Today's Games

Today's Games

Stay tuned for analysis and live updates from our girls!

Second Round Recap: Madness! Takes Over in the East

Things started off quietly on Saturday with a solidly played game between (4) Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and (5) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Strong basketball and little drama was expected between these two Washington veterans, and they delivered. Sen. Hutchison edged out the Supreme Court Justice and sent Ginsburg packing. Before the two left the court, they offered one another a congratulatory handshake, a kind gesture from two women with more than 35 years of Beltway experience combined.

While Saturday exemplified class and restraint, Sunday was anything but holy, marked by cheap-shots, gross excess, and plain brutality.

Pelosi Hospitalized After Shocking Defeat

Regular ole Congress-
woman Nancy Pelosi

Senator Patty Murray

(1) Nancy Pelosi was hospitalized Monday just 24 hours after her shocking defeat to (8) Patty Murray in our nation's Capital on Saturday. Murray was quick to release her condolences and a wish for a full and speedy recovery for the Speaker Congresswoman. The Senate and House have been at odds all week as Congresswomen and Senators have been battling it out in an all-out no-holds-barred cat-fight, but for a moment, both chambers came together in a show of support for all PWiPs. "Today, we are all Americans," Murray beamed to cheers from the crowd packed outside of her Washington home, "even without the gavel, she is a strong woman we can all learn from." Elsewhere PWiPs showed their support for Pelosi. Senators Mary Landrieu and Kay Bailey Hutchinson issued a joint statement in Sabine Pass, TX offering a bipartisan outpouring for the former Speaker, even as Kay herself is preparing for a Sweet 16 game.

Madness!, the Commissioner and PWiP fans everywhere wish Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi a speedy recovery.

Shock and Awe: Turmoil Rocks the Southwest Region

Scene outside United Center in
Chicago, IL Friday evening.

What a wild ride it was for the ladies of the Southwest Region over the weekend. As the smoke settles, the region features three double-digit seeds advancing to the round of sixteen! That trio of political up-starts was headlined by (1) Sarah Palin, a political juggernaut herself only since bursting on the scene in 2008. Together the four women were able to knock off, among others, 4 current U.S. Senators, 1 rising State Governor and a current Justice of the United States Supreme Court. What we are left with is the former Governor of Alaska, a spunky (if not over-zealous) Florida Congresswoman, an outspoken CEO and former Senate candidate and a blog-writing say-anything daughter of a twice-failed Presidential-also-ran. Whew! Hold on to your seats as we work to sort this all out.

Friday's Recap and Saturday's Preview in the East

Competition-wise, Friday shaped up to be a solid, if predictable, day in the East. The only surprise came out of Cleveland, where (11) Gov. Christine Gregoire had her way with newly elected Senator (6) Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire. It seems New England Mama Grizzlies are no match for a woman used to surviving the rugged Pacific Northwest.

Despite some strong play by the East Region ladies, it was former competitor Carol Moseley Braun that stole the show on Friday. Apparently still seething from her play-in game loss to Christine Todd Whitman in Dayton on Tuesday, she arrived in nearby Cleveland on Friday afternoon noticeably agitated. During halftime in the 1 vs. 16 game, Braun approached reporters shouting about Ms. Whitman being "strung out on crack" during Tuesday's game. The one-time Senator offered no proof of Whitman's crack usage, but explained she "knows how to pick out a crack head." It is unclear whether Commissioner O'Connor will investigate the highly unlikely accusations.

What to watch on Saturday:

Early in the day, look for an exciting second-round match between political heavyweights, (4) Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and (5) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Both ladies struggled in their early games and will be looking for a convincing win heading into the Newark regionals. Sen. Hutchison is looking to prove she can hang in a competitive environment, as her post-Washington sights are fixed firmly on Austin. Justice Ginsburg has no political ambitions following her long and successful stint on the United States Supreme Court, she just wants to have some good old-fashioned fun mopping the court with the popular GOP Senator. Look for Hutchison to prevail, however. The Senator has more to lose and is newly-invigorated after her first round over tough-as-nails Fiorina.

Friday's Recap and Saturday's Preview in the West

In the West Region, all of the top seeds remain intact after the first round of play, despite some strong performances by the underdogs. Notably, (12) Meg Whitman came within seconds of unseating (5) Senator Lisa Murkowski who has become rather adept at fighting off opportunistic intra-party challengers. Awesomely, (8) Chelsea Clinton bared her wolverine-like fangs Friday afternoon and showed a bit of her mother's killer instinct, positively slaughtering the hapless (9) Sen. Cantwell--by 30. Strangely, following her loss, (16) Katherine Harris announced she will return, undaunted, to her hometown of Sarasota, FL where she will begin preparing for her starring role as Baby Jane Hudson in the Sarasota Players' stage adaptation of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.

