DC Metro Moms

Can You Guess Her Politics?

In honor of Super Tuesday (even though Virginia doesn't vote this week), I thought I would go out on a limb and talk politics — mom politics. No, this is not another work vs. stay at home mom or breast vs. bottle or any of the other top discussions at play dates. This is a topic has been on my mind quite a bit lately.

Can you tell another mom’s politics without talking politics?

My interaction with my mom friends is often limited--by time and munchkins. We greet each other at preschool drop off and pick up. We might get a few minutes to chat at the playground or if we’re lucky we’ll move beyond mom talk at a girl’s night out event. Rarely does it ever move to politics due to time and circumstance of wee ones springing about. Do we not discuss it because we don’t care? Quite the contrary, I believe we very much do care. Many times we just haven’t made our way into “that part” of the mommy friend relationship. Is it that we are so different in our politics that we can’t discuss? Absolutely not. We have heated debates on other relegated “mom topics” without it being an issue.

I started playing this game with myself for a few mom acquaintance. How quickly can I figure out their politics?

Prologue vs. Twitter

Wordpress.com introduced Prologue, a suspiciously-Twitterlike platform for group mini-blogs.  It's an interesting idea for groups working cross-country, or anywhere they are not co-located.  Prologue is like a virtual water cooler for individuals to post their ideas, comment on others, and start conversations that may no longer arise spontaneously when so many telecommute.  Privacy settings are the same as for other Wordpress.com blogs -- password-protected, public, or public but not available to search engines.

It sounds like a great solution for project-based communications, and I may even use it for future projects, but one thing that I think it will NOT do is replace Twitter.

I've only been using twitter for a little over a few weeks, and already I've found it indispensible.

It's a Race for President of the United States, NOT Student Council

Hurt feelings?

Getting snubbed?

I remember those types of episodes from when I ran for Student Council Treasurer as a high school senior.

I wanted to run for President of my very small, rural high school, but everyone agreed that in 1976, no girl could beat the cute captain of the wrestling team  for that top student council spot.

I felt bad about it.  My feelings were hurt.  I did feel snubbed.  But I was only 17 at the time.

The Clintons are in their 60s. 

Stephen Colbert's Portrait

Stephen Colbert has brought a new level of gravitas to the Smithsonian Museum's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.  Every January, Colbert replaces the greater-than-life-size portrait that hangs above his fireplace with a new version -- improved with even more Colbert!  As the years go on (and what a thrill it gives me to say that), the portraits become ever-more-nested, with more Colberts per square foot, as he is painted in front of the fireplace with the previous year's portrait hanging behind him.

Last year, the painting was auctioned off to support the troops.  This year, Colbert came to Washington to find a suitable home for the portrait, among his peers.  I think it's safe to say that he succeeded.  After some discussion (a version of which can be seen on Comedy Central's web site; fans know to check out Colbert Nation as well), he found a new home for his portrait, in perhaps the most distinguished hall for American leaders: across from the famous portrait of George Washington in the American Presidents exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.  Well, technically, just outside the exhibit, in, er, um, the restroom.

The DCist, The Huffington Post, and, later, news media confirmed that the portrait was hanging in the gallery, but I had to see this for myself. 

Democratic Party? Republican Party? Mom Party!

With all the buzz in the news about the Iowa Caucus, New Hampshire Primary, and the bunch-o-states coming next, there is a lot of attention being paid to the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Libertarians, and the rest. It can get exhausting!

Tonight, a group of DC Moms are focusing on a different kind of party.  A Mom party.  All across the region, DC Metro Mom bloggers are putting on new blogging t-shirts, a little makeup, and a good attitude, and getting ready to go out tonight.

Tonight, we're not necessarily moms.  We're just women, anxious to meet each other and talk about the events of the day.

Goodbye, Bob! Hello ... Moms?

The Consumer Products Safety Commission, the federal agency charged with testing our children's toys and issuing recalls, just got a little more short-handed.  As The Washington Post reported this weekend, Robert Hundemer is retiring, after 25 years of service with the government.  Who's Robert Hundemer, you ask, and why should I care?

Nancy Nord calls him their "small parts guy," the toy tester charged with dropping toys to see if they break, measuring pieces to classify the toys as suitable for infants, toddlers, or "3+".  For a while this Fall, he was reported to be their only toy tester, but we all know now that there are others testing other attributes of toys, out there in that office in Gaithersburg.  But he's the "small parts guy," and now he's gone.

We'll miss you, Bob.  I'll miss you.

Are Hope and Unity Enough?

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with the outcome of last night's Democratic Caucus in Iowa.

At least my Kansas Jayhawks won the Orange Bowl.

Seriously, I've made no secret of the fact that I am an ardent John Edwards supporter and am still keeping my fingers crossed that he can win the Democratic presidential nomination, especially since many polls show that he has the best chance to beat a Republican candidate for the White House in the fall.

But I have to admit that last night's winner Barack Obama does have a powerful message.  I just worry that it's a bit naive. Calling for hope and unity in a country that is so divided over issues like the war in Iraq, health care for uninsured children and education is a breath of fresh air.  I just don't think it's enough.

I'm Ready for My Botox Now, Mr. DeMille

Some say timing is everything. 

I say lighting is everything.

And now, it looks like it's even more important in the world of politics, at least as far as female candidates are concerned.

The Drudge Report came up with this photo of Hillary Clinton a week or so ago and posted it with a headline that read "The Toll of the Campaign." Clearly this was not one of Hillary's better photo ops.  And her enemies have seized upon it.

That would have been bad enough, but then Rush Limbaugh had to get his two cents worth in by asking, "Does our looks obsessed culture want to stare at an aging woman [president]?"

I knew I liked her

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that is.  Check it out.  Her very own blog post on keeping our kids safe from toxic toys.

Let’s help her out, by adding our names to the Moms Rising petition to tell Congress “We demand safe, lead-free toys for children. Congress must strengthen the agencies responsible for protecting kids from toxic products and remove the bureaucrats who are standing in the way.”  I just did.  If you’re a U.S. resident, maybe you’d like to sign it too.  Moms standing together for the kids.

I like the sound of that.

Fun Election Facts to Know and Tell

While I was writing up a little something on one of the Democratic presidential candidates, I also stumbled on his MySpace page!  I had forgotten that in this era of online social networking that the White House hopefuls were making their presence felt in cyberspace as well as the more traditional outlets.

The main stream media spend so much time focusing on the candidates' positions on issues, especially Iraq, that I wondered what fun and relatively unknown tidbits I could discover about the candidates from their online presence that isn't getting the coverage it should?