From MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press
... first woman elected ... without a family political connection...the Republican positioned herself as a media-savvy champion of children and working mothers and an enemy of drug dealers. She lost her bid for a second term ...entered public office at a time when doors that previously had been closed to women were being opened. She never considered herself a feminist, but she championed equal opportunities for women."I think it showed other women that you could do this," ...backed legislation that helped homemakers enter the job market after divorce or widowhood. She supported equalizing pension benefits for women by taking into account their years spent at home raising children. She fo
ught to get day care for the children ...and pushed for tax breaks on child care expenses...But there were slights. At one of her first news conferences ...a television reporter asked who was going to do her laundry if she was busy working ..."I kept saying (to myself), I can't believe that anybody is asking me this, especially a grown man from a national network,"...opposed the Equal Rights Amendment and abortion-on-demand. She refused to join the Congressional Woman's Caucus because she thought childcare, pension equity and other matters were "family issues" and not just of concern to women..."I did not like the Equal Rights Amendment," she said. "I predicted that it would bring about the downfall of the father's responsibility to support the family."...US Sen. Paula Hawkins of Florida dies at 82 Dec 4th. A wonderful Republican public servant. A trail blazer of the 1980's. Thought I was talking about Sarah. Fooled you. But I think Sarah is cut from the same cloth.
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