The death of New York native, Queens Congresswoman and groundbreaking 1984 vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro prompted local lawmakers to offer their thoughts about her. The Observer has a roundup of statements from figures like Governor Cuomo, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, and Senator Schumer; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, "She was more than a pioneer who inspired me, and generations of women, she was also a great friend and mentor," and Rep. Carolyn Maloney said:
"And as an eager young delegate to the 1984 Democratic National Convention, I can tell you first hand that Geraldine Ferraro thrilled us when took the stage as the first woman ever nominated by a major political power to be its candidate for Vice President of the United States. It was absolutely electrifying. She changed my life and she changed the course of history.
"I shall miss her dearly, and intend to honor her passing by redoubling my efforts to complete her unfinished work to pass the ERA. It is time to enshrine in our Constitution, the high principle of gender equality that Geraldine Ferraro so courageously stood for in life."
President Obama said, "Geraldine will forever be remembered as a trailblazer who broke down barriers for women and Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life," and he referred to his daughters, "Sasha and Malia will grow up in a more equal America because of the life Geraldine Ferraro chose to live."
The Daily News has a nice look at the firsts she made, noting, "As unflinching as she was as a crimefighting assistant district attorney, as indomitable as she was while representing New York in Congress, Ferraro was also -- unapologetically -- a dedicated mother of two daughters and a son."
The NY Times' obituary has a thorough look at her upbringing and ascent (with interesting tidbits like, "During the vice-presidential campaign, she learned by reading The New York Post that her father had been arrested on charges of running a numbers racket but had died of a heart attack the morning he was to appear in court") and how her husband, John Zaccaro, and his business dealings hurt the 1984 campaign, though President Ronald Reagan's popularity probably was too much to overcome. Ferraro herself wrote, "Throwing Ronald Reagan out of office at the height of his popularity, with inflation and interest rates down, the economy moving and the country at peace, would have required God on the ticket. and She was not available!"
The NY Post notes, "Ferraro would tell interviewers years later that she would have not accepted the nomination if she had known it would focus criticism on her family, but she still celebrated her political ascent. 'I went from being a kid who lost her father and who lived in the South Bronx to almost going in to live in the White House... That just tells you what this country is all about.'"
