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The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, July 19,1984 - Page 9
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Did Walter Mondale cave In to pressure from th(e organized women's movement by selecting Geraldhie Ferraro as his roEning mate in the U.S. elections or is he sincerely committed to the caase of feminism? The issue has been a lively one hi the U.S.^uring the past couple of weeks and hi these articles, written BEFORE MONDALE MADE HIS CHOICE, columnists Richard Cohen and Ellen Goodman [both syndicated by the Washbigton Post Writers Group] voice their ophiibns on the subject.
ELLEN GOODMAN
If you'd never seen a snowball in July, consider the case of Gerladine Ferraro. On a recent Tuesday, the representative from Queens nearly rolled into her Minnesota interview with Walter F. Mondale, backed by Tip O'Neill, endorsed, by three congress-women and carrying favorite daughter wishes from the weekend convention of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
At times it wasn't clear whether Ferraro was in control of this growing snowball, or running to catch up with it. But even the normally cautious Ann Lewis, political director of the Democratic Nationar Gpm-mittee, enthused: "She is our Sally Ride.' She's carrying into that meeting the hopes of so many women."
Well, the day-after analysis of the chemistry between Mondale and Ferraro ranged from "Okay" to "pretty good." The meeting between past and hopeful vice-presidents was given a 7 on a scale of I to 10.
Whatever their personal relationship, it appeared that the very "pressure" for a . woman vice-president had begun to melt the snowball a bit around the edges.
The c»mpaigh for a womim vice-president seems to have run into a classic bind thiett often ensnaris women pnrsuliig power. If women sit around waiting for their sex to be promoted, anointed, or called, tihey often lose because they're ig;nored/liF they make noise, oirganlze and confront^ they often lose because they're considered too pushy.
It's tricky enough to regulate the pressure valves that can make these changes in the business world, or in mainstream politics. But it takes a particularly delicate touch to iflfluence a math who is essentially making ~ his choice for the post of junior partner. \
The president of NOW, Judy Goldsmith, is one who fell into both the passive and aggressive traps this political season. In two easy lessons of whatjjibt to do, NOW went from taking a trust walk with Mondale to calling for a confrontation.
In the fall, NOW prematurely endorsed Mondale. The largest feminist organization in the country began sounding like the National Organization for Mondale Women. Then at the annual convention, Goldsmith warned of "thunderstorms" and convention walkouts if Mondaile didn't choose "a woman." ■
risk
Until very recently, the Idea of nominating a woman to be vice-president was part of a risk strategy. Mondale is way down in the polls. A few precincts here and there aren't going to make the difference. If he wants to show some gutter, some hnagination, some "newness," the argument ran, he should go for a woman.
Now it is being said that choosing a woman would look like he is trying to avoid risk, the risk of a walkout or a floor fight. Instead of Standfaig up for women, could Mondale be accused of caving in to women?
The charge is, on the face of it, aibsurd. ' 'People are reacting," says Ann Lewis, * - is if it were a keenly orchestrated campaign to put a woman in. 'It's not as if half-a-dozen strategists got in a back room and said, 'It's time to increiase the pressure.' The issue achieved momentum from the grassroots. It's a genuine grassroots movement."
But deep in the public subconscious and.
This Is another feature hi our monthly series on Jewish sports heroes firom yesteryear, supplied by MaccabL Canada^s national
archivesv^-^-,----■ '; ;
Boxer MoieHerscovitch (18974968) was ■considered "male dthlete of. the half-century" second only to the immortal Lionel Conacher.
Herscovitch was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in recoghition of his athletic accomplishments and his exemplary sportsmanship.
He won a bronze medal in boxing at the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920 and
reigned as Canadian champion for several years thereafter.
He served overseas in World War I, becoming champion of the Expeditioiiary Armed Forces in France.
His bid for the world welterweight title was robbed from him by the famed Mickey Walker in a match in Toronto.
Herscovitch was also a football player, starrmg with the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Canadian championship team in 1920 as its high scorer. He 'jvas also named Canadian all-star. Later, he was presideiit of the Quebec Football Union for five years and, from 1926, was phys ed direbtor of the Montreal YM-YWHA.
Boxer Moe Herscovlteh of MontreiRl with medals he won.
Walter Mondale with his running mate Newsmagazinel
for all we know, in Mondale's subconscious, lurks the fear of pUshy brOads and wimpy meii. Even Mondale's adviser Anne Wexler, who has been excited about the possibility of Ferraro, drove to work one day last week wondering,"Have we pushed too hard? Have we blown it?"
