Joanie Caucus
Encyclopedia
Joanie Caucus is a character in Garry Trudeau
's comics strip Doonesbury
.
She first appeared in September 1972 in which she has a fight with her husband, Clinton, over her rights as a woman. She finds that her recently acquired feminist
beliefs clash with his idea of how a wife should behave, and she promptly walks out on him. She catches a ride with Mike Doonesbury
and Mark Slackmeyer
who happen to be traveling cross-country on motorcycle at the time, and travels with them back to Walden Commune.
There she spent several years living with the other characters while running a day-care service for local children (whose parents often weren't too thrilled when their little girls came home talking about Women's Rights
). While running Walden Day Care, Caucus sent off applications to several real-life law schools (whose actual students petitioned the schools to accept her as a student). She eventually accepted an offer from Boalt Hall for the class of 1977, and moved to California. She shared an apartment with Ginny Slade while there, and helped Ginny in an unsuccessful bid for the United States Congress
.
After becoming a lawyer, Joanie spent many years working for Congresswoman Lacey Davenport
, and married Rick Redfern, a reporter with the Washington Post. She also reconnected with her daughter J.J., whom she hadn't seen since she left her family in 1972. Joanie felt incredibly guilty over this, but she and J.J. have reconciled.
Joanie later worked for the Justice Department, was an aide during the Clinton Presidency
, and has since gone into private practice. In the 1980s she gave birth to Jeff Redfern while in Lamaze
class.
Joanie is one of the more down to earth characters of the strip. She had an almost maternal relationship with the others at the commune, and appears to have moderate political beliefs. She worked for Davenport despite the fact that Lacey was a Republican
and Joanie was a Democrat
, considering that Lacey's upstanding character was more important than her politics.
In a January 2009 appearance, Joanie describes herself as a 70 year old retired civil servant born in 1938. She and Rick Redfern still live in Washington DC.
Starting in the fall 2011 Joanie is working as volunteer coordinator for the real-live candidate Elizabeth Warren
's campaign to unseat United States Senator from Massachusetts Scott Brown
.
Garry Trudeau
Garretson Beekman "Garry" Trudeau is an American cartoonist, best known for the Doonesbury comic strip.-Background and education:...
's comics strip Doonesbury
Doonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
.
She first appeared in September 1972 in which she has a fight with her husband, Clinton, over her rights as a woman. She finds that her recently acquired feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
beliefs clash with his idea of how a wife should behave, and she promptly walks out on him. She catches a ride with Mike Doonesbury
Mike Doonesbury
Michael James "Mike" Doonesbury is the main character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury. He started out as a nerdish freshman from Tulsa at the fictional Walden College, and shared a dorm room with B.D. Currently he is married to Kim Rosenthal, and divorced from J.J. Caucus. Mike's...
and Mark Slackmeyer
Mark Slackmeyer
Mark Sheldon Slackmeyer is a character in the comic strip Doonesbury. Mark starts out as a radical at Walden College, and leads several peace rallies . The character was initially modeled after Mark Rudd, then in the news as a leader of Columbia University's student protests of 1968...
who happen to be traveling cross-country on motorcycle at the time, and travels with them back to Walden Commune.
There she spent several years living with the other characters while running a day-care service for local children (whose parents often weren't too thrilled when their little girls came home talking about Women's Rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
). While running Walden Day Care, Caucus sent off applications to several real-life law schools (whose actual students petitioned the schools to accept her as a student). She eventually accepted an offer from Boalt Hall for the class of 1977, and moved to California. She shared an apartment with Ginny Slade while there, and helped Ginny in an unsuccessful bid for the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
After becoming a lawyer, Joanie spent many years working for Congresswoman Lacey Davenport
Lacey Davenport
Lacey Davenport was a character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury. She is often said to be based on Millicent Fenwick, a Republican member of Congress from New Jersey, although Trudeau has denied this link....
, and married Rick Redfern, a reporter with the Washington Post. She also reconnected with her daughter J.J., whom she hadn't seen since she left her family in 1972. Joanie felt incredibly guilty over this, but she and J.J. have reconciled.
Joanie later worked for the Justice Department, was an aide during the Clinton Presidency
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, and has since gone into private practice. In the 1980s she gave birth to Jeff Redfern while in Lamaze
Lamaze
The Lamaze Technique, often referred to as Lamaze, is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during childbirth...
class.
Joanie is one of the more down to earth characters of the strip. She had an almost maternal relationship with the others at the commune, and appears to have moderate political beliefs. She worked for Davenport despite the fact that Lacey was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and Joanie was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, considering that Lacey's upstanding character was more important than her politics.
In a January 2009 appearance, Joanie describes herself as a 70 year old retired civil servant born in 1938. She and Rick Redfern still live in Washington DC.
Starting in the fall 2011 Joanie is working as volunteer coordinator for the real-live candidate Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren is an American bankruptcy expert, policy advocate, Harvard Law School professor, and Democratic Party candidate in the 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts. She has written several academic and popular books concerning the American economy and personal finance. She...
's campaign to unseat United States Senator from Massachusetts Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.