I’m taking a stand for Hillary. Keep an eye out for my HuffPo piece being posted hopefully early today — I’ll crosspost here when it goes live 🙂 I cowrote it with a close friend, journalist Rebecca Segall. Strength in numbers and all.

Thank you to everyone who sent me articles and wrote heartfelt comments and emails, in support of both candidates. I am so moved by the passion this election is inspiring in people young, old, and in between. In my opinion, that’s the real win here — a resurgence in civic engagement in a nation where 7 years of an undemocratic regime have profoundly broken our trust.

And may the best of two amazing candidates win.

Hey – wait – before I sign off for the weekend, just wanted to post this MOST interesting portrait of feminism across generations by Susan Dominus today in the NYTimes.
Featured are Jessica Valenti of my alltime favorite blog feministing.com, and Marcia Pappas, who took over as president of the New York State chapter of NOW the same year Jessica founded the blog (2004). Pappas was the one who issued a press release this week proclaiming that Edward Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama was a betrayal of women. Feministing.com responded (on the blog), “Wow. This is completely unhinged, and frankly, mind-boggling….All I can say is, NOW-NY does not speak for me. And it does not speak for all feminists.”

The NYTimes article, called “Feminists Find Unity is Elusive,” ends with this:

“The two women should probably talk. Surely, there’s a message board somewhere big enough for both of them. We already know they have a lot in common.”

I’d like to see that conversation take place. In fact, I’d like to moderate. I know, I know, I should be careful what I wish for. But seriously, women across generations need to talk to each other, and not just at each other. Which is what we all more often do.

And please note: I took the feministing icon from the left side of the banner over there so as to be sure it does not look like the mudflap girl is giving NOW the finger. Though I admit it was iconographically tempting, that’s not what I’m about.

Thank you, everyone, for all your comments this week! I promise promise promise to respond to all v. soon. Interesting times, I tell ya, interesting times.

And just to prove how fuzzy headed I feel today, I am cat blogging. Which I swore I’d never do. This, ladies and gents, is Amelia Bedelia. And I think this is probably now her second debut.

Have a GREAT weekend!

That debate made nothin’ any easier. To even the score and balance all my Hillary blogging, here’s an Obama reader to cap off the day:

“The Visionary Minimalist: Toward a Theory of Obama-ism” by Cass R. Sunstein, The New Republic

“What Counts as an “Issue” In the Clinton-Obama Race?” by George Lakoff, Huffington Post

(Thanks V., S., others–you know who you are.)

For the first time in my voting life, I’m torn. In five days, I’ll need to pull a lever in a New York Democratic Primary that matters. And I don’t know what to do. I want to vote for Hillary. I want her to be electable. She moves me. And so does Barack. I like much of what both of them stand for. I want to speak out publicly for one of them. But who?

Every day this week feels heavy with meaning and momentum. Take yesterday. My Wednesday begins with the forum I created for More magazine (“If Hillary Wins…”) going live. On my way to the luncheon to celebrate Susan Morrison’s new book 30 Ways of Looking at Hillary, scrambling for a public place with wireless so I can email the contributors and broadcast the news, I end up in the great phallic palace, Trump Tower.

At mid-day comes the parmasean emulsion, served up at the restaurant Daniel along with brilliance from Susan Morrison and a number of the contributors to her anthology. Between walnut-crusted fish filet and hot chocolate upside down cake, and chats with Leslie Bennetts and Leslie Savan, I jot down the following:

Among the many comments that served as impetus for Morrison’s book, she says, there’s this one: “I’d sooner vote for a ticket of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan that pull the lever for Hillary.” Gross. “I take Hillary personally, too personally,” writes Jane Kramer in the book. Yes, and don’t we all? Letty Cottin Pogrebin, repeating a sentiment oft overheard, notes “Hillary is Presidential, Obama is inspirational; it depends what you’re looking for.” Judith Thurman feels “Hillary is using her husband’s credit card.” Sorry, I don’t buy it. Susan Morrison: “Clearly, we haven’t all collectively figured out what we want from a woman leader.” Personally, I couldn’t agree more.

The day ends with my beloved Only Child coeditor (now a novelist!) sending out her “First and Last Political Email,” voicing her support for Hillary.  “Dear Friends,” Daphne writes:

I’m choosing to be thrilled that we have two such qualified candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, and in November I plan to fully throw my support behind whoever is nominated, as I’m sure will all of you (unless I’ve accidentally sent this to Republicans).

That said, I agree with the NYTimes: inspiring plans to start anew and beautiful rhetoric aside, I believe Hillary Clinton is the most qualified to hit the ground running next January. I’ve wavered on my support of her because, though her campaign keeps talking about experience, I’ve never been educated on the nitty-gritty details. So I was happily surprised to receive a quick and impressive rundown recently by one of her full-time volunteers.

I’ve gone through her website and weeded out all the promises and plans, which any candidate can persuasively and confidently lay out. Instead, I’ve highlighted her actual concrete accomplishments. Attached is a brief cheat sheet for anyone who, like me, is leaning toward Hillary, but can’t articulate why.

