While people will often say that it was the fact that she was the first woman nominated to the position of VP, there is more to it than that. She was the woman that made people realize that we were finally coming to a time in which glass ceilings were being broken. People began to realize that the times in wihch only white males could make it to the top were over.

In the few years following her nomination, the number of female CEOs began to go up. Granted, the numbers are still lower today than those of men, but they continue to grow. The number of women in high-level politics also skyrocketed. She was the one that made women shed the doubt in themselves that they might be wasting their time trying to head up the ladder in business or in politics.

She also paved the way for minorities to start working up the ladder. I remember years ago during that election when some of the news commentators began asking, "Now that we have a woman at this position, how long will it be until we have the opportunity to elect a minority to the high office?" Granted, it took a few decades, but it happened. As one group works up the ladder, other groups are soon to follow.

She spent as much time talking about the opprotunities for women during the election that she did talking about the plans that brought her and Mondale together. The problem was that the media focused on this and ended up making her into more of a momentary novelty than a legitimate candidate.

After the election, she continued to fight for the rights of those that were told that they would never make it up the ladder. By pointing out that she could make it up, she was able to invigorate a few generations of women that are closer to equality with men than they have ever been. Though, there is still a long way to go.

She was the first woman to be nominated to vice president by either party, long before Sarah Palin, before Hillary, there was Geraldine. She was a pioneer who blazed a trail for women into politics.