Is the Only Reason Geraldine Ferraro was on the ticket in '84 because she was a woman?

[democrat2thecore]

Yes. I mean, really. Unbelievable for HER - of all people - to make this ridiculous argument.

[NJSecularist]

1. Yes. She was the very definition of a tokenism candidate.

The fact that she does not see that, and does not see the irony in her statements, is very humorous.

[democrat2thecore]

7. No doubt about it. Obscure member of Congress at the time

But she was a woman and she was from New York.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Yes - does anyone doubt that?

[Flabbergasted]

9. I'd assume she had qualities and intellect conducive to running the country.

[Pirate Smile]

35. Sure, but that wasn't why she was picked and that was perfectly clear at the time.

I believe she has acknowledged that.

[saltpoint]

3. She was a lot more coherent then. The Gibson interviewed on FOX was

pretty much a mess.

[Medusa]

4. I remember being very proud of her

because it was historic but it soon became very clear she had no real qualifications for the job.

[Liberal Veteran]

13. So essentially, she was the Mondale equivalent of Harriet Miers?

I can accept that.

[democrat2thecore]

18. Yeppers

[LisaM]

5. It was a main reason, yes, if not THE main reason.

I went and saw her speak on a college campus. She referred to it often. A roommate of mine took a picture of her for me, and gave me a really nice copy. I still have it, but I used to keep it up on the wall for years, as an inspiration. She wasn't very well known, and maybe wasn't the most qualified. There was also very little chance Democrats were going to win that election. So she was chosen to make a bold statement of who the Democrats were.

[boston bean]

6. She actually admits that. I heard her say it today. nt

[maddiejoan]

19. She said as much in 1984

she's always said it.

[nebula]

47. Then she's a hypocrite

sort of like a bank robber accusing someone of shoplifting.

[joeybee12]

8. If you didn't jerk your knee so often, you'll see that she admits she

benefited from that time...right place, right time.

[Bucky]

10. No. She was the right woman at the right time.

She was a capable leader. She'd only been in Congress five and a half years, but it was long enough for people to meet her and learn how bright and focused and tough she was. Mondale picked her because of her innate talents. Gender was a plus, but only one of many--like being a successful DA, being well networked, looking smart on camera...

[XemaSab]

11. pretty much

n/t

[JVS]

12. You know what. I don't even want to go there. I am going to assume that she was qualified...

even though that is a courtesy that she is not at all entitled to after her despicable remarks.

I wouldn't want to give her the satisfaction of thinking that she's being unfairly judged.

[LaurenG]

14. Who cares. She is a bad mouthed old woman in my eyes now.

Screw her and that entire campaign staff, they're a bunch of thugs. I'm done. :eyes:

[maddiejoan]

23. yayyyyy!

Let's tear down another Democratic icon and sacrifice her on the altar of Obama!

Yayyyyyyy!

[LaurenG]

25. No not yay, it's disgusting and wrong that people defend what she said!

Because she's a woman she can say what ever she wants and because you're a supporter you'll defend her?

She NEEDS to apologize and her supporters need to decide, do they want to do the right thing or do they want to keep trying defend someone who is dead wrong when all it will take is an apology instead of denial? Your call.

[maddiejoan]

28. What did she say?

[LaurenG]

30. Look it up, or jog your memory. This was dispicable

It would be a big deal if it was about you or an issue near and dear to your heart.

I happen to believe in being kind and I think fair is fair. I have defended senator Clinton and her supporters when Obama or his supporters were wrong. In this case it's very offensive to me to hear anyone defend what Geraldine said.

It's NOT ok to say what she did, period.

[maddiejoan]

32. I suggest YOU look it up

and fully digest what she actually said.

I am beyond disgusted that Obama's campaign would take Ms. Ferraro's comments out of context and use them to trash her (and Hillary for no reason --what does Hillary have to do with this anyway?)
In order to score some points.

Portraying Geraldine Ferraro as a racist?

Sorry --that's the last fucking straw for me.

[LaurenG]

33. Spin her statement any way you would like

I'm drawing the line over that, she is now accusing Obama of attacking her because she's white. Can it get any worse? Now she's the victim??

[maddiejoan]

34. I see you are in full out spin mode

I'll leave you to that.

Enjoy tearing down a Party icon.

[LaurenG]

36. Ok - we disagree.

The only problem is that I had no problem with her until she said what she did without apology for the way it came out. Our disagreement is over whether what she said is acceptable.

I have no bone to pick with you personally I just strongly disagree.

peace

[maddiejoan]

39. peace

I am a long time admirer of Geraldine Ferraro --and this is just too much for me to handle without anger.

If it helps --here is some context.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/11/756868.aspx

<snip>
But it's important to remember that Ferraro made her comments at the time when many thought the Clinton campaign was about to go under.

The article ran with the headline, "Geraldine Ferraro lets her emotions do the talking."

This is the quote the campaigns are fighting over:

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "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." Ferraro does not buy the notion of Obama as the great reconciler.

Farber says the parentheses "(of any color)" is a direct quote.
<snip>

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. Oh no, not racist at all!!

"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."

[BuyingThyme]

46. Don't you guys ever get tired of having Hillary fool you into lying

for her only to find out that she's only fooling you into lying for her?

I mean, I'm not a big supporter of either candidate, but how is it that Hillary folk are not able to see what you've become?

[jmg257]

15. Yes.

[mckara]

16. It Wasn't for Her Brains!

She proved she's not the brightest bulb in the knife drawer!
:nopity:

[davidinalameda]

21. nice mixing of metaphors

:rofl:

[BuyingThyme]

17. Geraldine was black.

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. LOL!!

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. LOL!!

:rofl:

[LTR]

20. Yes, her background was rather unremarkable

Three terms in the House.

Nothing spectacular. She was obviously a token candidate.

[napi21]

22. Yep I think that was it! I remember even feeling really bad for her

because they found some dirt on her husband and burried her with it!

[dipsydoodle]

24. she was a woman ?

odd you should mention that - she looks like a sex change job.

[havocmom]

26. Her ridiculous rants about Obama are spoken like a token

what the hell is she smokin?

Yester-year's tool
today's tragic fool

Whose hand up her butt?
Watch the puppet strut

Hell bent
on irrelevant
Or posing
for the helluvit

Shill for Hill
We've had our fill

Yester-year's tool
today's ugly fool

[JerseygirlCT]

27. Yeah, pretty much, as exciting as it was at the time. nt

[totodeinhere]

29. Yes, although of course our country would have been a lot better off...

if she had become VP regardless of how and why she got on the ticket.

[democrat2thecore]

31. No doubt about THAT! I loved Fritz, but he wasn't a good candidate -nt

[dusmcj]

37. her being a woman increased the viability of her candidacy nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. That's how I remember it

[Johnny__Motown]

40. She said herself that she was only on the ticket because she was a woman..

Abrhams had the clip on his show tonight

Nobody can possibly argue against this point

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. "Nobody can possibly argue against this point"

LOL This is GD-P. Wanna put some money behind that? :)

[housewolf]

45. Yes. n/t