This is a show about women running for office. It’s not about issues or policies. You won’t learn where these women stand on public education or healthcare. It’s just about being a woman…running for office.

The truth is I’m tired of hearing about women running for office. I think there’s a liberal assumption that I already understand why that’s a good thing. But we’re not really supposed to talk explicitly about how being a woman, and not being a man, can be a value in and of itself.

So I figured it would be interesting to talk explicitly about it with some women running for office in Vermont. And it turns out they had plenty to say. It also turns out they’re all people I’d want to have a beer with…that gold standard of good male political candidates.

In this program you’ll hear from:

Kathleen James, running for the Vermont House in the Bennnington-4 District.

Becca White, running for the Vermont House in Hartford.

Christine Hallquist, the Democratic nominee for governor in Vermont.

Ruth Hardy, running for State Senate in Addison County. She is also the executive director of Emerge Vermont, which recruits and trains women to run for office in Vermont.

This show is sponsored by Honey Road, one of Burlington’s most popular restaurants down on Church and Main. It serves Eastern Mediterranean small plates. And it’s the kind of restaurant where you want everything on the menu. You share, you eat, they take away the finished plates and bring new ones. In other words, it’s episodic and fun. It’s also woman owned, woman run, and Allison and Cara have made a sane and happy work environment. You can even buy the kitchen staff a bucket of beer…

Thank you to my excellent and smart journalist friend Mark Davis.

I want to thank The Athanaeum in St. Johnsbury for allowing me to conduct an interview in their beautiful building.

Music for this show by Blue Dot Sessions from the Free Music Archive

Becca and Christine

Kathleen James

Becca White