Liz Cheney Speaks Out

The political world is all abuzz about Liz Cheney's appearance on MSNBC, last week. In an interview with Norah O'Donnell, she defended her father, former Vice President, Dick Cheney, former Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and the Bush Administration's interrogation tactics and claimed they brought about valuable intelligence. Cheney explained that memos on the matter expressed that it was important not to cross a line into torture and that everything that was done is often used on Americans for training purposes. Cheney also defended her father's legacy and spoke about the future of the Republican Party, but it was her willingness to stand up to the more-often-than-not biased reporter's accusations and asinine assumptions that have some blogs and websites posting headlines such as "Cheney '12" as headlines for the interview. You can watch the video here:

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About Liz Cheney:

While most people know Liz Cheney as the oldest daughter of the former Vice President, they probably don't realize that Cheney served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State during the Bush Administration, that she is an attorney, or that she is the mother of five children.

Elizabeth Cheney Perry was born in 1966. She attended Colorado College and graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1996. Between college and attending law school, Cheney worked at the State Department and the consulting firm, Armitage Associates LLP. After law school, she practiced law privately for the firm White and Case, worked as international law attorney, a consultant at the International Finance Corporation, served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State for Assistant to the former Soviet Union, and as a USAID officer in U.S. embassies in Budapest and Warsaw.

In 2002, she would be appointed to the position of Deputy Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs but the appointment was not without controversy. Many claimed the position was created just for the daughter of the Vice President, but the State Department claimed she had been recommended by Colin Powell and that the position was just vacant at the time of her appointment. The London Times saw her appointment as "America is getting serious about Middle East Reform." As Deputy, Cheney was given control of the Middle East Partnership Initiative which was put in place to help create democracy and economic progress in the Middle East. Cheney left this position after two years to work for President George Bush's re-election campaign, often speaking to women voters, but would return to the U.S State Department in 2005. During that time, she oversaw the launch of Fund of the Future (a foundation that provides capital for small businesses) and Foundation of the Future (a group that promotes freedom of the press and democracy).

Since the Bush Administration left office, Cheney has continued her busy career in politics. In 2007, she worked as a co-chair for Senator Fred Thompson's Presidential campaign, and later went on to work for Governor Mitt Romney when Thompson dropped out of the race. That year, she also wrote a big editorial for the Washington Post, criticizing Hillary Clinton's position on the war in Iraq. She also speaks publicly about international relations and the role of women in democracy and has been rumored to be helping her father research for a book about his work in public service.

Liz Cheney is married to Philip Perry, the former General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security. The couple have five children: Kate, Elizabeth, Grace, Philip, and Richard.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Beyond the View

It's not easy being the lone voice of dissent, especially when your co-workers do not let you get a word in, but every day Elisabeth Hasselbeck manages to do it and keep her dignity. For those who don't know, Hasselbeck is one of the co-hosts of the controversial women's talk show, "The View." Each day, Hasselbeck stands up to her liberal co-hosts and speaks her mind about a range of issues from abortion to the war in Iraq, often making headlines, and winning the sympathy and admiration of conservatives across the country. But there is a lot more to Elisabeth Hasselbeck than "The View."

Elisabeth DelPadre Filarski Hasselbeck was born and grew up in Rhode Island where she was raised in the Catholic Church and attended Catholic schools. Eventually, she went to Boston College where she earned a degree in Fine Arts. Upon graduating from Boston College, she worked for Puma shoes, as a designer, before auditioning for and being cast in the reality show "Survivor." In her time between "Survivor" and "The View," Hasselbeck begin making a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She judged the 2001 "Miss Teen USA" pageant and in 2002 she began hosting "The Look for Less," a television show on the Style Network. But 2002 was a big year for Hasselbeck for another reason; on July 6, she married her college sweetheart, former NFL quarterback, Tim Hasselbeck. In 2003, she would begin guest-hosting "The View" from time to time and was eventually hired to replace Lisa Ling.

