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From: amg@pyuxn.UUCP (Alan M. Gross)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.women
Subject: Re: Female Veep
Message-ID: <832@pyuxn.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Jul-84 21:22:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxn.832
Posted: Sat Jul  7 21:22:56 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Jul-84 01:35:45 EDT
References: <2985@tektronix.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
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<><>

The traditional reasons for choosing a VP are to add balance and votes
for the ticket.  NOW believes a woman on the ticket can do this,
reasoning as follows.

The NOW organization has four major issues:  the ERA, reproductive
freedom, eliminating racism, and lesbian and gay rights.  Walter
Mondale supports all four of these issues and they are(!) currently
written into the proposed Democratic platform.  Ronald Reagan has
actively worked against all four of these issues.  Therefore NOW wants
Reagan out and Mondale in.  NOW wants the Democratic ticket to be as
strong as possible to win.

Furthermore, in 1980, 6 million more women than men voted and it is
predicted that 8 million more women will vote this year.  NOW wants to
mobilize this vote because of the "gender gap"--more women than men
support Mondale's (and NOW's) side of the issues.  But many people see
little difference between Mondale and Reagan.  "What difference does it
make who wins?" can often be heard.  NOW feels (and polls show) that a
woman on the ticket could add between 9 and 13 percent to Mondale's
margin of victory in November.

So, as NOW President Judy Goldsmith said, "It's not that we won't play if
Mondale doesn't choose a woman, it's that we won't win."

I can also add as a voting delegate to the National NOW Conference in
Miami last weekend, that I saw about 15 Congresswomen, state
legislators, and women running for those positions address our
gathering, followed by Walter Mondale.  Each of those women was more
dynamic than Mondale!  Several of them are being considered for the VP
position on the ticket and could not help but add to its viability.
-- 

		Alan M. Gross
		{ariel,burl,clyde,floyd,
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