Wisconsin's most prominent Democratic women gathered at the Orpheum Theatre Tuesday night to celebrate Eleanor Roosevelt by awarding women who follow in her legacy of activism at the Wisconsin Democratic Party-sponsored event.
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., gubernatorial candidate Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's wife Kris, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and special guest Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., were among the speakers at the event.
The speakers and award winners all praised Roosevelt for her achievements and Democratic ideals, but the upcoming election was always at the forefront.
""Eleanor Roosevelt was a pioneer,"" Baldwin said. ""I believe if she were here now in these crucial weeks leading up to November 2, Eleanor Roosevelt would be out on the front lines exhorting us to action, reminding us that as women we have the most to gain and the most to lose in this election before us.""
Planned Parenthood spokesperson Amanda Harrington, who won the ""Rising Star"" award, used the opportunity to discuss how each gubernatorial candidate would affect women's issues in the state.
She said Walker ""stands on the side of the anti-women's health extremists"" and that ""in risking his life to save a woman's child from abuse, Mayor Tom Barrett has demonstrated just where he stands.""
Schultz used a little bit of Roosevelt-esque wisdom to describe the climate democrats currently face.
""Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ‘Do what you feel aught to be right, for you will be criticized anyway.' And we have certainly seen that to be true over the last couple of years, haven't we?""