Feel free to delete it, or to continue your passionate campaigns for Obama, as I know many of you are, and with great reasons. Please don’t reply to this e-mail, and know that I will not send another political e-mail until 2012 (hopefully, not til 2016). I hope I haven’t stepped on any toes.

If anyone would like the cheat sheet, email me (my email’s at the bottom of the blog) and I’ll pass it on. And ok, Girl with Pen, embarrassment of riches notwithstanding, it’s time to take a stand. Stay tuned.

I’ve just GOT to tell you all about this crazyamazing event I went to yesterday to celebrate Susan Morrison’s new edited collection, 30 Ways of Looking at Hillary, thrown by More magazine, at the swanky restaurant Daniel. I’m still trying to figure out how to write about it–and not just the nine herb ravioli with Jerusalem arthichoke puree and parmesean emulsion.

In the meantime, check out coverage in New York Daily News. An NPR interview with Susan is downloadable here.

(PunditMom: Did you get your copy?)

Laura Mazer (left) is a powerhouse. She’s also my sister-in-pigtails. We’ll be doing a panel together at WAM!, in Cambridge, in March. Deets to follow soon. In the meantime, if in the SF-area and hungry for the secrets behind writing and selling your first book, I highly recommend this one-day intensive with Laura:

A one-day Media Bistro seminar, February 10, 10 AM-4 PM, Meridian Gallery, San Francisco, with Laura Mazer

Do you have a great idea for a book but don’t know how to go about writing and selling it? Or have you written a book but are stalled trying to get the attention of agents and publishers? Whether you’re just starting to develop your project or have already written the entire manuscript, this workshop will give you all the tools you need to get your first book project written, sold, published, and on the shelves in bookstores.

FEE: $125

To enroll, go to www.mediabistro.com and click on “courses,” or call 310.659.5668, or send an email to: learnwest.info@mediabistro.com

My friend and personal hero Stephanie Coontz is working on a cool new project and I’ve offered to help her recruit. She’s writing a study of the influence of Betty Friedan’s 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique. It’s a biography, not of Betty Friedan, but of the book itself – its history and influence over the decades (or, perhaps, its lack of influence after a particular date). Stephanie is eager to hear from younger women, as well as people who read the book when it first came out, about how it impacted them–or in some cases, among those who read it later, disappointed them–then.

If you are willing to talk about this, or can direct Stephanie to someone else who might, you can send your memories directly, or Stephanie can send you a few survey questions. Please address correspondence to coontzs@msn.com.

My o my what a day.

PunditMom bids a bientot to John Edwards, as he drops from the race. (Watch Edwards’ withdrawal speech here. We’ll miss you, John.)

Rebecca Traister goes on video with a round-up of the latest in anti-Hillary slogans and tees (Read more in Broadsheet).

Avis Jones-DeWeever revisits thoughts about Gloria Steinem’s NYTimes op-ed after hearing Gloria tell of the parts that got cut out.

Maya Angelou writes a poem in support of Hillary, and Salon’s Laura Miller sounds off on the battle for literary endorsements.

Caroline Kennedy speaks in a new ad that uses images of President Kennedy and Barack Obama, and Uncle Teddy and Barak appear together on The Today Show.

I’ve been thinking so much about Hillary these days. And lately, I’ve been thinking about how media coverage of an “intergenerational divide” in women’s support of her may be fueling, and not just documenting, discord among women across generations. I’m very eager to see some analysis of the age divide after primary season is over and we’ve all had a chance to chill.

My feelings about Hillary keep evolving. But no matter what you think of her, it’s still hard not to be intrigued by the prospect of a woman in the White House.

As I mentioned here recently, the February issue of More, my new favorite magazine (hey, I’m almost 40!), includes a forum in which I asked women who have themselves accomplished many firsts to weigh in on what a Hillary presidency might look like. I’m pleased to announce that the much extended, online version is now live. Check out the very different perspectives of Margaret Cho, Daphne Merkin, Lynn Harris, Dee Dee Myers, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Suzanne Braun Levine, Mary Catherine Bateson, Marie Wilson, Gloria Feldt, Pat Schroeder, Pepper Schwartz, Jane Swift, Nell Merlino, Blanche Wiesen Cook, Linda Hirshman, Kellyanne Conway, and Seema Gahlaut–and please feel free to share the link! The forum is rich–far richer than the squabbles we keep hearing about in the news–and I feel it’s so very important to infuse substance, even if speculative, as is the case of this forum, into the public conversation. So, have at it. Please join the conversation and share your comments over at More’s site.

And for an interesting More article on Hillary and the age divide, don’t miss “Our Hillary Problem”. Here, Katherine Lanpher interviews Donna Brazille and asks why some older, elite women voters are ambivalent on Hillary Clinton’s candidacy. I don’t need to refer you to articles on younger women’s ambivalence, because you’ve probably all read them by now.