What all Voters Want to Know

The number one question all candidates must be able to answer is: "What will you do for me?"

This not likely to be the question the candidate is asked. And not the one most consultants tell you to be prepared for. You will hear "why are you running?" And you will be told not to say "Because it's a good time for me" or "because I want to move on to a new level of participation" or even (and most common), "because I want to give back to the community."

No, anyone who asks why you are running wants to know what your election is going to mean for him, that particular voter, how will voting for you make her life better, her taxes lower, her job prospects improved, her safety enhanced. 

And that's what you should be able to answer in thirty second or less.  

Some call it an "elevator speech" - how you can explain your campaign in the time you would spend riding in an elevator with a complete stranger.

So, why are you running?  And how will your election improve the lives of your constituents? Get ready with those elevator speeches early, practice them often, and make them sound, and be, sincere. The voters can spot a phony, and these days, they are ever more vigilant.

More Wendy Davis less Google Glass

Wendy Davis put on her running shoes and took to the floor of the Texas legislature to stop the Senate from passing tough new restrictions on abortion. This gutsy woman stood on her feet for 11 hours until it was too late to vote. The vote failed that night, but sneaky snarky Rick Perry called a special session just to get his way, thwart women's rights and (quite possibly) launch his Presidential bid as an uber conservative.

Wendy is making the circuit, a national heroine to women throughout the country.  Naturally her YouTube portrayal went viral and fundraising picked up for women's rights groups. That's the right kind of social media.

Immersing yourself in the inter-webs and hoping for the best is not. Why would anyone watch your screed on YouTube if they can see tangoing dogs and Anthony Weiner's weiner ? (you didn't seriously think I was going to show it here did you?

Publicity has to come to you because you stand for something and do something about it.  Wendy Davis for Governor of Texas, then who knows. Texas hasn't had a Democratic Governor in umpty years, and if memory serves, the last one was a feisty broad named Ann Richards, whose daughter Cecile is now the national head of Planned Parenthood, another target for mean Republicans everywhere.

When Progressive Women Run, We all Win

Do you vote for the woman no matter what? No, says the Campaign Slut.  But given all druthers, we'll take woman. Our druthers are that they be pro-choice (a no-brainer), progressive in other ways, pro-woman, pro-Universal health care, anti-big bank, pro-credit union, pro-organic food, anti-fracking, nukes and big oil. Say no to big pharma, agribiz, believe believe believe in global warming and do something about it; education not warfare.

Oh, your typical liberal, one with guts, spine or whatever you want to call it so long as it's not "balls."


So, let's all be looking for some progressive female candidates when there is an opening in a State or local office, or even when there isn't.  A strong progressive woman can take out some wussy conservative dude any time, if she's got her slut on and her team behind her!

This is what we talk about when we talk about Anthony Weiner

Oh, dear, it's come to this.  Talking about Anthony Weiner is everyone's guilty pleasure and chance to relive their junior high years, when we were all obsessed with making stupid sex jokes.

The latest in the saga is the tale of a former intern's Daily News post about why people signed with Weiner in the first place.  Apparently at least some of them told her it so they could be clsoe to his wife, Huma Abedin. No, get your mind out of the gutter, Sir. They really wanted to be close to Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (with a lot of steps and assumptions in between), and since Abedin resides in Clinton's inner circle, they saw an internship with hubby Weiner as the route. 

That was Tuesday morning. Tuesday afternoon, Weiner's (sadly female) Communications Director went off the rails, and called the former intern a "slutbag" and other anti-woman names, to a reporter, who did what reporter's do - reported the tirade.

The former intern took it all in stride, amending her own Twitter account accordingly, no doubt looking forward to more press and hopefully more lucrative jobs. (She also revealed that the pay wasn't that great either.) Poor Anthony. He can now say "I ran for Mayor of New York and all I got was this lousy name calling."

The Communicator in Chief apologized for her poor choice of words, as all Weiner Watchers wait to see if she is spurned by the never to be Mayor of New York for her less than helpful actions. Now that Weiner's manager and several interns have flown the coop, will Abedin be far behind? She could always write a guest post for the Campaign Slut.

Instead she's taking an "extended leave" from her post with Hillary. Don't do it Huma. Take a leave from that lousy weinerizing husband of yours.

Seriously, speaking of Abedin, have you any doubt that had any woman (let alone a Congresswoman) got outed even once flashing her privates across the Twittersphere, she would have been laughed out of any race she even considered entering, not to mention divorced, disgraced and totally humiliated? She'd probably have to become a nun and moved to a remote undisclosed location to ever live down the shame.

Rocking the Slut Vote in Orange County

Campaign Slut met up with some of her sassy friends, male and female, at the California Democratic Party Executive Board meeting this weekend in Orange County.

