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- Kyrsten Sinema wrote a 2009 blog post about Legally Blonde 2, praising fictional character Elle Woods.
- The movie is a "surprising suggestion of how politics should be," Sinema wrote.
- Sinema suggested that DC lawmakers "should all take notes from the Delta Nu Alumnae."
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Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona – who is currently holding up the Democrats' $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill alongside Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia – once wrote in a 2009 blog post that Legally Blonde 2 was a "surprising suggestion of how politics should be."
"No, I don't just mean that D.C. should all revamp their wardrobes to be more befitting of Elle Woods," Sinema wrote on her Blogspot. "But that they should all take notes from the Delta Nu Alumnae."
Sinema's blog, which seems to have been inactive since November 2009, was part of how Sinema communicated with constituents when she was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. It also gave Sinema frequent opportunities to tout her book, "Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions That Win and Last," which she also published in 2009.
"Granted it may not be the most profound movie of our time, but Ms. Woods actually took a lot of moves out of the Unite and Conquer handbook," Sinema wrote in that same post.
In her biography on the site, she describes herself as a "reformed 'stomp my feet in my office and alienate those with opposing views' type of politician" whose book would show how to "advance the progressive movement rather than make us feel good about the purity of our ideals."
Sinema made several blog posts giving various lawmakers and organizations grades based on the tenets of her own book, giving an "A+" to the anti-genocide organization Save Darfur "because they promote values over outcomes" while giving criticizing former Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo for his "archaic at best" immigration views.
The day Sinema was sworn into the senate, she herself drew a number of comparisons to the Legally Blonde character, played by actress Reese Witherspoon. "Kyrsten Sinema Channels Elle Woods For Her First Day As Senator," reads a January 2019 headline from Refinery29.
-Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) January 3, 2019
The former state lawmakers uses the movie, which features "Legally Blonde" protagonist Elle Woods going to Washington, DC to try to pass a bill banning animal testing, as an example of politics done right.
"When fighting for Bruiser's Bill, she communicates values such as compassion and equality and makes friends with unlikely people," Sinema wrote. "She doesn't compromise on her values, but is willing to compromise on how she goes about achieving her goals. She also doesn't throw her opponents under the bus or talk about them negatively."
"If you've read Unite and Conquer, the ending of the movie shouldn't come as a surprise," Sinema concluded. "Miss Woods left Washington accomplishing her interest and left many seeing a new way to go about creating positive change."