Midge Costanza
Encyclopedia
Margaret Costanza widely known as "Midge", was an American
Presidential
advisor, social and political activist. A life-long champion of gay and women's rights
, she was known for her wit, outspoken manner and commitment to her convictions.
. Her parents were Sicilian
immigrant sausage
-makers. Following various clerical jobs she took after high school
, Costanza became an administrative assistant for a real estate developer in Rochester, using this job to become active in several community organizations.
's campaign for governor in 1954 and soon became the Monroe County, New York
executive director of Robert F. Kennedy
's Senate
campaign in 1964. She served as a Democratic National Committee
member from 1972 until 1977.
In 1973 she ran for an at-large seat on the Rochester city council, becoming Rochester's first councilwoman
in a landslide
. The recipient of the largest votes traditionally was named mayor, however the council chose a man for the post, naming Costanza vice-mayor, a largely ceremonial position with little power.
ran for President of the United States
, Costanza served as co-chair of his New York campaign operation and gave a seconding speech for him at the Democratic National Convention (Carter had been a volunteer in Costanza's congressional campaign two years prior).
, moving into the office next door to the Oval Office
. Costanza was nicknamed "the President's window to the nation", consulting with a wide array of groups. Costanza caused controversy when she invited fourteen National Gay Task Force
leaders and gay rights activists to the White House
at the height of Anita Bryant
's homophobic
"Save Our Children" campaign.
Costanza went on to arrange discussions between the NGTF co-directors and senior officials of the administration. Public disagreements with some of the president's policies, caused controversy and saw Costanza's role in the White House diminished. As her successor Anne Wexler
described it: "OPL under Costanza had functioned as an office providing responsiveness to interest groups, a form of White House case work, but had not taken enough initiative to enlist group support by building coalitions that would move the president’s program on Capitol Hill." Affirming her support for Carter, she resigned from his administration effective September 1, 1978.
Costanza had been popular with women's groups, and had earned herself a Newsweek
cover titled "Woman in the White House". Following her resignation many feminists were angered with Carter, feeling he had "fired" Costanza, on whom much pressure was put to quit.
's "Higher Self" seminars after moving to Los Angeles
and later became vice-president at Alan Landsburg Productions
, where she made commercial films and advertisements. She served on many service group boards of directors, including the AIDS
research organization Search Alliance and the National Gay Rights Advocates.
Moving to San Diego County, California
in 1990, Costanza coached candidates for office in public speaking, serving as the coordinator for Barbara Boxer
's winning United States Senate
in the Year of the Woman
, 1992, and as manager for Kathleen Brown
's failed gubernatorial candidacy in 1994. Governor of California
Gray Davis
appointed Costanza as a liaison for women's groups and issues. Costanza lost that job when Gray Davis lost a recall
reelection in November 2003.
Costanza became a professor at San Diego State University
in 2004 and was working with the Political Science
and Women's Studies
departments of San Diego State and the Political Science department of the University of California, San Diego
to develop the Midge Costanza Institute. The Institute is mainly aimed at inspiring young people to become active in political and social causes.
at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California
on March 23, 2010 at the age of 77. She is survived by her brother Anthony.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
Presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
advisor, social and political activist. A life-long champion of gay and women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, she was known for her wit, outspoken manner and commitment to her convictions.
Early life and family
Costanza was born to Philip Costanza and Concetta Granata Costanza on November 28, 1932 in LeRoy, New York and was raised in RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Her parents were Sicilian
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
immigrant sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
-makers. Following various clerical jobs she took after high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Costanza became an administrative assistant for a real estate developer in Rochester, using this job to become active in several community organizations.
Activist, councilwoman, and vice-mayor of Rochester
Taking an interest in politics, Costanza volunteered on W. Averell HarrimanW. Averell Harriman
William Averell Harriman was an American Democratic Party politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was the son of railroad baron E. H. Harriman. He served as Secretary of Commerce under President Harry S. Truman and later as the 48th Governor of New York...
's campaign for governor in 1954 and soon became the Monroe County, New York
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
executive director of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
's Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
campaign in 1964. She served as a Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
member from 1972 until 1977.
In 1973 she ran for an at-large seat on the Rochester city council, becoming Rochester's first councilwoman
Women in politics
Women in government in the modern era are under-represented in most countries worldwide, in contrast to men. However, women are increasingly being politically elected to be heads of state and government...
in a landslide
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
. The recipient of the largest votes traditionally was named mayor, however the council chose a man for the post, naming Costanza vice-mayor, a largely ceremonial position with little power.
Congressional aspirations
Costanza lost a race for the United State House of Representatives in 1974 to the popular Republican incumbent. In 1976 when Georgia Governor Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
ran for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Costanza served as co-chair of his New York campaign operation and gave a seconding speech for him at the Democratic National Convention (Carter had been a volunteer in Costanza's congressional campaign two years prior).
Woman in the White House
Upon Carter's election Costanza was named Assistant to the President for Public LiaisonWhite House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
The Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States...
, moving into the office next door to the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
. Costanza was nicknamed "the President's window to the nation", consulting with a wide array of groups. Costanza caused controversy when she invited fourteen National Gay Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country’s premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting...
leaders and gay rights activists to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
at the height of Anita Bryant
Anita Bryant
Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...
's homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
"Save Our Children" campaign.
Costanza went on to arrange discussions between the NGTF co-directors and senior officials of the administration. Public disagreements with some of the president's policies, caused controversy and saw Costanza's role in the White House diminished. As her successor Anne Wexler
Anne Wexler
Anne L. Wexler was an American influential Democratic political consultant, public policy advisor and later, the first woman to head a leading lobbying firm in Washington.-Early life and education:...
described it: "OPL under Costanza had functioned as an office providing responsiveness to interest groups, a form of White House case work, but had not taken enough initiative to enlist group support by building coalitions that would move the president’s program on Capitol Hill." Affirming her support for Carter, she resigned from his administration effective September 1, 1978.
Costanza had been popular with women's groups, and had earned herself a Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
cover titled "Woman in the White House". Following her resignation many feminists were angered with Carter, feeling he had "fired" Costanza, on whom much pressure was put to quit.
Career and activism after the White House
Costanza became executive director of her friend Shirley MacLaineShirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
's "Higher Self" seminars after moving to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and later became vice-president at Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions was an independent TV production company founded by Alan Landsburg in 1971. The company had huge successes with In Search of... and That's Incredible!, which were two early examples of reality television long before the name even existed...
, where she made commercial films and advertisements. She served on many service group boards of directors, including the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
research organization Search Alliance and the National Gay Rights Advocates.
Moving to San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
in 1990, Costanza coached candidates for office in public speaking, serving as the coordinator for Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
's winning United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the Year of the Woman
Year of the Woman
The Year of the Woman was a popular label attached to 1992 after the election of a number of female Senators in the United States.The hotly contested Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas involving the allegations of Anita Hill raised the question of the dominance...
, 1992, and as manager for Kathleen Brown
Kathleen Brown
Kathleen Lynn Brown is a Democratic politician from California. She is the youngest of four children of former Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown and is the sister of current California Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
's failed gubernatorial candidacy in 1994. Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
appointed Costanza as a liaison for women's groups and issues. Costanza lost that job when Gray Davis lost a recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
reelection in November 2003.
Costanza became a professor at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
in 2004 and was working with the Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Women's Studies
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
departments of San Diego State and the Political Science department of the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
to develop the Midge Costanza Institute. The Institute is mainly aimed at inspiring young people to become active in political and social causes.
Death
Costanza died after a long battle with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on March 23, 2010 at the age of 77. She is survived by her brother Anthony.