An observation that makes the Ferraro flap fairly innocuous

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

If you asked Geraldine Ferraro whether she would have been the Vice Presidential nominee in 1984 if she was a man, she would say, "Of course not."

Applying a standard to someone else that you apply to yourself might be inaccurate, or even stupid. But it's not a moral outrage.

(At time of posting I was not aware if she has been asked, and answered, that obvious question. On edit: It seems that she did say that, so it's not just hypothetical.)

[LisaM]

1. I agree. I think she could have phrased herself a little more artfully

but I know what she was trying to say.

[anigbrowl]

2. She has, and gave that same answer

I don't know you could not be aware of this.

[femmedem]

3. She did say this in the interview.

But I don't think this makes it innocuous. I think she knew it gave her cover to deliver a really low blow.

[cali]

4. huh? how do you know what she'd say to that question?

You admit that you're unaware of her responding to that question, yet you claim that you know how she'd answer it? That's a tad odd.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. The post above yours suggests that my assumption was accurate

If she claimed that gender played no role in making her the VP nominee she would be a liar and/or an idiot.

I don't love Ferraro, but I have no reason to think her an absurd figure, so her answer is all but forced.

And it seems she did say that in the interview, so my analysis was correct.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. There's nothing innocuous about blatant racism. But do keep Ferraro on and the negative effect. . .

on Hillary's campaign going. The MSM is just gettting ahold of this and once they do, I don't see them letting go anytime soon.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

7. Huh? Obama's "status" is the result of millions of VOTES. In contrast, a few white men

threw Ferraro and women for whom they selected her as proxy a "bone" in 1984.

To paraphrase another VP candidate, "I know Barack Obama; Barack Obama is a friend of mine. Believe me, Geraldine Ferraro's no Barack Obama."

[sallyseven]

8. What the hell did she say?

I must have missed it.

[ProSense]

9. Oh BS! Is that why there's an uproar, and Hillary's campaign bundled the response:

Obama: Ferraro’s Comments “Patently Absurd”

Obama to Allentown Morning-Call:

“I don’t think Geraldine Ferraro’s comments have any place in our politics or in the Democratic Party. They are divisive.
I think anybody who understands the history of this country knows they are patently absurd.

And I would expect that the same way those comments don’t have a place in my campaign they shouldn’t have a place in Senator Clinton’s either.”

**Ferraro responds defiantly on the Fox News Channel**

Insists her comment was not racist, and is “absolutely offended” by the angry response she has received. Blames Obama campaign and David Axelrod for the response.

Denies being a Clinton campaign surrogate, and advises Obama “not to antagonize people like me,” because if he wins nomination he will want her to raise money on his behalf.

Obama’s campaign also takes aim at Clinton in strong statement:

“She has once again proven that her campaign gets to live by its own rules and its own double standard, and will only decry offensive comments when it’s politically advantageous to Senator Clinton….” Read full statement.

Strategist David Axelrod calls for Ferraro to be removed from Clinton’s finance committee.
Response from Clinton spokesman Wolfson: “We disagree with” Ferraro.

[LisaM]

10. Who made the remark about John Edwards' problem being that he wasn't a gay

woman, or something like that? I can't find the quote, though I remember it well. The point was, though, that he was handicapped in this race because he was just another white man running for the job, and the voters are ready to change that. I don't think the statement was all that different from what Ferraro said, but it didn't inspire all this outrage, people laughed because it was true.

I'll keep looking for the quote, but I couldn't find it. It might even have been Elizabeth Edwards who said it.