By Jos Truitt • @jostruitt • 11 years ago

Candy Crowley will be the first woman to moderate a presidential debate in 20 years

Candy CrowleyEven after the ridiculous amount of sexism we’ve seen in politics in the last few years, I have to admit I was a little taken aback to learn it’s been a full 20 years since a woman has moderated a presidential debate. So it’s a big effing deal, and about damn time, that Candy Crowley will host this year’s second presidential debate, according to Politico’s sources. Crowley’s selection came following increased pressure for a lady moderator, including a petition from three high school feminists.

Crowley is the anchor of CNN’s Sunday morning talk show State of the Union. She has been covering elections since before the last time a woman hosted the presidential debate, so I’d say she’ qualified. She has reported on a ton of presidential campaigns and conventions and won a bunch of journalism awards, including for her work on the 2004 election. She’s known as an incredibly hard working and knowledgeable journalist by her colleagues.

Crowley’s also a vegetarian who does Transcendental Meditation. Yeah she sounds awesome.

Additionally, Martha Raddatz will host the vice presidential debate for the first time (the completely badass Gwen Ifill hosted the last two veep debates).

Boston, MA

Jos Truitt is Executive Director of Development at Feministing. She joined the team in July 2009, became an Editor in August 2011, and Executive Director in September 2013. She writes about a range of topics including transgender issues, abortion access, and media representation. Jos first got involved with organizing when she led a walk out against the Iraq war at her high school, the Boston Arts Academy. She was introduced to the reproductive justice movement while at Hampshire College, where she organized the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program’s annual reproductive justice conference. She has worked on the National Abortion Federation’s hotline, was a Field Organizer at Choice USA, and has volunteered as a Pro-Choice Clinic Escort. Jos has written for publications including The Guardian, Bilerico, RH Reality Check, Metro Weekly, and the Columbia Journalism Review. She has spoken and trained at numerous national conferences and college campuses about trans issues, reproductive justice, blogging, feminism, and grassroots organizing. Jos completed her MFA in Printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute in Spring 2013. In her "spare time" she likes to bake and work on projects about mermaids.

Jos Truitt is an Executive Director of Feministing in charge of Development.

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