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April 2008
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CAMPUS NEWS |
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Former Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) delighted an audience of more than 150 in the Ward building on March 24. Speaking as a part of women’s history month, the first female vice presidential candidate inspired the mostly student crowd as she reflected on how far women have come, while she warned of the challenges they still face. There are currently 32 women in the federal cabinet, 74 women in the House of Representatives, 16 female U.S. Senators, and 200 female mayors of cities with a population of more then 30,000, said Ferraro. That’s “great progress,” she said, but “not good enough, especially in this country where women comprise 51 percent” of the population. Internationally, Ferraro said women are advancing politically, albeit slowly. Women currently serve as head of state in Liberia, Chile, Germany, and Argentina, she noted. “Well, what about the United States?” Ferraro asked the audience. “A true democracy only exists where minority rights are respected.” Ferraro made history in 1984 when she ran for vice president alongside Walter Mondale in his bid for president. Although they lost the election, she broke many barriers that had long existed.
In recent weeks, Ferraro made national headlines again when speaking out as a supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton for the democratic nomination for president, after telling a Torrance, Calif., newspaper that if Barack 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.” Ferraro defended herself when an AU senior asked her about the remarks, saying she was “stunned” by the attention paid to her comments and that since the incident, she believes the racism divide in this country is getting worse. Ferraro made clear she does not endorse Hillary Clinton just because she’s woman. She did say, however, that when she voted for Clinton in the primary -- although she does not consider herself an emotional person -- she “welled out,” an experience she’d never had before. "I didn’t feel that sense of history when I went into the booth to vote myself," she said. "And I did vote for myself," she added to laughter. Students were excited to have Ferraro on campus. “It’s amazing. It’s so cool that we get the opportunity to hear these people speak,” said international studies major Sarah McGhee ’11, from Huntsville, Ala. “They’re part of our history – it’s cool we get to experience it.” Chris Golden ’11, a CLEG major from Coventry, Conn., said it helps AU when high-profile speakers like Ferraro come to campus. “It’s an honor to have her here at AU,” said Golden. “Just like our AU Eagles, it puts us on the map.” -Brian Kalish '08 | |||
Former VP Candidate Inspires, Reflects on Women’s Progress in Politics