Oftentimes a defining characteristic for a public official is not how he wields power and conducts himself when in office, but instead how he concedes defeat and exits the public stage. Some, like former House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill choose to exit the stage without the voters tossing them out and and do so with grace and dignity.
That Democrat set a pattern that all federal legislators should emulate, returning to the jurisdiction which elected him, where he wrote his memoir (a quite good one at that), enjoyed being a grandfather and watching the Red Sox play ball (among other things).
Although his former House colleague did not exit the stage as willingly as he and while she continued to play a role in her party’s politics even after her defeat, Geraldine Ferraro conducted herself with no less dignity on the public stage than did O’Neill. Indeed, in her final years, as a regular guest on FoxNews, she did much to promote her party’s agenda to a more conservative audience — and show that one could defend liberal ideas without insulting or otherwise belittling conservative individuals.
She, like other liberal regulars on FoxNews, including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, mastered the art of civil discourse in the sound-byte format of discussions on a TV news network. She showed considerable respect for her ideological adversaries — and demonstrated an understanding of their ideas, all the while speaking her mind.
When she died on Saturday, politicos, reporters and pundits cited her many accomplishments, including the one event which earned her a place in the history books, her nomination as the Democratic candidate for the Vice Presidency in 1984, the first woman to serve on a major party’s ticket, it is important also to remember how nobly she conducted herself long after that nomination thrust her into the national limelight, particularly in the twilight of her life.
She provided an example that all public figures should emulate. On both sides of the political aisle. A true stateswoman she.
UPDATE: Michael Barone offers a nice tribute here.
By contrast, you folks have the Shrew from Wasilla who still blames Couric and the media for Sarah Palin not knowing her ass from a hole in the ground (oh, they tricked me with hard questions … sob)and then recently claiming she’d have won if McCain hadn’t topped the ticket.
It’s class v no class whatsoever.
Uh, Dan: Ms. Ferraro was the VP candidate in 1984, not 2004. Classy post though.
Geraldiine Ferraro- Revisionist History and mobs ties. Let us have a reality check please. She was scandal plagued. While I appreciate the need to honor the dead, we were close to having the mob an arms-length away from the most powerful position in the world. The most important story was the Village Voice knew of her husband’s mob ties, and spiked the story until after the presidential election. A documented story of the press interfering with an election. That should be this headline.
Naturally, Auntie Schmegma seems to have forgotten what his Party did to the outspoken, liberal feminist Geraldine Ferraro when she expressed an opinion that while unquestionably true, dared to do anything other than shower then-candidate Obama with unmitigated praise and adulation. Ferraro stated, “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.”
Democrats responded with the same “classy” level-headed tolerance they afford anyone who expresses an opinion that deviates from the Party’s current talking points and agenda–they branded Ferraro a racist, and assaulted her with negative comments and press coverage until she was forced to resign from her position on Hillary Clinton’s finance committee. Ferraro called the left-wing firestorm “the worst three weeks of my life.”
Once again, the Left confirmed that they support strong, outspoken women in politics unless they step out of line or fail to do what they’re told.
Considering the topic of the post, the loss of civility in politics, or at least the pretenses of….. Auntie Dogma… Priceless!!!!!
Dan Geraldine Ferraro was Vice Presidential candidate for 1984; I remember it well, although I was only 12 years at the time.
I knew something was wrong when she started corresponding from her home instead of traveling to the Fox News studio. She also didn’t look well.
Why can’t President Jimmy Carter & Bill Clinton conduct themselves like Geraldine Ferraro? They should know when to exit the stage as well.
Auntie Dogma needs to start buying bigger batteries……
Jim, thanks for catching that. Since fixed.
Miss Dogma, why do you so feel the need to attack? Sonic offers the perfect response. . .
B. Daniel Blatt:
Grannie Dogshit feels the need to attack because she is an oppressive. (Start using that word instead of “progressive” whenever you can.) And oppressives are fundamentally miserable, unhappy people because the world doesn’t work the way they think it should.
Says the utterly devoid of class Republican Grand Diva herself:
“I’m through whining about a liberal press that holds conservative women to a different standard, because it doesn’t do any good to whine about it. When a shot is taken at me, it is water off a duck’s back because I know the important things we need to concentrate on in life — especially the national and international issues that are so important in our country.”
Doubt it. Sticktoitiveness ain’t exactly the strong suit of the con woman who walked away from her responsibilities in the middle of her term as Governor of Alaska to ove on to the world of “reality” TV.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/151615-palin-im-through-whining-about-a-liberal-press
Did anyone else hear Bob Beckel say (this weekend) that when Walter Mondale asked him to find a qualified female vp candidate he stated, “that was easier said than done.” Pricesless.
Obsessed? Don’t be silly, of course liberals aren’t obsessed with Sarah Palin. Clearly a post entitled “In Memoriam Geraldine Ferraro” demands a response that attacks Sarah Palin. How else is a left-wing, not-obsessed-with-Sarah-Palin commenter supposed to respond to that kind of provocation????!!!!!
Grannie Dogshit @10: Didn’t Urkel resign from the Senate to run for President? Guess that makes him a quitter, too, doesn’t it?
Auntie Dogma is welcome to have a seat at the bar next to Levi and all the other bitter losers who can’t stand the fact that Sarah Palin is richer, more successful, more influential, and happier than they will ever be.
Miss Dogma, what does your comment have to do with the post to which it is attached? Now, please answer the question, why do you feel the need to attack a conservative woman in a post where I commend a liberal one?
Can’t we use this occasion to join together in honoring a Democratic woman who carried herself well on the public stage?
Sarah Palin gave gracious acknowledgements to Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton for paving the way through the “glass ceiling.” She was a class act in doing so.
Perhaps, if The Gaypatriot had a resident Auntie Fogmiasma, she would come here and pistol whip Dan for being a gentleman about the death of someone from the liberal swamp.
Liberals have a nasty habit of wishing painful death and tsunami havoc on those they despise. Feeding one’s need to loathe is lonesome, tiring work.
God bless you, Auntie Dogma, I hope your rash clears up and your mind is cleared of the demons. It is a bright sunny day and normal children are finding clouds shaped like sheep.
You see, Sarah Palin owns a nice little furnished apartment in many oppressive’s minds,(loved your comment, #9!) where she lives rent-free and decorates how she wishes, with pictures of her heroes, President Reagan being one, on the wall, and it ticks them off!
Somebody’s been bogarting Sully’s weed and pills.
AIDS-related dementia is a bitch, Auntie Dogma. And so are you.
Regards,
Peter H.