E-MAIL from The White House Project
October 2, 2008 6:02 p.m.

Showdown in St. Louis: Gender vs. Agenda

Tonight, eyes will be glued to TV sets across the nation for the political showdown between Senator Biden and Governor Palin. Though historic in its own right, the debate will not be a political first: in 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman candidate to hold her own in a vice presidential debate against then-VP George Bush. In a very personal blog on the Huffington Post, White House Project President Marie Wilson recounts her experience, as a first-term Councilmember-at-Large in Des Moines, watching the Ferraro-Bush debate.

24 years later, as we observe another woman vying for the vice presidency, we would like to hear what you think. After tonight's debate, we encourage you to visit our Change Everything Blog and share your thoughts with us.

As Marie writes, "I do know that gender issues are alive and well, and that it is up to the press and to us -- as voters and media consumers -- to give thoughtful and diligent attention to the ways in which gender is influencing our discussions and opinions. When we tune into the debate…let's pay attention to the agendas at play, not the genders which deliver them."