by Jill Zuckman
Angling for the backing of women voters, the Obama campaign has created a wide array of support groups: Prime Time Women for Obama, Boomer Women for Obama, Middle-Aged Women for Obama, Women over 50 for Obama and even Obama Mamas.
But after wrapping up the Democratic nomination in a long and bruising battle against a popular female politician, Sen. Barack Obama will begin his general election push trying to attract women voters who feel a keen sense of disappointment that Sen. Hillary Clinton will not become the first female president next year.Those women may be open to hearing what Sen. John McCain has to say, creating an opening for him to make inroads with a group of voters who traditionally lean Democratic.
"To the extent that McCain can make Obama look like a big risk -- make them feel a little leery about the change he might bring about -- he might be successful in attracting them," said Susan Carroll, senior scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. "He does have that independent reputation and that reputation of thinking for himself and not necessarily going along with the Republican Party line, which I think a lot of people find appealing."
McCain advisers recognize that his chances with women will depend largely on how the Democratic fight ends.
"It's changing every hour -- how Barack Obama reacts to Hillary Clinton this afternoon will drive how many Hillary Clinton voters see Barack Obama tomorrow. And it all has some bearing on our race," said Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager. "If they're open to a dialogue with John McCain -- well, heck, when was the last time a Republican candidate running for president was having a dialogue with women Democrats?"
It's far from certain that will be happening this time, either. With his macho image as a former Navy fighter pilot and POW, as well as his strong support for the war in Iraq, McCain is not the most likely figure to pull in women's votes. Obama, on the other hand, has kept his focus on the domestic issues squeezing women's wallets. Add to that McCain's opposition to abortion rights while Obama supports such rights -- a key issue for Democratic women..
A slide for Obama
But according to a new poll from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Obama's image among white women has declined dramatically as he has clashed with Clinton. Just 43 percent of them hold a positive opinion of Obama, compared with 56 percent in late February.
Women are a hot commodity for politicians because they make up more than half the electorate nationally, and in some states as much as 55 percent.
Republicans tend to do better with men than women voters, and GOP strategists say their candidates generally need to pull in support from about 45 percent of women to win a national race. In 2000, George W. Bush won the support of 43 percent of women and lost the popular vote, though he won the election; in 2004, he won re-election with votes from 49 percent of women.
"If you're a Democrat, you have to win among women in order to be able to win a national election," said Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster.
Political analysts focused on women in 2000 as "soccer moms" concerned with domestic issues. In 2004, campaigns had moved on to "security moms" nervous about terrorists breaching the nation's borders. This year, the candidates are still eyeing women, particularly mothers worried about filling up the sport-utility vehicle and paying for groceries.
'It's still the economy'
"It's still the economy, stupid," said Donna Brazile, who was Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000, repeating Bill Clinton's famous slogan from his first run for president.
It's no accident that McCain has called repeatedly for a holiday from the federal gas tax. "When we look at the numbers, women love the gas tax [holiday]," Davis said. "They are the ones who fill up the minivans and the SUVs. They are much more price-sensitive to gas prices and the cost of food."
Advisers to Obama believe that he can win women angry over Clinton's loss by emphasizing traditional Democratic issues and contrasting Obama's positions with McCain's.
"Even though this is a bitter disappointment for many of Sen. Clinton's passionate supporters, I know these women," said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a key adviser to Obama. "I have a great deal of confidence that in the privacy of that voting booth, they would not vote for a man who would set women back in this country."
Obama officials have brought in a new face as campaign spokeswoman: Linda Douglass, a veteran network news correspondent who says she can identify with the concerns and frustrations of the women Obama hopes to win over.
"I'm clearly of the generation that is the most important generation for both of them to try to reach," Douglass said. "I am the classic Boomer woman who started out seeking a job out of college where I assumed I would have to be a secretary no matter what I wanted to do."
Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster, insisted that showing sensitivity to Clinton's supporters may not be enough for Obama.
