San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, picked by Walter Mondale to be interviewed about becoming his running mate, said Sunday an 'enormous shift' in attitudes has made the idea of a woman vice president acceptable to Americans.
'I'm still not seeking the position of vice president,' said the mayor, who will be interviewed this week at Mondale's home in North Oaks, Minn., as he formally opens talks with potential Democratic vice presidential candidates.
'It's one of the things I'm thinking about very deeply right now,' she said in response to a question on the NBC program 'Meet the Press.'
Mondale, meanwhile, met Sunday at his Minnesota home with Kentucky Gov. Martha Layne Collins, chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention, and discussed the party's July conclave in San Francisco.
Mondale said the talk involved 'seeking a common ground to reassure the American people we can assume the presidency.' He stressed that 'We want a unified convention.'
Both said there was no discussion of the vice presidential spot.
Later Sunday, White House spokesman Peter Roussel said of Mondale's challenge to President Reagan for a series of debates, that the president 'believes in the principle of debating' but has not addressed the question of having more than one. 'I'll say Jimmy Carter knows more than most Americans the dangers of debating Ronald Reagan,' Roussel said. 'There's been an enormous shift in public opinion,' Ms. Feinstein said. 'The public is now open to the concept of a woman.'
She said because of estimates there will be '9 million more women voting than men, I think the dynamic is clearly there.'
Discussing her invitation to meet with Mondale, the San Francisco mayor said: 'I view that as a major opening of the door and something that's very important to do.'
'In the interest of the party and in the interest of victory in November, it is very important that that door be open to a broad selection process and that people -- women, minorities, mayors, senators - be considered in a careful way so that the strongest possible ticket can be put together.'
Mondale, who was interviewed by Jimmy Carter in 1976 and joined his ticket, will interview Sen. Lloyd Bensten, D-Texas, Thursday about the No. 2 spot and Ms. Feinstein on Saturday. They are the only candidates whose name have been announced.
Mondale met over the weekend with Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., who has also been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate, but those sessions involved shaping the party platform and the two said they did not discuss the vice presidency.
Various Democratic state parties completed their delegations to the national convention over the weekend, with Mondale continuing to pile up more delegates than he needs for a first-ballot nomination.
The latest United Press International count shows Mondale with 2,045 delegates, or 51.9 percent; Hart with 1,249, for 31.7 percent, and Jackson with 384, or 9.8 percent. Nomination requires 1,967. Only two of the 3,933 national convention delegates remain to be chosen, both in South Dakota.
Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode, also interviewed on the program, issued a plea for party unity, saying: 'We have to find a way to bring this entire party together.'
'We don't have one, unified thinking in this party,' said Goode, a black who supports Mondale. 'We must find a way to bring all those views to the table and try and compromise and reach a unified approach.'
Ms. Feinstein said she is 'familiar with the federal government' because of her five years as mayor, which has prepared her to 'know what has to be done in terms of domestic policy.'
Admitting limited experience in foreign affairs, she added: 'I do follow world issues. I do have a point of view. I believe I'm a good fast learner.'
