RIP Geraldine Ferraro, 1935-2011

Geraldine Ferraro who, as Walter Mondale’s running mate in 1984, became the first woman to run for vice president in a major party ticket, died Saturday at age 75.

Ferraro died at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was being treated for blood cancer. She died just before 10 a.m., said Amanda Fuchs Miller, a family friend who worked for Ferraro in her 1998 Senate bid and was acting as a spokeswoman for the family…

Mondale said he selected Ferraro as a bold stroke to counter his poor showing in polls against President Reagan and because he felt America lagged far behind other democracies in elevating women to top leadership roles.

“The time had come to eliminate the barriers to women of America and to reap the benefits of drawing talents from all Americans, including women,” Mondale said…

Ferraro revealed [in 2001] that she had been diagnosed with blood cancer. She discussed blood cancer research before a Senate panel that month and said she hoped to live long enough “to attend the inauguration of the first woman president of the United States.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.