Women's group says country is ready for 'MPOTUS'
Washington (CNN) - When it comes to the White House, the term "Madam President" has become more of a possibility in recent years, but one group wants to make sure it becomes reality-and soon.
EMILY's List, a political organization that works to get Democratic women elected to public office, kicked off a new campaign Thursday to further drive home the idea that the country is ready for a woman president.
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The campaign will target voters in 2016 battleground states and hold events in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire in the coming months. The group says it will also use what it describes as "significant, sustained" advertising to get out its message.
Women, they argue, are better positioned than ever in the political class. The Senate now has a record number of women-16 Democrats and four Republicans. And for the first time, one state (New Hampshire) has an entire delegation made of women, including the governorship, U.S. senators and members of the House.
It's no secret that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is considered the Democratic Party's leading contender for the presidential nomination, should she decided to run in 2016. A new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday indicates 65% of Democrats and Democratic leaners would support the former first lady and senator from New York.
But EMILY's List organizers want to make clear they're not laying the foundation for one particular candidate.
"There's a great pipeline of women right now who should be thinking about what their options are," Stephanie Schriock, the group's president, told CNN at the campaign unveiling in Washington.
Schriock mentioned a number of other high-profile women with potential for the nation's highest elected office. Those names include Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Washington state Gov. Christine Gregoire, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who also served as the state's governor.
In addition to other candidates the group is supporting in gubernatorial and congressional campaigns, Schriock said the women "we elect next year are our bench for the presidency for 2020, 2024, 2028. This is a constant movement and a campaign that isn't just about one election."
But looking at the near future, EMILY's List commissioned the Democratic polling firm Anzalone Liszt Grove Research for a survey that -not surprisingly-found that women are on voters' radar for 2016 as well. In the survey of 800 likely 2016 voters across nine battleground states, they found 90 percent of voters said they would consider voting for a qualified woman candidate from their party, and 86% said the country is ready to elect a woman president.
According to the EMILY's List poll, a strong majority of voters expect to see a woman in the Oval Office soon. Nearly three-fourths voters said they believe the country will elect a woman president in 2016.
Voters acknowledge that it's more difficult for a woman to win the presidency, but said she'd be perceived as capable or more capable than a male president when it comes to ending partisan bickering and juggling work-life balance, according to the group's data. Male presidents, on the other hand, had higher numbers on issues of national security, getting the economy moving and working with allies around the world.
The group's survey asked about particular candidates, but they did not release that information Thursday. However, they urged other national polling groups to start including more women besides Clinton in their questionnaires.
"They truth is, this is a wide open race if the secretary chooses not to do this," Schriock said.
Of the potential 2016 contenders, Clinton has some of the biggest support efforts behind her. The super PAC, "Ready for Hillary", has already been on the move and getting grassroots support in place in case she throws her hat in the ring.
Schriock stressed she won't reveal any discussions she has or hasn't had with potential candidates. Her group is not working directly with "Ready for Hillary," but she said she's "thrilled" that they're out there working to support a woman who could run for president.
"Just like everybody else, we're all reading the same things (about Clinton's potential bid) and I think when she makes a decision, we'll know what it is," she said.
READ MORE: America is ready for Madam President
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We are ready , yet we have three more years to accomplish many things .
Please no angry women apply !
As long as she is qualified, no problem but to elect a woman just for the sake of electing a woman president I think does a disservice both to women and the country. No Sarah palin types ....never.
You can not achieve equality by being called "Madam" anything.
Hillary, please run. You have the support of the majority of women in the U.S. And alot of men also .
if you think the GOP disrespects Obama, just wait til Hillary (or some other Democratic woman) wins the White House. They just can't help themselves
What about palin?no?
@MaryM
Hillary, please run. You have the support of the majority of women in the U.S. And alot of men also .
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She would also be our first lesbianpresident.
I don't know if the whole country is ready. Just look at the "experiment" (Repub statement, not mine) that we're currently undergoing. People in this country still do not like the black man in the white house. They still don't like gays, people of other religions and economic status. We have a long way to go, but I will be more convinced after next year's elections. 2014 will be the deciding factor in how far this country has come.
Only if the candidate is Republican. The last thing we need in the White House is another Democrat.
@Ferret out the BS
As long as she is qualified, no problem but to elect a woman just for the sake of electing a woman president I think does a disservice both to women and the country. No Sarah palin types ....never.
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Funny, I felt the same way about our first blackpresident. But look what we got, a man elected just because he isblack, with noqualifications what-so-ever.
Humm,
There is no reason a woman can't be president. After all we have had a few Male President's that have turned out to be Duds. Even knowing they were Duds people still elected them.
We need Hilary in the WH in 2016 along with women in control of Congress.
No more "old/outdated" white men.
Then, just watch the U.S. of America grow.
Hillary in a LANDSLIDE!!
Women have become what they profess to hate.........a special interest group, based on GENDER!
These women don't speak for me. Please keep men in the White House.
God ( or something for you atheists) help us if another lying clinton ends up in the white house....our country cant handle another dishonest, left wing loser...we cant afford it either!
We'll probably get a Bible quote here about women as leaders from the Right shortly.....
"Woman In California
These women don't speak for me. Please keep men in the White House."
Why?
If America is brainless enough to vote Hillary into office, then America will deserve its continuing destruction.
Face the facts people. Women belong in the home raising the children and keeping their husbands happy.
Time for you godless liberals to read the bible. God made women to serve men not men to serve women.
Conservative value for a Conservative America
Rand Paul 2016
@Jeb2016
Based only on MY experiences with women, I have not enjoyed working with or for most of them. As a working woman myself, I am all for women getting ahead but we are too emotional and vendictive – whether we admit it or not.
No thanks.
Terry Kerry. While I couldn't vote for John, his wife is a real leader, and so forthright they almost kicked her off the campaign trail.
@Woman In California
@Jeb2016
Based only on MY experiences with women, I have not enjoyed working with or for most of them. As a working woman myself, I am all for women getting ahead but we are too emotional and vendictive – whether we admit it or not.
No thanks.
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I agree with you, due to similar experience. I need to check the calendar, call the Rabi or Pope (to see if he11 has frozen over), etc.
even a bad democrat is better than a good republican.
" When it comes to the White House, the term "Madam President" has become more of a possibility in recent years,..."
And it's not because of you, Silly Sarah. Not because of you or your twin twit, Michelle.