It's A Girl!

I was at work in 1984 when we got the news that Walter Mondale had named Geraldine Ferraro as his VP pick. I was so excited I quickly called home to tell to my eleven-year-old daughter the news. It didn’t make much of an impact on her, because she only vaguely remembers the event. But I can still recall the palpitating excitement that Mondale’s choice created. 

It was the first time I carried a presidential bumper sticker on my car. It was the first time I voted Democratic and the first time I watched every nuanced element of election night coverage.

Of course, as Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC put it earlier today, the Mondale/Ferraro ticket lost in a stunning landslide. Who would have thought it would take another 24 years before we had our first serious female presidential contender? Who would have thought it would be another 24 years before we had our next female VP candidate? And who, in their wildest dreams, thought it would be the Republicans doing the honors? As Gomer Pyle use to say, GOLLLLLEEEE! 

I don’t know much about Sarah Palin. I don’t know if she has the chops to go along with the great cheekbones, when it comes to the VP slot. And I certainly don’t know if John McCain has just made the dumbest choice next to Bush senior’s selection of Dan Quayle. What I do know is that come Election Day, no matter which party wins, history will be made. Oh, and today, it was my daughter calling me when the rumors started flying, wanting to know what I thought of the whole idea. We both agreed, no matter how we vote in November, it will be a thrill seeing a female name on the Presidential ballot. To Geraldine, Hillary and Sarah – thanks for doing the heavy lifting.

© 29 August 2008, Desktop Genealogist Unplugged, Teresa L. Snyder