McCain’s strategy for women voters
October 9th, 2008 11:38 am · 16 comments
The Boston Globe today unveils an article about how Republican John McCain while in Bethlehem is trying a new approach to win over women voters. As noted in the Intell, women voters are one of if not the key voting bloc in Pennsylvania, so it’s no surprise McCain chose the Keystone to emphasize his new federal mortgage bailout. Why? Women voters care about homeownership.
It’s a fourth quarter audible by the McCain campaign, which has run so far very strong with male voters but finds itself struggling to convince female voters to join the Republican ticket:
Obama has built up support among women that approaches the level of female support for the last successful Democratic candidate, Bill Clinton, when he won his second term in 1996. In both the presidential races that followed, George W. Bush made inroads among women voters that helped him defeat successive Democratic challengers.
In Pennsylvania, women chose Obama 49 percent to 36 percent, according to the latest Franklin & Marshall Polls.
According to the Globe, McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has not paid off in terms of winning over women voters:
Many analysts had expected Palin to attract more female supporters after her surprise selection by McCain, but her support is now greater among men than women.
According to the latest Pew poll, 34 percent of women said that Palin is ready to serve as president, compared with 40 percent of men. Those numbers were down sharply from two weeks earlier, when 52 percent of men and women found her qualified.
That is something I find extraordinarily curious. Why are women not convinced about a potential Vice President Palin? I think Lois Herr, Lancaster County Democratic Committee executive director, may have the answer from an article I wrote several weeks ago about women voters:
“But being a woman is not enough in my view. I judge people by their positions on the issues and their individual qualifications for the position.”
Share and Enjoy:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Tags: Sarah Palin · Issues: Economy · Presidential Politics · Barack Obama · John McCain
There are currently 16 comments on this blog postView Topic | Comment on this blogusedmeat
10/9/08
11:53 AM | Woman's issues? Which party actually chose a woman to be on the ticket and which party kicked a very well qualified woman candidate to the curb?
Why is the Obama campaign continually bashing female voters over the head with threats of losing their right of reproductive choice? It's because it's all they have. |
davepidgeon
10/9/08
12:01 PM | Why is the Obama campaign continually bashing female voters over the head with threats of losing their right of reproductive choice? It's because it's all they have.
I'm not following you on this one. |
Kid Dynamite
10/9/08
12:02 PM | Woman's issues? Which party actually chose a woman to be on the ticket and which party kicked a very well qualified woman candidate to the curb?
Why is the Obama campaign continually bashing female voters over the head with threats of losing their right of reproductive choice? It's because it's all they have.
You are a friggin troll. The only reason he chose a woman (an idiot at that) to run with him was to try to win over bitter feminists. She is not qualified to be my son's babysitter. let alone be 2nd in line for the White House. Any self-proclaimed Democrat, such as yourself, who chooses to leave our side and vote for the enemy is a traitor. Leave the country you jackass...go be Euro-trash. |
AngelFace
10/9/08
1:49 PM | I'm not following you on this one.
The Democrats think they can hold on to and retain women voters based on one single issue: reproductive rights.
And that is a clear-cut difference between the Republican and Democrat platforms.
But the Democratic party is no "land of opportunity" for women, and women are starting to wake up to how few women become candidates and nominees for ANYTHING in the Dem party, and how very few women hold key positions in the party. Sure, the Dems love to trot us out at rallies, and use tools like Gloria Steinem to keep women in lock-step with the party.
But a lot of us are feeling like if you are woman, the Democratic party has no use for you except to make them coffee, be a pretty face on CNN as a token spokesperson, or for our vote. With a Democratically controlled congress, it is perfectly safe to elect a right to life president. Roe v. Wade isn't going anywhere for a long time. And the Dems need a wake-up call from the 52% of the population they have taken advantage of for too long. When 50% of Congress and 50% of the Supreme Court are female, then we will talk about equal rights. |
davepidgeon
10/9/08
2:19 PM | Just to further spur discussion, the Republican Party Platform does not include Equal Pay for Equal Rights but the Democratic Party Platform does. Plus, Democrats were the first to nominate a woman as vice presidential nominee, but a flood of Republican women voters did not cross lines to support Democratic nominee Walter Mondale in 1984 because he had a woman on the ticket.
The first woman to win a Pennsylvania presidential primary came from the Democratic side, and Democrats nominated the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House.
Health care is another important issue for women. Elizabeth Edwards has pointed out that under John McCain's health care plan, both she and McCain would be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. For Edwards', that's breast cancer. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during the primary talked about tearing down discrimination in the health insurance field based on pre-existing conditions like cancer. This is what the GOP platform says about the issue:
Individuals with pre-existing conditions must be protected; we will help these individuals by building on the experiences of innovative states rather than by creating a new unmanageable federal entitlement. We strongly urge that managed care organizations use the practice patterns and medical treatment guidelines from the state in which the patient lives when making medical coverage decisions.
No specific mention about eliminating barriers to coverage for those with pre-existing conditions like breast cancer, a top issue for women voters. |
tourman
10/9/08
2:32 PM | Leave the country you jackass...go be Euro-trash.(quote)
Interesting...that's the same thing most everyone on here would LOVE top say to you. |
Milton
10/9/08
2:35 PM | Just to further spur discussion, the Republican Party Platform does not include Equal Pay for Equal Rights but the Democratic Party Platform does.
It's already the law. |
grieker
10/9/08
2:36 PM | You are a friggin troll. The only reason he chose a woman (an idiot at that) to run with him was to try to win over bitter feminists. She is not qualified to be my son's babysitter. let alone be 2nd in line for the White House. Any self-proclaimed Democrat, such as yourself, who chooses to leave our side and vote for the enemy is a traitor. Leave the country you jackass...go be Euro-trash.