Since becoming "The View's" youngest and most conservative co-host, Hasselbeck has continued to make a name for herself. She's appeared on a number of television shows from "Hannity" to "The Tonight Show" and even filled in on Fox News morning show "Fox and Friends." She's appeared on many magazine covers including the famed Fitness cover where she bravely donned a bikini just three months after giving birth. But Hasselbeck has always been known for her athleticism and competitive nature. She served as captain of the Boston College softball team, leading the team to back-to-back Big East championship titles. In 1999, she ran the Boston marathon. In 2004, she'd find herself doing even more running, but this time it would be to carry the Olympic torch through the streets of New York City.

Hasselbeck is also known for being a champion of several causes, whether they are political or charitable in nature. In the politial arena, she campaigned for Senator John McCain in the 2008 election. Before the election, she traveled with Governor Sarah Palin to several rallies in Florida and during the Republican National Convention, she hosted a luncheon for Cindy McCain. She gave a speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Hasselbeck has also worked with a number of charities, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Making Memories Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, The Wireless Amber Alert Program Initiative, Autism Speaks, and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. She has filmed a public service announcement encouraging breast cancer awareness and continues to support that cause.

So what's next for Elisabeth Hasselbeck? What else could she possibly add to her list of accomplishments? Recently, she created a clothing line for QVC. In May, her new cookbook "The G-Free Diet" will be released in May, focusing on gluten-free recipes. (Hasselbeck suffers from Celiac disease.) In May, she will also guest-star on the show "Ugly Betty." Despite all of this, Hasselbeck will take on her biggest project in August when she gives birth to her third child. The baby will join big sister, Grace Elisabeth and big brother, Taylor Thomas.

Women of the GOP Weekly Round-Up

Lots of great Conservative and Republican women in the news this week. Here is your weekly round-up!

- Former First Lady Barbara Bush appeared on "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren this week to discuss a number of topics including her health (she recently had open heart surgery), a cause that's very dear to her: literacy, and why her family (particularly her most famous son) likes to "oink" at her. You can watch the video at FOXNews.com. Stay tuned, Women of the GOP will be profiling Mrs. Bush later this week!

- The usually brash Ann Coulter softened her tone this week to eulogize her mother, the late Nell Coulter. Mrs. Coulter died last week. After reading the piece, it's easy to understand who influenced Coulter's very political life and it seems as though the two women had a very deep admiration for each other.

- A few weeks after a fake website claiming to be Governor Sarah Palin's legal defense fund popped up, it looks as though an official website for the Governor Sarah Palin Legal Expense Fund is now available and taking donations. According to the website, the state of Alaska has spent over $1 million and the Governor has spent over half a million dollars defending herself against frivolous political attacks.

- Love her or hate her, Meghan McCain knows how to make headlines. This week, McCain filled in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck on "The View."

- Women of the GOP favorite Dana Perino has a new job. Public relations firm Burson-Marsteller hired Perino to be their "chief issues counselor." In that position, she will help the firm build their "media and issues capabilities and provide senior counsel to clients." In other Perino news, the former White House Press Secretary appeared on CBS News' "Washington Unplugged" on Friday to talk about the news of the day. The Chicago Tribune has the video.

Where is Condoleezza Rice?

When politicians began throwing their names into the race for the 2008 Presidential election, many people began to speculate about then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Websites such as Rice2008.com began to pop up all over the internet, encouraging Secretary Rice to run. When it became obvious she wasn't going to, many Republicans hoped to persuade Senator John McCain to pick her as his running mate. But Rice made it pretty clear that she was not interested in running for any political office,

"I don't know how many ways to say no. I don't have any desire to run for president. I don't intend to. I won't do it...I know what it takes to run for president. I've watched it up close, one of these days very soon I am going to want to return to being an academic again and to get back to the California life, and the world of ideas."

