Posted on 10/19/2007 6:20:15 AM PDT by Liz
Forum part of the annual Women's Conference
When Maria Shriver gathers five wives of 2008 presidential candidates for a forum next week, it will be a first-of-its-kind event. What it won't be is a debate. "I don't want them to spend their time at this conference saying, 'My husband thinks this and my husband thinks that,'" Shriver said. "One of the criticisms of (presidential) debates is that people don't get to know who the people are, that they are canned. I am hoping that we will have a very real conversation with five women who have extraordinary lives and that people will understand who they are and what they believe." Shriver will moderate the forum, which includes Michelle Obama, Jeri Thompson, Cindy McCain, Elizabeth Edwards and Ann Romney.
It is one of the signature events at the annual daylong Women's Conference on Tuesday at the Long Beach Convention Center. Shriver co-hosts the conference along with her husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. As she said, "What Davos is to economic forums this is to women." Other events include a conversation between Schwarzenegger and former British minister Tony Blair, as well as appearances by Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Muhammad Yunis, Mexico's first lady Margarita Zavala, Geraldine Ferraro, Christine Todd Whitman and other personalities such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Eckhart Tolle, Nora Ephron and Joan Baez.
But it's the gathering of spouses that is especially timely. "These are women who are outspoken, they have had careers," Shriver said. "They are campaigning not so much as surrogates but in their own right." And of course, they are involved a campaign that includes a former presidential spouse now seeking the highest office, Hillary Clinton. She has undoubtedly helped change the dynamics of what a spouse does on the trail.
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Not participating in the forum is Judith Giuliani, who has has taken an active role in her husband's campaign -- and has taken a few hits in the media. Among other things, she has been the subject of an unflattering profile in Vanity Fair.
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Take a chill pill, Liz. I’m not voting for Rudy OR his wife. My comment is that I didn’t blame her for not wanting to hang out with old Oprah’s pal, Maria. You may want to watch the blood pressure.
Mmmmmmm.......how do you do it?
One perfect post after another.
Must be tough to co-exist with mere mortals.
Very good move by Fred. Now lets see how fast the others start dropping.
Sounds like a mushy even more liberal version of the View. Waste of time.
How about "What a stoopid idea, why not pass."
ebruary 3, 2008
Maria Shriver to endorse Obama
Posted: 05:29 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (CNN) — Maria Shriver will endorse Democrat Barack Obama’s White House bid today at a Los Angeles rally.
The California First Lady will make a surprise appearance on-stage at the Sunday event, backed by the candidate’s wife Michelle Obama, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Shriver’s cousin Caroline Kennedy
Shriver is married to California’s Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who endorsed GOP presidential hopeful John McCain earlier this week.
The former NBC journalist had said in the past she was drawn to Obama’s message. Shriver is the niece of Sen. Ted Kennedy, and has been close to Oprah Winfrey since both got their starts in local TV in Baltimore. Both Winfrey and the Massachusetts senator have actively campaigned for Obama.
California’s vote is this Tuesday, February 5. Most recent polls show Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton locked in a tight race in the Democratic primary in this delegate-rich state.
Togetherness——Maria endorsed Obama-—and hubby Arnie endorsed McCain when Guiliani flopped.
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