Month: October 2020

Geraldine Ferraro

Bill Thompson

Tonight, October 7th, Senator Kamala Harris will meet Vice President Mike Pence in their one and only debate of the 2020 election campaign.

Photo: Univ of Texas-Arlington News Service Photograph Collection

Harris is the first woman of color on a major party presidential ticket, and she is only the third woman ever nominated by a major party for vice president.

The first, in 1984, was Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro, who was chosen by Democrat Walter Mondale to be his running mate.

Her one and only debate performance was against then-incumbent Vice President George H.W. Bush.

I met Gerladine Ferraro in 1998. The book she had just written was about the strong women who shaped her life, not least of whom was her own mother.

Sp here now, from 1998, Geraldine Ferraro:

Geraldinme Ferraro died in 2011 at the age of 75.

Johnnie Cochran

Bill Thompson

You may know defense attorney Johnnie Cochran best for his participation in OJ Simpson’s dream team in his 1990s trial.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

But Johnny Cochran had a long legal career, and the Simpson case was just one of hundreds that he participated in.

I met him in 2002, when he wrote A Memoir, of his long, storied legal career.

And believe it or not, he said in that book that the Simpson case was far from his most challenging.

So here now, from 2002, Johnny Cochran.Improvement

Johnnie Cochran died less than three years after our iterview, in 2005, at age 68.

Bob Keeshan

Bill Thompson
Photo: CBS Television

Sixty-five years ago this week, a new children’s television show was launched on the CBS networok. Its creator was a man who had actually been part of the supporting cast of The Howdy Doody Show. His name was Bob keeshan. But the world knew him for decades to come as Captain Kangaroo.

I actually interviewed Bob keeshan twice. This interview was the second time, in early 1995. He had written a book for a book filled with ideas for activities they can do with their kids.

That as you’re about to hear, the captain had plenty of practical advice for happy parenting and happy kids.

So here now, from 1995, Bob keeshan.

Captain Kangaroo was seen every weekday morning on CBS for 29 years, then on PBS for five more years.

Bob Keeshan died