I thought I'd take a break from reading all the diaries that are convincing me that today's Republican Party is some kind of weird performance art, and share some photos from this afternoon's Cleveland stop of the "When Women Succeed, America Succeeds" bus tour.
About 150 people of all ages — mostly girls and women — awaited the arrival of the bus from Columbus, while our congresswoman, the estimable Marcia Fudge (in the red jacket), got some line dancing going.
Here are some of the women waiting for the main event to start.
Marcia and the other congresswoman from the Cleveland area Marcy Kaptur do a little dancing onstage.
Greeting minority leader Nancy Pelosi as she gets off the bus.
The congresswomen on stage included Columbus' Joyce Beatty (in light green tunic), who hosted the event at the statehouse early in the day, Rosa DeLauro (in minidress — great legs for a 71-year-old!), and Donna Edwards (in the gray pantsuit).
Crowd is glad to see the congresswomen! Hopefully Michael Wager (the white guy in the photo) will be joining them in Congress next January. He spoke on stage before the women arrived and tore it up, speaking passionately in defense of women and workers' rights. He's running in Oh-14, represented by first-term nobody David "I'm not a moderate but I play one on TV" Joyce. It's Ohio's only swing district. It could be one of the 17 seats that we need to take back control of the House, something several of the speakers urged us to pay attention to. In Ohio, helping Michael win is one way to do this.
Cleveland home healthcare worker Jasmine talks about trying to make ends meet in her fast-growing and heavily female profession — and one of the poorest paid.
Jasmine gets some encouragement from Congresswoman Pelosi.
People loving it!
Congresswoman DeLauro was rockin' — great speech! She touched on all the issues that matter to women and how the GOP isn't addressing any of them, merely trying to teach its members to "talk to" women.
Joyce Beatty — the one good thing to come out of the gerrymander. They had to create a Democratic district in rapidly blueing Columbus, and Joyce won that seat. No, it's not a majority/minority district like ours, but it's good to have another black woman from Ohio.
Nancy Pelosi and Marcia Fudge showing some solidarity. The woman behind them is a Clevelander named Diana who talked about trying to raise a family on part-time work, occasional unemployment and cuts to SNAP.
Nancy Pelosi takes off her sunglasses (hmmmm .... are they special "brain damage" glasses? Get Reince Priebus on it now!) and speaks to Cleveland. It's clear we need her back in charge to get something done. Women need to vote!
After the program, Congresswoman Pelosi chats with Cindy Dempsey, chair of the Cuyahoga Democratic Women's Caucus.
Group photo! Beatty, Pelosi and Fudge pose with Shontel Brown (left), Democratic candidate for Cuyahoga County Council District 9. I don't know the selfie woman.
Congresswoman Pelosi talks with Lana Moresky, a major Ohio Democratic activist and fundraiser from Shaker Heights.
Afterward, the ladies hung out and there was pizza for all!