Adler, Louise

Metadata

Abstract

An oral history with Louise Adler, spouse of (deceased) chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, Howard Adler and co-founder of Women in Leadership. This interview was conducted as part of the Orange County Politics Oral History Project for California State University, Fullerton and the Center for Oral and Public History. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Howard Adler’s involvement in Orange County politics. Specifically, this interview talks about why Louise’s family moved to Orange County; reflects on growing up in a single parent home; shares how she became involved in politics; defines bird-dogging; tells how she met Howard and why they married; describes Howard’s work as a congressional staffer with Congressman Dick Hanna and his contributions to the Banking and Currency Committee under Chairman Wright Patman; recalls living in Washington D.C. in the 1960s and her involvement with anti-war demonstrations; talks about Howard’s unsuccessful congressional campaign; comments on Congressman Hanna’s connection to the Koreagate scandal; talks about Howard’s long-term involvement with the Democratic Party; explains why he co-founded the Democratic Foundation of Orange County and how it influenced Orange County politics; comments on Howard’s relationship with Dick O’Neill and their mutual passion for Civil War history; shares how they involved their daughters in political life; reminisces about President Clinton’s 1992 rally in Orange County; talks about how the local party politics have changed since the 1960s; shares advice Howard gave to Democratic candidates; describes micro targeting; talks about why Howard felt it was important to reached out to various segments of the electorate; shares how she wants people to remember Howard; reflects on the challenge of creating Women in Leadership (WIL) and why they selected its pro-choice criteria; talks about why it’s important for women to be involved in politics; and finally, discusses how WIL has contributed to Southern California politics.

Metadata

Abstract

An oral history with Louise Adler, spouse of (deceased) chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, Howard Adler and co-founder of Women in Leadership (WIL). The interview was conducted for the Women, Politics, and Activism Since Suffrage Oral History Project for California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Oral and Public History. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Adler’s involvement with WIL and her job as professor in the CSUF Education Department. Specifically, this interview talks about Adler’s single-parent childhood and educational background; explains how she became involved with politics; recalls bird-dogging and work as voter registrar; remembers hearing President Kennedy’s “Ask Not” speech and describes Orange County’s reaction to his candidacy; tells how she met her husband, Howard Adler, on Congressman Hanna’s campaign and why they married; recalls living in Washington D.C. in the 1960s and her involvement with anti-war demonstrations and the New Mobilization; comments on Congressman Hanna’s connection to the Koreagate scandal; explains why she went back to school for her education doctorate; recalls being hired as the first female tenure track professor in CSUF’s Education Department; documents the departments personnel and accreditation struggles; explains why she co-founded Women in Leadership (WIL) with Carol Barnes and Marilyn Brewer and why they created it as a political action committee; describes how WIL vets potential candidates; explains how WIL defines “moderate” and why candidates have to be pro-choice; talks about the Republican “War on Women”; describes how feminism has changed between 1960s and current generation; explains why she opposed the merger between St. Joseph and Hoag hospitals and how WIL got involved; describes why she considers herself an activist and what motivates her to continue; and finally, talks about what she’s most proud of through her work in WI.