Besides eating great Cuban food, being evacuated for still mysterious reasons, having great conversations in the hotel bar and meeting exceptional candidates and their supporters, I attended my first meeting this year for the 2014 Platform Committee, where I was appointed to head the Preamble Committee (Is it a preamble, an executive summary, both? Breath mint, candy mint?).  Also a shout out to the strong and persistent women of the Department of Peacemaking for getting the Leg. Committee and whole body to pass (finally) support for HR 808, Barbara Lee, calling for a Federal Department of Peacemaking!

A stirring tribute for Trayvon Martin and support for strong immigration reform were part of the program.

Sadly the Republicans picked up one more seat in the special Central Valley election yesterday.  Let's turn around the turn out for the next one, fellow Dems.

How the Campaign Slut got her Name

Political "junkies"

People often ask me why the name of this blog is "Campaign Slut."  Why not Campaign Junkie? they ask  After all we've all heard people call themselves political "junkies." But that is not a word I embrace.  It is a word that carries a meaning hard to divorce from its original context.  A junkie is someone strung out on junk. Dope. Smack. Heroin.

That's just so down. Can you think of one connotation of he word "junkie" that is not sordid, depraved, sick, and just grody? It means addicted. As in powerless in the face of their dependency. To hard drugs. That make you sick. And can kill you.

Besides political junkies are so serious.  And I wanted to have some fun with my site.

What's in a name?

Slut is a word that is applied to others, women, as a word of judgment on behavior or perceived behavior. Usually it describes sexual promiscuousness, but also it describes the perception of sexual promiscuousness, or even the state of one's dress. "She is such a slut." "She" may be a girl who dresses in short skirts and stiletto heels, sports piercings and tats, stands with an attitude.

And that attitude, saucy tilt of head, hip thrust forward, maybe just dancing with an excess of enthusiasm, is what makes some people label her a slut, with all the sexual undertones that word implies.

Hey, this could be a 14 year old virgin we are talking about, and what business is it of yours anyway?

Sluts Unite!

To many men, a slut is someone asking to be raped.  Plain and simple.  Because women finally got fed up with being considered fair game for uncontrolled male libido just because they looked, talked, walked or danced with some sass, they started strutting their slutness in public to protest the idea that women who were groped or raped were "asking for it."


But it wasn't always thus.  A 2011 BBC article traced the word from the 15th century meaning of "dirty" or "slovenly" to a more playful and affectionate use in the 17th century to the pejorative it is generally thought of today.

"Slut Walks"

So "Slut walks" started to reclaim the word and take the sting out of it and defang the notion that the way a woman appears defines who she is and what men have the right to do to her. And now they are a regular happening around the world, promoting an active feminism among mostly younger women in DC, SF, France, India and many other far flung places on the globe.
This is a good thing, bringing younger women into the feminist movement is political. 

Sluts vote

Not just a statement about rape, Slut Walks now promote women's rights, civil rights, voting rights and invite women to participate no matter how they dress.  Got sass?  You can make a difference.  You can Rock the Slut Vote.

Campaign Slut

So, when I was casting about for a name for my new blog that would describe my relationship with politics, the phrase Campaign Slut jumped into my mind - I have a playful, affectionate, unbridled, lustful, joyous and altogether sassy relationship with politics. I am a campaign slut.  That doesn't make me less professional, serious or effective.

It just means I have a little attitude, but hey, I'm no junkie.

Speed Campaigning

Attention pro-choice women and men:

Running for office this year or thinking about it in the future?  Working with a candidate or just interested in local politics in the Bay Area?  If so, join the Marin Women's Political Action Committee for a round of Speed Campaigning on August 19th.  This group of feisty women will host an evening of candidate training from 5:30-8:30 complete with good food and a no-host bar.  

You can meet the candidates; the candidates can meet you and we will fire our tips at you all.  

A quick look at some winning campaign materials, website advice, getting the press to sit up and pay attention and raise money fast!

Also, a look back by a successful candidate; what worked and what didn't work for her.

See you all on August 19th. Full information here:

MARIN WOMEN’S POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Invites you to a Candidate Training and Dinner

Monday, August 19^th, 2013    5:30 pm – 8:30

The Club at McInnis     350 Smith Ranch Road    San Rafael, Ca.  

Mix and mingle  No host bar:  5:30-6

Dinner at 6:00      Program 6:30

6:30-6:40 Introductions and announcements - Michele Barni, President, MWPAC

 6:40–7:00 - Nuts and Bolts for the Local Candidate – Dotty LeMieux, GreenDog Campaigns

7:00-7:20 - Fundraising 101 – Annie Eagan, Annie Eagan Consulting

7:20-7:40 - Maximizing your Web Presence – Lise Stampfli, GreenDog Campaigns

7:40-8:00 - Getting that Coveted Press Endorsement – Jason Walsh, Pacific Sun

8:00-8:20 - My Experience as a Candidate – Mary Sylla, Ross Valley Sanitary District

 Tickets-$35.00    

Buffet Dinner included

Mail check to MWPAC  PO Box 113, Kentfield, CA 94914 or RSVP or more information at bmatas8139@aol.com or 897-1224