed State Representative Ruth Balser in her race to become the 33rd Mayor -- and the first female Mayor-- of Newton. Ruth is a lifelong resident of Newton and she has spent more than 20 years as a public servant, serving as a Newton Alderman and now as a legislator in her sixth term. She has been an active member of her sons' PTOs, as well as civic, political and religious organizations.

In Boston, our PAC has endorsed Ayanna Pressley for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council. Many of us are familiar with her exemplary, collaborative approach and can-do style in connecting the residents of Boston and the state to resources and services, as an aide to former Congressman Joseph Kennedy and Senator John Kerry. She also served as a former board member of MWPC and she is a Wonder Woman Award recipient. Ayanna would be the first woman of color ever to serve and only the third woman elected at-large in the Council's 100 year history.

For more information on Ruth Balser and her candidacy, please visit: http://www.ruthformayor.com/. For more information on Ayanna Pressley her candidacy, please visit http://www.ayannapressley.com/.

We're looking for volunteers to help us out on these campaigns! Can you assist us? If you can help in any way, please send an e-mail to Priti Rao at priti@mwpc.org or call (617) 451-9294.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

22nd Annual Abigail Adams Awards a Huge Success

Last night, the Mass. Women's Political Caucus hosted its 22nd Annual Tribute to Abigail Adams awards ceremony and dinner at the Fairmont Copley Hotel in Boston.

The evening's distinguished honorees included Attorney General Martha Coakley, Senator Joan Menard, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, Dolores Mitchell, Susan Windham-Bannister, Marie A. Turley and Michelle Keating (who received the Abigail Adams Jane M. Swift Public Service Award).

Welcome messages and acknowledgements were provided by Bruce Bullen, CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (which was Presenting Sponsor of the event), and Lora Pellegrini, MWPC Board President. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball, was Master of Ceremonies. Sheila Capone-Wulsin, MWPC Executive Director, presented closing remarks and also recognized members of the MWPC Board and Priti Rao, MWPC Associate Director, for their efforts. Thanks also were given to James Roosevelt, Jr. and Daniel B. Winslow, Esq. for serving as co-chairs of the Host Committee.

Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, and many other elected officials, corporate sponsors, award presenters and distinguished guests also were in attendance.

MWPC extends its congratulations to all of the honorees, and also its special thanks to the hundreds of people in attendance last night, and to everyone else who helped to make the evening a huge success!

Please check back here and on our Web site, http://www.mwpc.org/, as we post photos of the event soon.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

MWPC PAC Joins National Women's Political Caucus in Endorsing Martha Coakley for US Senate


The Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus PAC announced today that it has joined the National Women’s Political Caucus in endorsing Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley to be the next United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Coakley is running for the Democratic nomination to fill the seat left vacant by former Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who passed away in August. If elected, she would be the first Massachusetts woman ever to serve in the United States Senate.

A special election is scheduled for January 19, 2010, with a primary election on December 8, 2009.

“Throughout her career, Martha Coakley has distinguished herself as a highly-capable, dedicated and thoughtful public servant,” said Sheila Capone-Wulsin, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus. “We at the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus are pleased to have our PAC join the National Women’s Political Caucus in endorsing her to be the first woman ever elected to the United States Senate from Massachusetts. We have full confidence that she will carry on Senator Kennedy’s long legacy of being a consistent and vocal advocate for women's equality.”

Before being elected Massachusetts Attorney General, Coakley served eight years as Middlesex District Attorney, bringing justice to crime victims and their families and emphasizing the importance of working with community leaders, schools, and law enforcement in a variety of diverse and multi-faceted prevention efforts. She has been involved in a number of community and professional organizations, including the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts and the Board of Directors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

The endorsement was announced at a press event held at the Fairmont Copley Hotel in Boston earlier today, which included MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin, Senate President Therese Murray, EMILY's List President Ellen Malcolm, and numerous female legislators from across Massachusetts. You can see more photos of the event by clicking the link below.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

22nd Annual Abigail Adams Awards on Sept. 30

Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's "Hardball," will serve as Emcee for the 22nd Annual Tribute to Abigail Adams Awards sponsored by the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.

The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus introduced the Tribute to Abigail Adams in 1988. Award recipients are women who have demonstrated through their work and/or their community activism an outstanding commitment to the realization of equal political, economic, and social rights for women.

This year's honorees include Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley; Massachusetts Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joan Menard; former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey; and Boston Women's Commission Executive Director Marie Turley. The Abigail Adams/Jane M. Swift Commitment to Public Service Award also will be presented to Michelle Keating, President and Chief Executive Office of Alder Foods. Other distinguished honorees also will be recognized for their accomplishments and achievements.

A dinner and awards ceremony honoring the recipients will be held Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. with a dinner and awards ceremony to follow at 7 p.m. The event is open to members of the press.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the MWPC Education Fund, a 501c(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus is a multipartisan organization that promotes the participation and involvement of women of all ages in the political process. The organization was founded in 1971 for the purpose of increasing the number of women elected and appointed to public office and public policy positions.

Born in Weymouth, MA in 1744, Abigail Adams was one of the earliest women's advocates with strong beliefs in equal political, economic, and social rights for women. Abigail was the wife of our nation's second President, John Adams, and the mother of six children.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Congratulations to Ayanna Pressley

Congratulations to Ayanna Pressley, who earned a spot on the November 3 general election ballot for one of four at-large seats on the Boston City Council.

Our PAC endorsed Ayanna Pressley this summer, and a number of us had a great time supporting her out in the field yesterday.

