# Geraldine Ferraro **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103 "2011-03-27T00:07:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/1 "2011-03-27T00:07:38Z")
I did a search and it seems that the SDMB is only remembering Geraldine Ferraro as a point scorer in this year’s Celebrity Death Pool. Well, that’s a sad state of affairs. As a child, 1984 was the first Election I was aware of in an engaged way. I don’t think I even knew whether my family favored The Democratic Party or The Republican Party until Geraldine Ferraro was named Mondale’s Vice Presidential running mate. I to this day have never seen such a glow of pride as I saw in the faces of my mother and my aunts. As a 9 year old boy, my inner Feminist was stirred to inspiration: “Yes! It is finally happening!” These days I’m often dismayed that Feminism in the U.S. has withered nearly to the point of atrophy. Hearing of Geraldine Ferraro’s death, remembering how I felt back then, thinking of the role models that women my age grew up with, it is my hope to see her name remembered and remembered with esteem. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/2 "2011-03-27T00:12:27Z")
I agree with almost everything you have said. I was also 9, and it was also one of the first elections I remember clearly. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/3 "2011-03-27T01:05:28Z")
She has a lot to do with why Palin offended me so much. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/4 "2011-03-27T01:09:40Z")
They showed a clip today of her chiding Bush Sr. for patronizing her during their debate. Great spunky lady. I didn’t care for what she had to say about Obama in 2008 but I think that may have been her disease talking so I give her a pass. It’s nice to look back at a time when female vice presidential nominees were actually conversant about current affairs. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/5 "2011-03-27T01:18:00Z")
She really wasn’t a particularly good veep pick. But compared to Palin, she was Roosevelt and Kennedy and LBJ and Obama all rolled into one. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/6 "2011-03-27T01:43:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > They showed a clip today of her chiding Bush Sr. for patronizing her during their debate. Great spunky lady. I didn’t care for what she had to say about Obama in 2008 but I think that may have been her disease talking so I give her a pass. It’s nice to look back at a time when female vice presidential nominees were actually conversant about current affairs. As I understand it, she said Obama got some votes because he was black. Are you suggesting that is not true? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/7 "2011-03-27T01:53:38Z")
The replies on her Yahoo obit were sickening! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/8 "2011-03-27T01:53:52Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > As I understand it, she said Obama got some votes because he was black. Are you suggesting that is not true? Her [quote] ([http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/us/politics/12campaign.html](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/us/politics/12campaign.html)) > [@](#): > > If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman of any color, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept. Every time that campaign is upset about something, they call it racist. I will not be discriminated against because I’m white. If they think they’re going to shut up Geraldine Ferraro with that kind of stuff, they don’t know me. That’s a little stronger language than you suggest. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/9 "2011-03-27T01:55:30Z")
I despise her. I don’t care what her politics are, she is/was a vile creature, IMHO. There was some debate, or something, and she actually insulted either Reagan’s religion, or his belief/practice of that religion. That is petty and malicious, and has no place in American politics, esp. in the 80s. I don’t mean how to decide how to vote…each person’s conscience weighs everything, including religion, into the equation. I’m talking of her, as a VP candidate, actually saying this stuff in public. (Please, don’t tell me about Kennedy… any of them.) Mondale should have booted her. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/10 "2011-03-27T01:58:28Z")
I would admire her more, except she seemed kind of clueless. She said something weird about her husband being difficult to deal with because he was Italian – huh?? Her son got caught dealing drugs and got to serve house arrest in his really nice apartment, and she whined about her poor baby. And I can’t forgive her for what she said about Obama – inexcusable. So she’ll always be that First Female Vice Presidential Candidate footnote in history, but I don’t care. Mondale could have done better, but he was such a boring drip that she made him look good by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/11 "2011-03-27T03:26:03Z")
RIP. I voted for her and Mondale back in 1984. But in the early part of the decade, my car sported a bumper sticker that read: “Nixon/Manson in '84” ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/12 "2011-03-27T03:27:35Z")
I was eight. It was the first election I was really aware of, and the first one that broke my heart. Rest in peace. You inspired a lot of little girls. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/13 "2011-03-27T03:30:44Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Rest in peace. You inspired a lot of little girls. Yeah, like Sarah Palin. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/14 "2011-03-27T03:39:48Z")
Re the OP: I’m not sure anyone scored points with her in the Death Pool, which would be a shame in that hers may be another pointless celebrity death. I posted the notice in that thread, but she wasn’t on my list, nor has anyone posted a claim for points. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/15 "2011-03-27T04:42:39Z")
I think **Fear Itself** had her. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/16 "2011-03-27T06:02:59Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I didn’t care for what she had to say about Obama in 2008 but I think that may have been her disease talking so I give her a pass. She said some inconvenient truths. And yes, they were true. That’s why she got roasted. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/17 "2011-03-27T06:18:31Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > There was some debate, or something, and she actually insulted either Reagan’s religion, or his belief/practice of that religion. Wait…Reagan had a religion? Other than “politically convenient”, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/18 "2011-03-27T11:31:33Z")
> [@](#): > > There was some debate, or something, and she actually insulted either Reagan’s religion, or his belief/practice of that religion. She said that he wasn’t a good Christian because his policies hurt the poor. That sounds accurate to me. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/19 "2011-03-27T12:03:12Z")
I remember her…to me, she was just another NYC machine politician-mostly hot air. But I have a question: during the campaign, it was suggested that her husband was connected with the NYC Mob. Was her husband a mafia guy? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103/20 "2011-03-27T18:01:34Z")
Trivia note: The New York Times, who uses titles before people’s names, flatly refused to use “Ms.” until the 1984 election. But the Democrat Vice-Presidential candidare was not Miss Ferraro or Mrs. Zaccaro, so they caved in, prompting Gloria Steinem to quip “I’ll no longer be referred to do Miss Steinem of Ms. Magazine.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geraldine-ferraro/576103.md?page=2)