Renee Diamond - Excerpt 3 Transcript
(Las Vegas, Nevada; August 30, 2001)

VC: All right. Concerning Jean Ford, would you consider her in any way a mentor or an inspiration? Did you learn from her, did you help her in her path, is there any - How - how can you explain, maybe, your relationship in those terms?

RD: Well, I don't know if I ever helped her in her path, because I was one of the women who probably sit and - sat and helped her to become a Democrat and leave the Republican Party, the reasoning being she was treated, you know, without - with no respect by the Republicans at that time because her ideas were so middle-of-the-road and - and this was a very conservative Republican state at that time. I felt Jean didn't belong necessarily in the Republican Party. We also tried to talk Sue Wagner out of - to change, too, but it didn't - wasn't as successful. I always - Jean was a mentor to me in a lot of respects. (RDiamond3) She just took things so calmly and so thoughtfully, that I always thought that that was an outstanding attribute and that you didn't always have to do what I tend to do, which is just be very verbal immediately on your first impression, that you could - Jean - Jean would think things over and then she could create a position on it, and then the really amazing and wonderful thing was how steadfast she would be. It didn't matter who was attacking her, it didn't how unpopular that might be, she just soldiered on, and her ideas were very clearly thought out. Jean - In that respect and in others, Jean was always interested in having a conference or a meeting to mentor other women toward politics and toward activism. But mostly I think I remember so much her thoughtfulness and her real calm, reasoned movement toward any particular position.(Rdiamond3)