"The public is entitled to know whether or not I am married to Jack The Ripper"

This quote by Geraldine Ferraro is an amusing way of revealing her frustration with the media's tendency to concentrate on her personal life rather than her expert achievements. By making a joke about her being wed to Jack the Ripper, she is highlighting the absurdity of the media's fascination with her private life. She is indicating that the media need to be more concerned with her expert accomplishments and less worried about her individual life. She is likewise making a statement about the public's right to learn about the personal lives of public figures. She is asserting that the public has a right to know about the individual lives of public figures, but that the media ought to not be so intrusive and need to concentrate on their professional achievements rather. By making this joke, she is making a statement about the media's propensity to concentrate on the individual lives of public figures and the public's right to understand about them.