Charlotte, North Carolina. September 4, 2012
Michelle Obama received top billing on the first night of the Democratic National Convention, an evening some are now referring to as “Ladies Night.”
Reaction from colleagues and friends has been mixed. One tweets: “It’s official, Democrats’ moms can kick Republicans’ moms butts.” Another: “Disgusted by women’s roles in both political conventions. Sick of “women’s topics” and “mom to mom”-talk. Time to move on, ladies.” A third posts to her Facebook page: “Woke up feeling so hopeful after hearing speaker after speaker at the Democratic convention affirm values of generosity, inclusion, and compassion. So many young exciting new leaders and such an admirable First Lady. Inspired.”
Inevitably one draws comparisons with the first night of the GOP Convention in Tampa, Florida, an evening featuring prominent GOP women, and spotlit by Nominee|Candidate Mitt Romney’s Wife Ann Romney and her declaration: “I LOVE YOU WOMEN!” For the GOP, it was an effort to close the gender gap evidenced in polls that show as much as a 20% spread favoring the Obama-Biden campaign. For the Democrats, it seems to be both a celebration of its strong women – Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Debbie Wasserman Schultz,et all and about crafting a family-friendly brand to counter the GOP’s claim of exclusivity to momhood.
