Two Woman, Two Vice Presidential Contenders, Two Speeches

Posted by Roger Saunders Sep 4, 2008

After listening to Sarah Pulin's historic speech to the 2008 Republican Convention in Minneapolis, I reminisced about 24 years ago when Geraldine Ferraro did the same at the Dem's Convention in San Francisco.

I though it would be fun to go back and read Ferraro's and Palin's speeches and compare the two. Even as a big Ronald Reagan supporter in 1984, I couldn't help but be excited about the very first woman to be nominated for a major party in the US. No one who loves America and what it stands for and the values it has been built upon could help being excited by the fact that 64 years AFTER the 19th amendment was ratified a woman was finally going to be on the ticket. In fact as a Reagan guy, frankly, I remember being a little worried.

In 2008, the presidential election has already proved to be historic as a black man, a woman, and a geriatric all had a very good chance of becoming our nation’s next president. When Barak Obama secured the nomination and did not choose Hillary Clinton to run on his ticket many women (and men) sighed as they felt the dream of a woman executive slipping away.

Then, in a surprise, the republican candidate, John McCain chose the little known Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin to run with him! Hope soared gain and it was cemented for many as she gave a rousingly partisan speech that appealed to the base of the party but was electrifying in its effect on the nation!

So, with the help of the internet I was able to read the two speeches again and observed this striking comparison.

Both mentioned the novelty of being a woman candidate.

Ferraro, in her first sentenc said that,

"America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us."

Palin waited until about a third of the way through her speech to say,

"This is America, and every woman can walk through every door of opportunity."

I believe that this one small difference reflects well on America. In the intervening 24 years between Ferraro and Palin, America’s expectations and value of equality has grown. They have matured to the point where an oblique, though excited reference to being a pioneering woman in politics can be replaced with a clearly defined (and just as excited) reference. The great thing is that it was not so inconceivably a reality any longer that it couldn’t wait until many more important topics were introduced!