Did you get your meds mixed up today?
You are clearly in need of some wall-to-wall counseling. I guess you know by now that many have "turned you off" with the ignore (for ignorant) switch.
|
4coffee
10/9/08
2:44 PM | The Democrats think they can hold on to and retain women voters based on one single issue: reproductive rights.
And that is a clear-cut difference between the Republican and Democrat platforms.
But the Democratic party is no "land of opportunity" for women, and women are starting to wake up to how few women become candidates and nominees for ANYTHING in the Dem party, and how very few women hold key positions in the party. Sure, the Dems love to trot us out at rallies, and use tools like Gloria Steinem to keep women in lock-step with the party.
But a lot of us are feeling like if you are woman, the Democratic party has no use for you except to make them coffee, be a pretty face on CNN as a token spokesperson, or for our vote. With a Democratically controlled congress, it is perfectly safe to elect a right to life president. Roe v. Wade isn't going anywhere for a long time. And the Dems need a wake-up call from the 52% of the population they have taken advantage of for too long. When 50% of Congress and 50% of the Supreme Court are female, then we will talk about equal rights.
Ever hear of Nancy Pelosi? Speaker of the House. Isn't she a Democrat? Do you realize there are approx 40 Democratic women members in Congress?
Are you saying you are voting for Palin just because she is a woman? |
davepidgeon
10/9/08
2:45 PM | It's already the law.
Yes, 1963. Thank you, Milton.
Women, though, continue to make 76 cents for every dollar men earn, according to the Democratic Party platform, and the party is calling on legislation that would make it easier for employees to challenge pay discrimination, legislation spurred by a case involving a woman who worked for Goodyear. |
grieker
10/9/08
2:49 PM | Yes, 1963. Thank you, Milton.
Women, though, continue to make 76 cents for every dollar men earn, according to the Democratic Party platform, and the party is calling on legislation that would make it easier for employees to challenge pay discrimination, legislation spurred by a case involving a woman who worked for Goodyear.
Yes, but how much of that 76 cents do they get to keep vs what the men get to keep?  |
Pericles
10/9/08
3:16 PM | Just to further spur discussion, the Republican Party Platform does not include Equal Pay for Equal Rights but the Democratic Party Platform does. Plus, Democrats were the first to nominate a woman as vice presidential nominee, but a flood of Republican women voters did not cross lines to support Democratic nominee Walter Mondale in 1984 because he had a woman on the ticket.
The first woman to win a Pennsylvania presidential primary came from the Democratic side, and Democrats nominated the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House.
Can't think of any women firsts for Republicans Dave? |
Pericles
10/9/08
3:25 PM | Yes, 1963. Thank you, Milton.
Women, though, continue to make 76 cents for every dollar men earn, according to the Democratic Party platform, and the party is calling on legislation that would make it easier for employees to challenge pay discrimination, legislation spurred by a case involving a woman who worked for Goodyear.
Given childbirth, childcare, elderly parent care, etc., they work and advance 76% as much as men. You want to rectify that how Dave? Or do you really believe that employers willingly underpay women, simply because they are women, and hope that these women cannot find comparable work for more pay at another employer who doesn't discriminate.
IMO, anyone who believes that women are intentionally paid less than men have absolutely no business experience or common sense.
Yes, but how much of that 76 cents do they get to keep vs what the men get to keep?
I get to keep the entire 76 cents. That's my spending money for the week. |
grieker
10/9/08
4:14 PM | I get to keep the entire 76 cents. That's my spending money for the week.
I only get to keep 63 cents of that dollar. Bummer. |
wrsny337
10/11/08
10:30 PM | Woman's issues? Which party actually chose a woman to be on the ticket and which party kicked a very well qualified woman candidate to the curb?
Why is the Obama campaign continually bashing female voters over the head with threats of losing their right of reproductive choice? It's because it's all they have.
You ever seen the Obama website?
Ever looked at the Women's Issues section?
Well, here ya go:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
I thought you were better-informed than that (??)
Maybe your anger about the Hillary thing has impaired your ability to see tomorrow.
Hillary would have rallied the GOP base better than any Repub candidate.
HEALTH CARE
Fixing the Nation's Health Care System
Empowering Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS
Supporting Research into Women's Health
Fighting Cancer
Reducing Health Risks Due to Mercury Pollution
Supporting Stem Cell Research
REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE
Supports a Woman's Right to Choose
Preventing Unintended Pregnancy
PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Reducing Domestic Violence
Strengthening Domestic Violence Laws
Fighting Gender Violence Abroad
ECONOMIC ISSUES
Fighting for Pay Equity
Investing in Women-Owned Small Businesses
Protecting Social Security
Encouraging Retirement Saving
NATIONAL SECURITY
Ending the War in Iraq
Caring for Women Veterans
POVERTY
Fighting Poverty
Raising the Minimum Wage
Helping Low-Income Workers
EDUCATION
Protecting Title IX
Expanding Early Childhood Education
Promoting Women in Math and Science
Improving Our Schools
Making College More Affordable |
wrsny337
10/11/08
10:50 PM | The Boston Globe today unveils an article about how Republican John McCain while in Bethlehem is trying a new approach to win over women voters. As noted in the Intell, women voters are one of if not the key voting bloc in Pennsylvania, so it’s no surprise McCain chose the Keystone to emphasize his new federal mortgage bailout. Why? Women voters care about homeownership.
McBush's failed strategy remains the same: Palin and her yap. |
View Topic | Comment on this blog
The Boston Globe today unveils an article about how Republican John McCain while in Bethlehem is trying a new approach to win over women voters. As noted in the Intell, women voters are one of if not the key voting bloc in Pennsylvania, so it’s no surprise McCain chose the Keystone to emphasize his new federal mortgage bailout. Why? Women voters care about homeownership.