What to watch on Saturday:

Saturday's games out West pit (6) Sen. Claire McCaskill against the very popular (3) Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Supreme Court Justice (2) Sonia Sotomayor against (7) Sen. Mary Landrieu. Both low-seeds are coming in a bit demoralized as the Democratic Senators of increasingly Republican states. Collins and Sotomayor, on the other hand, are riding high following a couple of impressive first-round wins. Don't be surprised if they continue steamrolling straight to the Sweet 16.

Saturday's Games

Southwest Round-Up

A slew of exciting match-ups are on tap for you in the Southwest Region this afternoon. The ladies are ready to get on the court. It is time to put-up or shut-up and separate the women from the girls.

First up you will see ever-classy (7) Laura Bush take on the - er - vivacious (10) Debbie Wasserman-Schultz in Chicago. These two women could not be more different; one spending her time shielded from the public eye as best as she is able, the other demanding to be in it. While Bush should take her time studying and setting the court with immaculate precision, we can expect Miss Debbie to plow in, leaving her mark just as loudly as those elbows she left on the table. In the end, slow and steady should win the race. Prediction: Class trumps and Lady Laura will advance to the Round of 32.

Friday's Preview: What to Watch in the West

(13) Geraldine Ferraro v. (4) Michele Bachmann

What to watch for: Minnesota’s Rep. Bachmann, who has been anything but shy about her presidential ambitions, looks to flex her muscles against the trailblazer that helped make it possible—Geraldine Ferraro, America’s first female Vice-Presidential candidate for a major party. Tea Party darling Bachmann is known for her outspoken and controversial style, but New Yorker Gerry is no shrinking violet. Ferraro may nevertheless have difficulty maintaining composure as Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party supporters might be planning something special in Tulsa on Friday afternoon. Something tells me they don't care much for the old-guard big-government liberal.

Who will win: Representative Michele Bachmann.

Friday's Preview: What to Watch in the East

(9) Kristi Noem v. (8) Janet Reno

What to watch for: Rep. Kristi Noem is fresh off of an impressive win over a popular incumbent in South Dakota. Janet Reno is, well, Janet Reno. As a Dakota girl, Noem has undoubtedly wrangled her share of cattle, but nothing could have prepared her for the Former Attoney General’s 6’1’’ frame and her raging fists of fury. You didn’t think basketball players throw punches? Well then you’ve never seen Janet Reno play. Conspiracy theorists have suggested that none other than top-seeded Hillary Rodham Clinton actually directed the siege at Waco but Reno was forced to take the fall when things got messy. Word has it Reno still smells blood and wants a piece of the Secretary of State in the second round.

Who will win: Former Attorney General Janet Reno.

Friday's Games

11:15 CDT - West Region				___11:40 CDT - West Region___
13	Geraldine Ferraro			9	Maria Cantwell
4	Michele Bachmann			8	Chelsea Clinton
12:40 CDT - Southwest Region				1:10 CDT - East Region
15	Nan Hayworth			9	Kristi Noem
2	Dianne Feinstein			8	Janet Reno
1:45 CDT - West Region				2:10 CDT - West Region
12	Meg Whitman			16	Katherine Harris
5	Lisa Murkowski			1	Condoleezza Rice
3:10 CDT - Southwest Region				3:40 CDT - East Region
10	Debbie Wasserman-Schultz			16	Rosalynn Carter
7	Laura Bush			1	Hillary Rodham Clinton
5:50 CDT - Southwest Region				6:15 CDT - East Region
16	Jari Haskins			15	Jane Harman
1	Sarah Palin			2	Jan Brewer
6:20 CDT - Southwest Region				6:27 CDT - East Region
14	Maxine Waters			11	Christine Gregoire
3	Barbara Boxer			6	Kelly Ayotte
8:20 CDT - Southwest Region				8:45 CDT - East Region
9	Kay Hagan			10	Elizabeth Dole
8	Debbie Stabenow			7	Susana Martinez
8:50 CDT - Southwest Region				8:57 CDT - East Region
11	Meghan McCain			14	Jennifer Granholm
6	Nikki Haley			3	Michelle Obama

(12) Linda McMahon Wrestles Down (5) Elena Kagan

On a day that has been full of close matches featuring women who came up just short in November, (12) Linda McMahon, failed Connecticut Senate candidate. Enacts her revenge on Supreme Court Justice (5) Elena Kagan. She will go on to face fellow surprise (13) Sharon Angle in a rare 12 vs. 13 seed match-up on Saturday. Wrestling might not be real, but the Madness! certainly is. And those pile drives hurt all the same - just ask Kagan.

