Geraldine Ferraro, America’s first female and first Italian-American Vice-Presidential candidate, died today at the age of 75 at 10:00 AM, at Massachusetts General Hospital. Ferraro died of a rare blood cancer known as multiple myeloma, which was diagnosed in 1998. Geraldine Ferraro was a politician, lawyer, champion of women’s rights and women’s equality. A Roman Catholic, Ferraro’s pro-choice views put her in direct conflict with the Church.
Ferraro, known as “Gerry,” was born in upstate New York and was a three-term New York Congresswoman who made two unsuccessful attempts to win the Democratic nomination for Senate from New York, in 1992, and in 1998.
Today, President Obama said of Ferraro’s passing, “Michelle and I were saddened to learn about the passing of Geraldine Ferraro. Geraldine will forever be remembered as a trailblazer who broke down barriers for women, and Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life. Whether it was as a public school teacher, assistant district attorney, Member of Congress, or candidate for Vice President, Geraldine fought to uphold America’s founding ideals of equality, justice, and opportunity for all. And as our Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Commission, she stood up for those ideals around the world. Sasha and Malia will grow up in a more equal America because of the life Geraldine Ferraro chose to live. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her husband, John Zaccaro, her children and grandchildren, and their entire family.”
During Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful bid to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, Ferraro, a Clinton supporter and honorary spokesperson, was forced to withdraw publicly after she made racially-controversial comments about Clinton challenger, now-President Barack Obama. Once she resigned, Ferraro said in an interview, “Barack Obama should apologize to me.” Later, Ferraro threw her weight as a women’s-rights activist behind Sarah Palin, calling the media’s treatment of her sexist.
Palin today on Facebook wrote, “My family and I would like to express our sincere condolences to the family of Geraldine Ferraro. When I had the honor of working alongside Geraldine on election night last year, we both discussed the role of women in politics and our excited expectation that someday that final glass ceiling would be shattered by the election of a woman president. She was an amazing woman who dedicated her life to public service as a teacher, prosecutor, Congresswoman, and Vice Presidential candidate. She broke one huge barrier and then went on to break many more. The world will miss her. May she rest in peace and may her example of hard work and dedication to America continue to inspire all women.”
Ferraro, a protégé of House Speaker Tip O’Neil, was also credited with the creation of the Democratic Party’s “superdelegates.” Ferraro was President Bill Clinton’s Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Commission from 1994-1995.
Ferraro was “a remarkable woman and a dear human being, Walter Mondale, Ferraro’s presidential running mate, told the Associated Press, adding, “ She was a pioneer in our country for justice for women and a more open society. She broke a lot of molds and it’s a better country for what she did.”
In a statement, her family noted Geraldine Ferraro “was born on August 26th, 1935 — Women’s Equality Day.”
The National Journal has a nice collection of photographs of Ferraro.
Editorial note: I spent about an hour looking for Geraldine Ferraro’s position on gay rights and marriage equality. As far as I can see, she never publicly voiced an opinion. If you know of anything – lets us know!