Many of us are familiar with Ayanna's exemplary, collaborative approach and can-do style in connecting the residents of Boston and the state to resources and services, as an Aide to former Congressman Joseph Kennedy and Senator John Kerry. She also served as a former board member of MWPC and she is a Wonder Woman Award recipient.

Ayanna will not only bring new leadership and new vision to the office, but she also brings proven, problem solving qualities and a life-long dedication to public service that will translate to even greater service to the families of Boston during these most challenging times. In addition, she would be the first woman of color ever to serve and only the third woman elected at-large in the Council's 100 year history.

For more information on Ayanna Pressley her candidacy, please visit http://www.ayannapressley.com/. And if you are looking for opportunities to help her campaign or any other candidate we've endorsed, please contact our office at (617) 451-9294.


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Good News for MWPC-Endorsed Candidates Pressley, Balser

MWPC would like to congratulate State Representative Ruth Balser for topping the ticket in the City of Newton's preliminary election for Mayor yesterday. Balser is trying to become the first female mayor in the city's history.

You can read about Balser's impressive showing in a story in today's Boston Herald.

MWPC also would like to congratulate Ayanna Pressley on picking up the Boston Herald's endorsement for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council. The preliminary election is on September 22, and is slated to narrow down a wide list of candidates to 8 contestants vying for 4 seats in the general election.

The MWPC PAC is proud to have endorsed both candidates this year. Way to go!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Sheila Capone-Wulsin in The Hill

MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin was quoted in The Hill on Saturday, talking about Martha Coakley's candidacy in the special election to fill Senator Kennedy's vacant seat in the United States Senate.

Click here to read the full article.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Abigail Adams Awards - Sept. 30

22nd Annual Tribute to Abigail Adams Awards

September 30, 2009
Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston

6:00pm – 7:00pm Reception
7:00pm – 8:00pm Dinner and Awards Ceremony

This year, we will be honoring these exceptional women:

- Attorney General Martha Coakley
- Senator Joan Menard (Assistant Majority Leader )
- Lt. Governor Kerry Healey
- Marie A. Turley (Executive Director, Boston Women’s Commission )
- Jane M. Swift Commitment to Public Service Award presented to
Michelle Keating (President & CEO, Alder Foods)

...and other Distinguished Honorees!

Please click on the following links for additional information:

Register
Sponsor
Check out our online auction

The Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus introduced the Tribute to Abigail Adams in 1988 to recognize six Massachusetts women leaders. Award recipients are women who have demonstrated through their work and/or their community activism an outstanding commitment to the realization of equal political, economic, and social rights for women. The proceeds benefit the MWPC Education Fund a 501c(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

As part of the Abigail Adams event the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus has also established two additional awards. The MWPC created the Dolores L. Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award to honor her for being one of the MWPC's founders and current Board Members. This Award was presented to Teresa Heinz Kerry in 2003. In 2002 the MWPC honored Governor Jane M. Swift with the creation of a new award in her honor, the Jane M. Swift Commitment to Public Service Award.

Born in Weymouth, MA in 1744, Abigail Adams was one of the earliest women’s advocates with strong beliefs in equal political, economic, and social rights for women. Abigail was the wife of our nation’s second President, John Adams, and the mother of six children.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

MWPC Mourns Loss of Senator Kennedy

August 26th was a solemn day in the long struggle for women's equality.

On that day, Massachusetts lost Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who was a consistent and vocal advocate for women's equality through the years.

That day also marked the 28th annual Women's Equality Day. Women's Equality Day was first established in 1971 by Rep. Bella Abzug as a way to commemorate the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920, which gave women across the country the right to vote.

MWPC took time on the 26th to honor the sacrifice and commitment of the original Suffragettes who made that day possible, including people like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

We also joined together several days later to remember Senator Kennedy and his years of work on behalf of women in the U.S. Senate. A number of MWPC staff members, friends and supporters held signs along the motorcade for his funeral cortege, expressing messages of thanks and appreciation for all of his efforts.

Boston Globe endorses Balser for mayor of Newton


Earlier today, the Boston Globe endorsed state Representative Ruth Balser for mayor of Newton in the preliminary election to be held on Tuesday.

You can read the full endorsement editorial here.

Ruth Balser was proudly endorsed by the MWPC PAC earlier this year. It was our first municipal endorsement ever. Ruth is a lifelong resident of Newton and she has spent more than 20 years as a public servant, serving as a Newton Alderman and now as a legislator in her sixth term. She has been an active member of her sons' PTOs, as well as civic, political and religious organizations.

A total of 32 men have served as mayor in Newton, which is one of the largest cities in Massachusetts. We're working hard to make sure the next mayor is Ruth Balser. On June 7, a number of us attended a special event in Newton to announce our endorsement and to show our support.

For more information on Ruth Balser and her candidacy, please visit:http://www.ruthformayor.com/.

Sheila Capone-Wulsin in Politico

MWPC Executive Director Sheila Capone-Wulsin was quoted in Politico today, talking about the role women will play in the special election to fill Senator Kennedy's vacant seat in the United States Senate.

Click here to read the full article.

Welcome to our blog.

Thank you for visiting the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus blog.

The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus is a multipartisan organization that promotes the participation and involvement of women of all ages in the political process. The organization was founded in 1971 for the purpose of increasing the number of women elected and appointed to public office and public policy positions.

This blog gives us an opportunity to share news and updates with you on a frequent basis. Please check back often for new information. Please also be sure to visit our Web page, www.mwpc.org