Modern Vermont Governors MADELINE KUNIN
Wholly Subjective Ratings & Evaluations & Brief Comments on Their Respective Contributions According to
MICHAEL J. BADAMO
madeline kunin gets historical credit for her gender. For some people, I suppose, that's enough. She was neither lawyer, businessperson, administrator, or even housewife. But it was cool to elect our first female chief executive.
I remember interviewing Madeline Kunin in 1977 or so, when she was Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, for an article I was writing for the Burlington Free Press on the effects of road salt on highways and bridges. "Mrs. Kunin," I asked, "are you aware that Vermont has three or four hundred million dollars worth of deferred bridge maintenance to take care of?" She said, "Oh, really? Well, I suppose if one falls down we'll just have to put it back up." She didn't like the story I wrote which included that quotation and Vermont still has several hundred millions worth of falling down bridges out there.
Since then, Kunin has gotten a lot more cagey answering reporters' questions but my opinion of her smarts hasn't changed. |
