Geraldine Ferraro, calling Barack Obama "sexist," may not back him

Might fully one-third of the six surviving Democratic vice presidential nominees end up opposing their party's national ticket this November?

That possibility arose today based on comments Geraldine Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic veep candidate, made to The New York Times.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, who occupied the No. 2 slot for the Democrats in 2000, months ago declared for presumptive Republican White House nominee John McCain.

And Ferraro, a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter who sparked a brouhaha earlier this year over whether she made a racially dismissive remark about Barack Obama, apparently is no longer a reliable Democratic vote.

Ferraro, in the NYT story, terms Obama "terribly sexist." And, as a result, she says she may not be able to cast her ballot for him if, as anticipated, he gains the Democratic presidential nod.

On the positive side for Democrats, no signs of apostasy are emanating from the four other one-time party veep candidates still alive -- John Edwards (the '04 nominee who officially signed on with Obama last week), Al Gore (the nominee in 1992 and '96), Walter Mondale (the 1976 and 1980 nominee) and Sargent Shriver (George McGovern's running mate in 1972 -- they may have gotten trounced by the GOP's Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew pairing, but their longevity is impressive).

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Joel C]

I'd like to see the evidence that Obama is "terribly sexist", as Ferraro puts it. Is he sexist because he's winning and he's a man?

Maybe she was saying that Obama is "terribly sexy"!

[Este]

Ferraro is an Archie Bunker racist. Who cares who she votes for. If I were running for office, I wouldn't want her vote.

I am a white woman who is proudly supporting Obama because he is an extraordinary talent and it's time for a change.

[Character Counts]

Poor Geraldine, is she at it again? It must be difficult when you look in the mirror one morning and suddenly realize that you have become irrelevant.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Geraldine, Just because you are a racist and a sexist does not mean that the people you hate because of their race and sex are racists or sexist. Not everybody is as brain impaired as you. Let's see if Hillary rejects or denounces Ms. Ferraro.

[So What]

ATTN: LOS ANGELES TIMES

Why keep printing this RACIST stuff from these OLDER racist people like Geraldine Ferraro thereby keeping this country divided. These young people are ready for CHANGE. We need a President smart and wise enough to take this country into the 21st century and save us from disaster, or all these racist viewpoints want matter any longer anyway.

Please, Please stop giving these older racist people a platform! These OLD people don't even understand the technology shift in this world, and we're going to be left behind if they stay in charge.

[Julia]

Good idea to write in Hillary's name in Nov. I won't vote for pretty boy Obama, and I hope he looses to McCain even if I won't vote for him.

[Javalation]

Has Ferraro lost her mind? Is she oblivious to the fact that McCain once called his wife the C word in public? Surely she'd rather be called sweetie than that.

[Miss America]

jeffs, just because you voted for Clinton because of her gender does not mean that everyone did or that those who voted for Obama did so because of his race. If you check out his website, you can find thousands of reasons to support Barack Obama and thousands of people who support him for different reasons.

Just because the worst is true for you and Ms. Ferraro doesn't mean you should think the worst of us.

[Kurt Busiek]

>> Thank you Geraldine! I totally agree. If Hillary is not on the ticket, I will write her in. Obama will never get my vote!>>

And by doing so, you and Ferraro would be helping out a man who opposes a woman's right to choose, and who responded to the question, "How do we beat the bitch?" with laughter and the line, "That's an excellent question."

But I guess that's not terribly sexist by Ferraro standards.

[linda in cincinnati]

Are we evolving or becoming frustrated because we want to belong by suppressing our natural inclinations?

[Larry Oregon]

Whats next? Hillary didn't win because the world is round?

[geo]

This is disappointing. Ferraro stood for something very good until this campaign. There is absolutely no evidence that Obama is sexist, in any form or fashion.

Obama never claimed that Ferraro was racist either. He simply disagreed with her absurd characterization that he was only where he was because he was black. He was absolutely right to debunk that notion. Hillary also publicly debunked that notion as well.

It is sad to see Ferraro stain her goodwill in such a peculiar way.

[J.LAMP]

GERALDINE YOU ARE DROWNING AND GRABIING AT FLOATING LEAFS.SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE WHEN A BLACK PERSON BEATS YOU AT YOUR OWN GAME YOU WILL TRY ANY THING TO BRING HIM DOWN.FIRST YOU SAY HES WINNING BECAUSE HE IS BLACK,IM BLACK MAYBE I BETTER,RUN FOR PRESIDENT IF THATS ALL IT TAKES,NOW HES A SEXIST WITH A WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS,GIME ME A BREAK GERRY!