Wexler is well aware of the double bind of Nyomen and power: "It's a position we've: always been in. It's like walking through a mine field. Part-of the political game is uriderstanding how to play it."
Women, and certainly Geraldine Ferraro, began this election year as the VP longshot because there was no pressure, no constituency, no lobbying. It would be ironic if they fall back to a long shot beciause the pressure i the constituency, . the lobbying became so intense. V .
Long experience in double binds suggests that they are used by people looking for any tool to obstruct change. Nobody is worried about the Hart lobby. The people who seem most concerned about the negative effect of pressure are those who, deep down, don't believe that Mondale will choose Ferraro, or any other woman. ^
My guess is that Mondale will simply choose someone with whom he is personally comfortable. Vice-president was Us and he thinks he was pretty good at it. He'll look for a vice-president who will be to him as he was to Jimmy Carter. But then, July was never a very good season for snowballs.
By ■:■■^^.■■,^■■.^■.■. RICHARDCOHEN
Walter F. Mondale, former vice-president, former senator, distinguished politician, is fast becoming a cartoon character — a stock American wimp. Think of Dagwood. Think of Ricky Rjcardo, the husband of the zany Lucy. Walter Mondale is being henpecked by the organized women's movement.
Hold your letters. Put down that phone. I realizethatlhave used a sexist analogy, but I have done so to make a point. At the convention of the National Organization-for Women in Miami, Mondale was told not that he ought to pick a woman, not even that he ought to consider a certain woman, but that he must — upon pain of women virtually bolting the convention — pick a woman, any woman. To this Mondale replies with the weak smile of a Dagwood.
At Miami, all pretense was dropped. The NOW conventioneers, out to gut Ronald Reagan, did not^hold placards boostfaig the candidacy of an faidivldual woman [although there were some] but of any woman. Sex, not qualifications, was tiie Issue, and an appropriate resolution was accordfaigly passed. It demanded a woman, "a woman who is strong.on women's Issues," although it grudghigly said it would accept a male feminist — a vhtual contradiction hi terms to NOW. ■
The politics of this is questionable. Women's groups maintain that some 30 million unregistered women would not only register but would vote for the Democratic ticket if it boasted a female runnmg mate. Maybe. But there are others equally certain that to a degree the U.S. remains asexist
Geraldine Ferraro. [Photo firom Maclean's
country and that many male (and some female) voters will not countenance a woman oivthe ticket. We may be about to see who is right. .
Even in politics, votes are not everything. Sometimes it is just plain refreshing to do what's right. And there would be something ' * right'' about having a woman on the ticket. In the first place, it would be about time and in the Second place it would say something to lots of women who need a role model.
But it would be just as "right" to have a Black on the ticket — maybe more so — because when it comes to role models. Blacks need one more urgently than do women. The' same could be said for Hispanics, and, of course. Native Americans. ^ In fact, there is virtually no end to the number of groups who have been excluded from either the presidency or the vice-presidency — no end to the sort of demands that could be made of Mondale or the Democratic Party.
Worthy cause
or
interest
If at the convention women walk out or nominate their own candidate, why shouldn't Blacks do the same thing? How about Hispanics or Native Americans or homosexuals? Maybe there ought to be a rotating vice-presidency — a year or so for every ethnic, racial or sexual group.
The problem for Mondale Is that the organized women's movement has trans-: fered a worthy cause into Just another special interest. Now the man who could not say "no" to organized labor, who In Iowa could not bring himself to mention the times he and the AFL-CIO have differed, who aDjDwed himself to be portrayed as the pal of the labor bosses and not the spokesman for the working man. Is In danger of making the same mistake when It comes to women. The ultimate goal can not only be putting awoman on the ticket, but also the fanproyementof the lot of all American womeh.
The problem is not ;that the organized women's movement does not want that, too. It does, and anyone who knows its leadership, who has heard them talk about the feminization of poverty, restrictive laws and the just plain awful discrimination that is the plight of many women, knows that to be the case. , ■ .'
But the problem is also that the actions of the NOW convention have hurt the cause of putting a woman on the ticket. It will seem to many Americans that the choice of a woman, should it come, will result not from Mondale's sincere commitment to feminism, one that he has articulated time and time again, or even the stellar qujalifications of a particular woman, but to the hectoring and==^ yes — threats of the organized women's movement.
At that point, Mondale might as well sit out the campaign in an easy chair, munching a Dagwood sandwich. Even in the comic ships, you can't win by losing.