(4) Kay Bailey Hutchinson Survives

Kay Bailey Hutchinson survived a scare from one of 2010's pluckiest underdogs, former California Senate candidate (13) Carly Fiorina. Despite a tough fight and a score which showed Fiorina leading at times, Kay and her massive war chest came out on top. Kay will move on to face (5) Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg who moved on earlier in the day. Though Kay has announced she is leaving the Madness! of Washington D.C. at the end of her term in 2012, it is widely rumored she will return to Texas to continue her political career. If she can knock out a few more wins over the coming weeks, she should be well on her way to being the front runner come Rick Perry's term limitations in 2014. Likewise, it is speculated that Ginsburg herself is reaching the end of her career. Wouldn't she just love to knock out a Senate heavyweight from the other side of the aisle as her final coup de grace!? But there is plenty more Madness! to come before we will get the pleasure of watching these two great monarchs duke it out. Hold on to your seats, girls!

BREAKING: A New Angle?

Coming off a less-than-stellar performance in her bout to unseat Harry Reid in Nevada, (13) Sharon Angle is showing she isn't to be pushed around as she looks to unseat (4) Madeline Albright in Denver. With 4 minutes to go she leads by 5. More to come...

Update: She does it! (13) Sharon Angle upends (4) Madeline Albright pulling off what she couldn't accomplish in another Western state. After hitting the go-ahead 3 with four seconds to spare, Angle made a massive block to stifle Albright's attempt from behind the arc. She will advance to play the winner of today's later game between (5) Elena Kagan and another contender that came up short in November, (12) Linda McMahon. Madness! is in full swing!

Final: (8) Patty Murray defeats (9) Sheila Jackson Lee

Rep. Lee suffered a heartbreaking defeat today, as Sen. Patty Murray sank a last-second shot to prevail 60-58. Despite Lee's loss, she does not plan on blending into the stands, and will remain a visible presence at the Tournament games. Look for her near the aisle, where she will be seen rubbing elbows with Washington's elite.

Upset Watch: (12) Christine Todd Whitman v. (5) Ruth Bader Ginsburg

East Region

After struggling mightily in the first 15 minutes of play, Justice Ginsburg has battled back to tie Former New Jersey Governor Whitman at the half. While the scrappy and tenacious Justice has shown she will not be counted out this early, some might ask if this level of competition is too much for the 78-year old Ginsburg. Watch to see if she can maintain her energy and composure in the second half to avoid the early upset.

Update: Fresh off a 10-1 run tying the game to enter the half, Ginsburg took the lead to begin the second half of play. The Justice easily found her stride, keeping the lead for the remainder of the game. With the play clock winding down, Gov. Whitman is the tournament's first casualty. Fans of liberal jurisprudence can breathe easily, as this old dog has proven her tricks work just fine on a modern [basketball] court.

Today's Games

With the play-in games completed, the field of 64 is set. These ladies are ready to rumble!!!!! Commissioner O'Connor will be on hand tomorrow as the competition tips off at 11:15 CDT when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg squares off against former Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman in the East Region. Will heavy favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton go home with the trophy or will she be trounced in the second round by the ever-intimidating Former Attorney General Janet Reno? Only the tournament can tell. Let the MADNESS! begin!

Madness! PWiP Edition

Welcome RWiPs (Rising Women in Politics) and gentlemen!

This year, 68 prominent women in politics have been seeded meticulously by the PWiP Tournament selection committee and have set out to determine who is America's Most Prominent Political Woman. As NCAA tournament games are played, each lady's fate will be tied to the team occupying her seed (e.g. overall #1 seed Hillary Rodham Clinton will advance along with Ohio State, Sarah Palin with Kansas, Nancy Pelosi with Pitt, Condoleezza Rice with Duke, and so on). Automatic bids were given to current senators, house leadership, governors and cabinet members, and living current and former first ladies. 34 women were then selected to participate at-large from the exciting world of American politics. Seeding was based on overall political contribution, current "buzz," and name recognition, and a bonus was given for hilarity.

Let the Madness begin!

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