 President Obama said upon her death that " Geraldine will forever be remembered as a trailblazer who broke down barriers for women , and Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life , " and said that his own two daughters would grow up in a more equal country because of what Ferraro had done . Mondale called her " a remarkable woman and a dear human being ... She was a pioneer in our country for justice for women and a more open society . She broke a lot of molds and it 's a better country for what she did . " George H. W. Bush said , " Though we were one @-@ time political opponents , I am happy to say Gerry and I became friends in time – a friendship marked by respect and affection . I admired Gerry in many ways , not the least of which was the dignified and principled manner she blazed new trails for women in politics . " Palin paid tribute to her on Facebook , expressing gratitude for having been able to work with her the year before and saying , " She broke one huge barrier and then went on to break many more . May her example of hard work and dedication to America continue to inspire all women . " Bill and Hillary Clinton said in a statement that , " Gerry Ferraro was one of a kind – tough , brilliant , and never afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what she believed in – a New York icon and a true American original . " 
