Sightings
Jo Freeman: There’s Plenty To Do at the RNC – If You Have the Right Credentials
by Jo Freeman
Every national nominating convention has plenty of auxiliary events, some authorized, some not. Getting space can be a challenge; getting the word out even more so. But they do it nonetheless. Press were given a RNC 2024 Master Event Calendar, which was updated a few days later. Events began on Sunday and ended on Thursday. The actual convention sessions were just one item on the list. The calendar said if an event was Open or Closed to press, and also whom to contact to register. I’m going to describe some of the events, including a couple I went to, and a couple I was turned away from.
Since my focus is on women, I obviously wanted to go to those events – if I could.
The National Federation of Republican Women is the largest grassroots Republican women's organization in the country with hundreds of clubs. Founded in 1938, its members made the phone calls and knocked on the doors that elected Republican candidates for decades. It’s Tuesday luncheon featured Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders. The Master Calendar said it was SOLD OUT and they wouldn’t let me in. I was able to get into their lounge at the Fiserv Forum Wednesday evening, where I was repeatedly asked if I was a member, and if not, would I join. “I’m press,” I said. “I can’t join anything partisan.” I then said: “What brings you here?” On hearing that, finding anyone willing to chat with me was like pulling teeth.
Moms for Liberty met in a concert hall that afternoon. I had pre-registered, and I got in. From high in a balcony seat I listened to several people talk about the evils of transgenderism. It’s webpage says WE BELIEVE Power Belongs to the People. Sound Familiar? With a focus is on parental rights, it wants to “STOP WOKE indoctrination.”
Tuesday I went to “The New Mavericks” reception co-hosted by the Black Republican Mayors Association and the Georgia Republican Party. They honored Sen. Tim Scott, four Congressmen and two Georgia delegates – all male. There was only one mayor on stage, from Aurora, IL. The chair of the Georgia Republican Party was the one white man on the stage. At that event, women served; they didn’t speak. The RNC reported that 55 delegates to the 2024 convention are Black, up from 18 in 2016.
I missed the Independent Women’s Forum toast to “Women Who Make Our Country Great” because I went to Convention Fest: The Official Delegate Experience, which was held in the streets outside the Fiserve Forum and Baird Hall as well as some space inside Baird. To get to that one you not only needed a credential of some sort, but a USSS pass (which I have).
Concerned Women for America parked its pink bus across from the Baird Center the week before the RNC. No one was home. When Convention Fest opened on Tuesday afternoon, they set up a pink tent, from which its leaders preached to whomever passed by. It calls itself “the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization” but its focus is evangelical Christian. The slogan on the side of its pink bus captures this emphasis: “She Prays, She Votes.” A prayer precedes each sermon.
My Mother's Cookbook; Recipes from Younger Friends: Cindy’s Cookies, Gaby’s Butter Cookies with Jam, California Cheesecake, and Cynthia’s Lemon Bars
Margaret Cullison writes: The bond of womanhood serves us well throughout our lives. My mother valued the companionship of friends her own age, but she also liked learning about the tastes, interests, and ideas of younger women. This worked to her advantage as she grew older and faced the hard reality that the long-time friends of her generation were leaving this earth in far too rapid succession. The friendships she cultivated with younger women helped to soften those repeated losses. more »
How Severe is the Shortage of Substance Abuse Specialists?
The number of people with insurance coverage for alcohol and drug abuse disorders is about to explode at a time there’s already a severe shortage of trained behavioral health professionals in many states. Until now, there’s been no data on just how severe the shortage is and where it’s most dire. One health care consulting firm has developed the first measurement of how many behavioral health professionals are available to treat millions of adults with a substance use disorder in all 50 states. more »
When Planning a Visit To Washington DC: Restoring the United States Capitol Dome and Rotunda
The Architect of the Capitol began a multi-year project to repair deficiencies, restoring the Dome to its original, inspiring splendor. The Dome has not undergone a complete restoration since 1959-1960 and due to age and weather is now plagued by more than 1,000 cracks and deficiencies. Construction task lighting is visible and 720 LED construction task lights are installed to help workers as they restore the Dome at night. more »
FAQ: The House Passes A Bill To Fix Medicare’s Doctor Payments. What’s In It?
The troubled payment formula for Medicare physicians is one step closer to repeal. The current system would be scrapped and replaced with payment increases for doctors for the next five years as Medicare transitions to a new system focused "on quality, value and accountability." The deal also would permanently extend the Qualifying Individual, or QI program, which helps low-income seniors pay their Medicare premiums. There's enough in the wide-ranging deal for both sides to love or hate. more »