It's been a few months since the Bush administration left office and many people have been left wondering what Secretary Rice is doing now, especially after she recently made headlines for writing a piece about the Masters entitled, "My Weekend on Tiger's Trail." Throughout her public life, Rice has been known for her love of sports and has even joked about wanting to become the next NFL commissioner. Turns out, she's also a fan of Tiger Woods. In the piece, she jokes,

"...when I was able to get tickets for my first Masters, I was really excited. I’ve been to Super Bowls, the Final Four, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships—nothing matched the anticipation of my first Masters. As the time approached, my assistant Anne said, 'They want to know who you want to follow.' Borrowing language from Anne’s generation, I said, 'Duh?' I know Tiger from our Stanford connection. I once sat with him at a Stanford-Duke basketball game. Stanford won on a buzzer-beater, and we stormed the court together. With that kind of bonding, whom else would I pull for?"

So, aside from blogging about her trip to Augusta, what else has Rice been up to? Well, just last week, she joined former President George W. Bush in a visit to Southern Methodist University for a meeting to discuss the George Bush institute. Afterwards she took pictures with students and faculty and then, along with several other former Bush aides and advisers, the Secretary had dinner at the former President's home.

A quick Google news search will tell you that the former Secretary of State has been invited to speak at many upcoming events and occasions. On April 30, she will speak at the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan, she'll return to Washington D.C. to speak at the Annual Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Lecture, and even as far ahead as January, 2010, Rice has been lined up to speak at the Marin Speaker Series.

But true to her word, Secretary Rice returned to academia in March. She is currently a political science professor at Stanford University. At Standford she also serves as a Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution. Even so, people continue to speculate a future run for President and even Governor of California. For now, it looks like she's pretty content at Stanford, but who knows what the future will hold for Condoleezza Rice.

Women of the GOP "In the News" Round-Up

Lots of great Conservative and Republican women in the news this week, here is your weekly round-up!

- Condoleezza Rice's name has been in the headlines this week. What exactly has she been up to? Is she running for office? Returning to academia? Not exactly. Looks like she is writing about the Masters over at The Daily Beast. Not exactly what the world expected! (Stick around - tomorrow, "Women of the GOP" will have a profile on Secretary Rice, including everything else Rice is up to these days!)

- Did you attend your local Tax Day Tea Party on Wednesday? Thousands of Americans gathered in large cities and small towns to protest the government's misuse of our tax dollars! GOP Women from all walks of life were out in full force! Actress, Janine Turner, attended the San Antonio Tea Party. Georgia Secretary of State and candidate for Governor Karen Handel told a crowd at the Peachtree City Tea Party the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress are "in the midst of a full-on assault on the freedoms that this country was founded upon."

- Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has been making a name for herself and getting under the skin of many liberals, lately. Bachmann isn't hesitant to criticize current Democrats in office or their policies and this week, she has been making headlines for daring to speak out and warn against Americorp.

- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin told a "Right to Life" crowd in Indiana, this week, that she briefly considered having an abortion when she found out her youngest son, Trig, would be born with Down syndrome. She followed that idea by saying, "The moment he was born, I knew that moment my prayers had been answered." Despite the way the mainstream media has handled the story, those who attended the event say the speech made them love and respect the Governor even more. You can watch part of Palin's speech here:

Patricia Heaton: Celebrity Voice for the Pro-Life Movement

The words "conservative" and "Hollywood" aren't usually compatible, but don't tell that to Patricia Heaton. Heaton is one of the few conservative A-list actresses who speaks openly about her politics, religious beliefs, and values. During the 2008 Presidential election, she attended fundraisers for Senator John McCain, supported Governor Sarah Palin, and has volunteered for President George W. Bush. She says she was raised as a Democrat but decided to switch parties when she felt there wasn't a place for "pro-life" members in the Democratic party.

Much of Heaton's activism centers around pro-life issues. She is the Honorary Chair of "Feminists For Life," which is an organization that opposes abortion and embryonic stem cell research from a feminist perspective. She spoke about the organization on an appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor,"

"The early feminists were pro-life. And really, abortion is a huge disservice to women, and it hasn't been presented that way. As Feminists for Life-what we're trying to do is support women, and so what we want to do is-reach women on campus-college campuses so that, when they get pregnant, they can find housing. They can find money they need to stay in school."

