And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, the Axviles, with your

host, David Axelrod.

Stephanie Shriak's political sensibilities were forged in the labor struggles of her

home city of Buteman Tana in the 1980s, and from there she became one of the great organizers

in Democratic politics.

Her experience included managing several successful campaigns for the United States Senate as a pioneering

finance director for the Watershed Howard Dean campaign in 2004.

And now she's president of Emily's list, an organization that was formed three decades

ago to encourage women to run for office.

Well it appears now that women don't need a whole lot of encouragement to run for office.

We've seen women running all over the country, and the question is, is there a pink wave

coming?

I asked Stephanie about that, and many other things when she dropped by the Institute of

Politics last week.

Stephanie Shriak.

It's good to be with you, and good to see you again.

You don't come from a particularly political family.

No, I don't.

Tell me, tell me about your folks.

It's great.

Well, I grew up in Buteman Tana.

Parents of good Midwesterners, my dad's born and raised in this little town called Mountain

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