Geraldine Ferraro's Influence on Women in Politics

COMMENTARY | When I read that former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro had passed at the age of 75, I quickly flashed back to 1984. I remembered how big of a deal it was to have a woman on a major party ticket. It was a bold move by the floundering Walter Mondale campaign that didn't pay off in the end. Mondale got crushed by Ronald Reagan, losing 49 of 50 states.

Flash forward 24 years and the same set of circumstances brought us Sarah Palin. Palin was plucked out of virtual obscurity, much like Ferraro was in 1984, to try to save the campaign of John McCain. Once again the tactic failed.

Hillary Clinton was able to build on the Ferraro foundation a bit when she made a presidential run and was the last person to be knocked out of the 2008 Democratic primaries. Barack Obama of course won the nomination and later the presidency. Obama appointed Rodham-Clinton to the powerful post of Secretary of State.

The question I have is why did it take so long to see women reappear on the presidential ballot from major parties? There are plenty of strong capable women in politics, Olympia Snowe from my own state of Maine just to name one. At a time when party politics is beyond ugly, the time has come for a strong moderate woman to come forward and actually unite the country, rather than just say they will.

I really hope that that woman will run in 2012, and no I don't have anyone in particular in mind. I know it isn't Palin; she divides this country more than just about anyone else.

Ferraro had said that she had hoped to live long enough to see the first woman president. Unfortunately, her dream didn't come true, but maybe the right woman candidate will come along in 2012. Whenever the first woman occupies the Oval Office she will owe a big debt of gratitude to Ferraro. I didn't vote for Ferraro nor did I share her political beliefs, but I respected her. She stood up for what she believed in and was passionate about serving her constituents. Really isn't that what we want and need from our leaders. Ferraro may be gone, but the strides she made for women will continue to live on.