In 2005, during the media coverage of Terri Schiavo's last days, in an exclusive interview, Heaton told "Entertainment Tonight" that she was against taking Schiavo's feeding tube away and vowed to fast in her honor. In 2006, Heaton starred in a commercial along with several other celebrities opposing Missouri's proposed constitutional amendment regarding embryonic stem cell research. In a 2004 interview with Life News, Heaton was asked about her stance on abortion,

"I find it impossible to subscribe to a philosophy that believes that the destruction of human life is a legitimate solution to a problem that is mostly social, economic and psychological. In reality, most women 'choose' abortion because they believe they have no other choice."

Patricia Heaton is best known for her role as "Debra Barone" on the show "Everybody Loves Raymond," a role for which she won two Emmys. She was born in Bay Village, Ohio and attended Ohio State University. Heaton has been married to British actor David Hunt for almost twenty years. They have four sons, Sam, John, Joseph, and Daniel.

Elizabeth Ames Jones - Texas Railroad Commissioner

When you think of Republican women holding a political office, "Railroad Commissioner" is probably not the first position that comes to mind, but you haven't met Elizabeth Ames Jones, yet. Ames Jones was appointed to be the Railroad Commissioner of Texas in 2005 by Governor Rick Perry, and in 2006, she was elected to serve a six year term in office. She is only the second woman to serve the Commission in its 118 year history. This comes after being elected three times to the Texas House of Representatives.

While serving the Texas Legislature, Ames Jones served as one of three Texas appointees to the Southern States Energy Board and Chairman of the Budget and Oversight for the Energy Resources Committee. She also served on several other committees such as the Appropriations, Local and Consent Calendars, and Select School Finance. She led the way to establish the Texas Cord Blood Bank in San Antonio which stores and provides umbilical cord stem cells to treat various diseases. In December, Ames Jones spoke at Valley Baptist Medical Center, which has collected over 3,000 cord blood donations, about the importance of cord blood,

"This is an issue that is very near and dear to my heart," Jones said. "I've had family and friends experience medical tragedies in their lives with life-threatening cancers. Some did not survive. In honor of those, I've worked very hard...It is the ultimate recycling project - one that saves lives."

The other cause that is important to the Commissioner is becoming less dependent on foreign energy sources. On her the Texas Railroad Commission website, she promises to protect Texas' natural resources and foster the growth of domestic energy sources. In August, 2008, Ames Jones wrote an Op-Ed for the Wall Street Journal entitled "How Texas Struck it Rich Beneath Suburbia." In it she talks about how politicians are blocking the way for the United States to become energy independent,

"If there is an energy crisis in this country, it is because too many states and too many lawmakers in Washington are too timid about allowing entrepreneurs to bring to the surface what is buried right below us. In Texas, we’re not timid. Thanks to longstanding public policy encouraging responsible production, 18% of all the oil and 30% of all the natural gas produced onshore in the U.S. is produced in this state. That makes us the No. 1 energy-producing state in America."

Ames Jones considers herself a "rock-solid" conservative. As a member of the Texas House, she worked to ensure a budget that cut state spending for the first time since World War II and overcome a ten billion dollar revenue shortfall. All of this was done without raising taxes. She has been a champion for homeowners' rights, and played an important role in creating property appraisal reform legislation and lowering homeowners' insurance premiums. She has won several awards for her work ethic, been called a "Fighter for Free Enterprise," and has been recognized for her contributions to Texas law enforcement.

Elizabeth Ames Jones is a sixth generation Texan from San Antonio and a graduate of the University 0f Texas, Austin. She and her husband, Will, have two children. You can read more about Commissioner Ames Jones (including her Wall Street Journal Op-Ed) at her official website: EAJ: Home.