[Javalation]

Lauren, do you really feel that McCain represents your views better than Obama? You do know that McCain has promised to appoint ultraconservative Justices don't you? A couple of old liberals being replaced with ultraconservatives could keep the courts leaning far right for decades, if not the rest of your life.

[Charlie S]

GF was WRONG about why Obama was successful. It had nothing to do with his race or Hillary's gender (when this began and Clinton was the runaway favorite to be the nominee, everyone knew she was a woman and he was African American). He was successful because he was better organized in Iowa and had a better post-Super Tuesday strategy. He also had a better fundraising strategy, a simpler/clearer message and a more consistent tone.

Ferraro can reduce his success to whatever she sees on the surface, and that's fine. But all of these dinosaurs will be extinct if they don't learn and adapt.

[Minnesota Leftie]

Remember the words of Yoda the Wise:

"Worry not, Barack. Crazy she is."

[Leslie Nelson]

I am so glad to read this. Go Geraldine. The vile remarks written here about "hot flashes" or "menopause" drive home the point better than anything I can type here. Sexism is alive and well in America, and Ms. Clinton--of whom I am not a fan--was the victim of it from the media, pundits and, most of all, her opponent. I hope women wake up from the glittery gauze at which some of them are gazing at Obama through. It's a false, tinsel shine that gets duller every day.

[Anna]

Geraldine Ferraro I understand your feeling. Have you ever before seem a presidential candidate know and have so many criminal friends, and attend a church 20 years with a racist pastor who hate america? Obama is a danger to thsi country. Terriorist around world want him in office because they see how weak he is and they know they can easily lead him their way. Wake up republicans, do something to help stop this.

[James Tabeling]

He plays the racist card anytime he wants sympathy and his wife doesn't even respect America. Is this the type of (Americans) we want representing us to the world.

[Shade]

I can't believe this woman still have stuff to say. She was the one to start all of this racism business and feels she has a right to say anything? As far as I am concerned, she cost Hillary the race.

[Independent]

Geraldine is the only one around with enough gumption to describe things as they really are. When Obama calls a reporter "sweetie" and refuses to answer her question, what does that say about his true character?

[Jaxie]

Not surprising. What should we expect from a country club Democrat?

It takes depth of character to hold a principled stand. Anyone who would vote for the guy who wants to install judges to overturn Roe v. Wade (or abet it by abstaining) was never pro-choice. Geraldine never was a feminist, just a bossy busybody who treats party affiliation like a bridge club.

[Abigail Mamas]

Mrs. Ferraro, You are 100% correct. He knew exactly what you were saying,when you said it because he knows he is where he is because he calls himself black. Susan Rice led the attack on you. She was the instigator of most of the racist Sharpton digs. We all know it. And yes, you were put on the ticket because you were a women. Since 1492, no women at the top spot, still.
Now the Republicans are not expected to lift up any of us minions, but now we see the Democrats allowing Republicans to disrepect and degrade Hillary because she is a women.We need to remind DNC that this is unacceptable, they do not even notice.
. Hey GF, wanna be VP to Hillary? Alright, we will just go to Tennessee and get Mr. Ford. He could work rings around Obama and it would be difficult for the GOP to critisize because of his record. I bet he and his wife are not listeningto hate sermons every Sunday for 40 years.

[Katie]

Barack Obama is clearly sexist because if he did love women he would have affairs with lots of them, impregnating them and therefore spreading his blessed, beautiful children all over America. How could you deny us the benefit of bearing your gorgeous spawn, Senator?

Also, he wants equal pay for equal work no matter what your gender or race which is CLEARLY sexist against affluent white males who deserve more for their work based on their historical contributions to society like Lawrence Welk and Larry Bird.

Duh.

[Josh]

agree with many of the posters that Geraldine Ferraro is too old and out of touch to be in a position of any importance anymore. Once she realized people get mad when she makes racist comments, she spent her time trying to come up with a good plaly to villify Obama, and now she has. He's sexist because he used the word Sweetie. What other evidence can anyone even site for calling him a sexist? He seems to love his wife quite a bit, and she is not a cowardly, submissive, stay at home mom who doesn't stand up for herself and express her views. On the contrary she is independent, strongly opinonated and she has lots of conviction. What the heck is going on here? I wish she would stop getting press.....