Posted on 06/14/2007 8:26:38 AM PDT by SmithL
Once, Geraldine Ferraro represented the historic breakthrough.
Now the former vice presidential candidate and the first woman on a major party ticket is championing the presidential bid of Hillary Rodham Clinton. And she's drawing contrasts between Clinton's race for the White House and her own moment in the spotlight.
In 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale selected Ferraro (in her third two-year term as a congresswoman from New York) as his running mate, triggering euphoria among many women over a new era in American politics.
But in an interview Wednesday in Sacramento, Ferraro described how the excitement faded and she found herself unprepared for the intense scrutiny she faced. She said prospects are much better today for women in politics -- and that Clinton is more ready to face the challenge of the national political stage.
"Just by putting a woman on the ticket, Fritz Mondale made a very bold statement. He opened the door," said Ferraro, who is a Clinton campaign fundraiser. "I think it would have been hard for a woman to run for president in 1984."
Wednesday, Ferraro visited the Sacramento offices of Global Consulting Group, a New York-headquartered public affairs firm for which she is a senior adviser. She endorsed Clinton's candidacy in April, declaring: "By electing Hillary Clinton, we can smash the ultimate glass ceiling once and for all."
She believes her vice presidential bid helped pave the way for Clinton's historic opportunity -- and she sees Clinton succeeding where she fell short.
Clinton, said Ferraro, "is smarter than I was and more experienced.
"She was first lady for eight years, a senator for seven years. She has had every single part of her personal life exposed and her husband's," Ferraro said. "She's been to 82 countries. She certainly knows the issues. ... "
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Interesting how the people who scream loudest about being a gender/race/sexual preference blind society, always are the first people to determine their political positions wholly of the bases of gender/race/sexual preference.

She’s been to 82 countries. Yes Geraldine, who could forget Hillary and Chelsea’s Camel ride at tax payer expense.
Thanks for paving the way to an eventual Condi presidency Gerldine. You will need to be content with decades of Convervative women in power as your legacy.
- Geradine Soprano's husband was indicted and convicted
- Geraldine Soprano's son was convicted of dealing
and selling coke when he was college student
- Geradine Soprano's father is "connected"
Oh, I get it. Clinton’s genitalia is on the inside rather than on the outside as seen in Obama, Edwards, Romney, McCain and the others. Of course, Clinton will be a better leader for our nation....
Nice comment on Condi, there rod1. Sort of like Maggie Thatcher in the UK....
I thought she was dead.
Geraldine, was it an awkward moment when you and Nancy Pulosi wore the same stolen Dior dresses to the Mafia Princess Cotillion?
Bump!
.
Geraldine Soprano has an ongoing campaign on TV ranting about Republican’s demeaning crooked democrats
It’s a panic!
She interrupts the host and any opposing Republican and is as nasty as anyone I’ve ever seen
An eralier post mentioned “Mafia Princess Cotiilion” for Geraldine Soprano and Nanzi Pelosi
This naive statement suggests to me she may have not been a good choice for VP.
I hate this. I don’t want anything smashed. I just want an excellent president. A Republican one.
Yes, I used to watch her on Fox News all the time - back when I watched a lot of news.
She has a very serious medical condition, I’m surprised she’s still alive.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.