A little known fact : even though New York has had its fair share of Democratic governors, its state government has been in the clutches of the Republicans for 150 years. The only two times the state government was all blue were in 1932 and 1964. Teddy Roosevelt said once that 'the state Senate is constitutionally Republican'; it's not, but it's been reliably Republican since that party was founded in the 1850s.

It's probably the main reason so many groups have come together to fundraise on Thursday, February 1st, for Craig Johnson.

I still believe it was luck that had me participate in this conference call, and I really take it as an honor that I could have a very interesting discussion with :

Vicky Saporta, President of the National Abortion Federation
www.prochoice.org

Alice Cohan, Political Director of the Feminist Majority Foundation
www.feminist.org

Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL
www.naral.org

and about 10 other progressive women bloggers of the Blog Sheroes Network, including :

Alas, A Blog
BitchPhD
Feministing
Rox Populi
The Goddess

The request for a phone call took me by surprise. I have been grumbling around the internets about how the feminist movement is disconnected with the feminist bloggers and netroots who are basically campaigning on its own without much support from them (but for an ad or two); and much in the same way the Democratic party was treating national bloggers before the elections; and state and local bloggers as we speak.

With that in mind, I want to say that Nancy Keenan, Rachel Perrone and the people responsible for putting this call together have taken a bold step forward in dealing with this new world of media and activism called the liberal blogosphere.

Since I don't wear hats, my bra's off to them.

I really encourage them to continue to continue reaching out to the feminist netroots. There are over 400 feminist bloggers in The Goddess' What She Said blogroll ALONE. Not only that, she includes conservative bloggers as well. I have well close to 200 women in the BlogSheroes community site. And there are other lists like the Feminist Blogs, Des Femmes and others.

Still, what I would like to see them do is to engage also the pro-choice men of the blogosphere. All of their harshest critics are pro-choice; but they need a little ... what would I call it? ... political BlogHer'ing, if you know what I mean. They really need to engage in an honest, straighforward and thorough discussion with the women's issues chicks.

But I am getting ahead of myself...

I first published this at c u l t u r e k i t c h e n and over at DailyKos. I've been sloshing through the theocratic bile Rick Santorum calls his new book and after reading all the diaries and blogs listed, I'm just full of rage, disbelief and sorrow.

Hat tip to Mary Scott O'Connor.

So here's the numbers you've been waiting for all week, heck, all frigging year!