"There are going to be some real disgruntled women who feel like Barack Obama took what should have been Hillary Clinton's because he wasn't willing to be patient," Ayres said. "John McCain is a very attractive alternative to people who are upset. He's not a threatening Republican; he's not a right-wing Republican."
Still, officials with the McCain campaign acknowledge that they need to do more to connect with women.
Judy Black, co-chair of Women for McCain, said she hopes to create a Women for McCain group in every state. When the McCain campaign launched its Web site, the first two groups targeted for outreach were women and veterans. "The Republican Party has had a gender gap for a while with women, and we realize we have to give them as many avenues to get involved in the campaign as we can," Black said.
But McCaskill said when women learn more about McCain's opposition to raising the minimum wage and requiring equal pay for women, their feelings would harden. "He's a great war hero, but certainly not the president that's going to lift the issues that most women are concerned about," she said.
Most voters, said Mellman, the Democratic pollster, are looking for a candidate who can forge an emotional connection with them, and that has not been McCain's strong suit. "It's harder for any man to do," Mellman said, "but particularly for someone like McCain to have women say, 'Here's a guy who gets my unique situation.'"
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Comments
McBush said that all women have to do to earn the same pay as a man doing the same job is to get more education and training........hows that women?
Posted by: bill r. | June 6, 2008 12:49 PM
Can women support an agenda that includes dictating to women, how and when they will have babies?!! Deny them a human and constitutional right, the right to privacy ?!! If they can, then embrace Senator " Questionable Conduct " McCain with your heart and soul !!
What I would like to say to the women of America is that the first step toward change is the hardest. Senator Clinton's loss is difficult to accept at the moment, but history was set in motion with her serious campaign. There will be a woman President in the not too distant future. I hope it will not take as long as it took women to get the right to vote, but there will be a women President and she will be as good or as bad as any man would be !! I look forward to that historic moment, because that tells me that, again, America is living up to her billing: All men and women are created equally !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | June 6, 2008 12:57 PM
Obama is going to have an enormous task trying to win over Clinton's women supporters. Here's why:
It's not so much that Hillary lost, but it's the disrespect and blatant sexism toward her all during the race that truly rankles. And it is still going on! (See "Hillary Clinton jokes retired-- for now" right here on this page.)
It's sort of like all of the old sexist stereotypes about women that we thought we left back in the '60's & '70's, have resurfaced during Hillary's campaign. It has brought back to many, many women the awful pain we all felt when we tried to make headway in our careers, only to see all of the good spots go to underqualified men. It really hurts!
Seeing Obama "dis" Hillary during the campaign so many times, with truly awful sexist remarks, aided & abetted by insensitive media hacks, have truly turned many of us to Obama. Add to that the deplorable way the Dem party has treated her, continuously trying to push her out of the race, while gushing over the far less qualified Obama, and you have the perfect storm to turn off women supporters for good.
The final blow, just when Hillary needed support the most, was NARAL's endorsement of Obama. After all that Hillary has done for women & families for 30 years. It just takes your breath away...
So, it's not just that we're bitter that Hillary lost--we can deal with that-- it's how she was treated that's the issue. Once someone on the Obama campaign acknowledges that, maybe we'll listen...
Otherwise, it would be a cold day in hell before I would vote for Obama.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/quietriot/index.html
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/pledge-to-vote-against-obama-in-the-general-election
Posted by: eebaltimore | June 6, 2008 1:19 PM
Well put Don!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | June 6, 2008 1:20 PM
Pollsters and the candidates should watch Washington Journal on C-SPAN. There are a LOT of women and men voters who call in and state they will absolutely refuse to vote Obama and are voting for McCain. They might win them over if Hillary is VP on the ticket. Me, I'm still undecided and may stay home.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | June 6, 2008 1:22 PM
HOW could women possibly vote against everything that Hillary stands for?? Being angry and bitter doesn't mean you have to take it out on the whole damn country by electing McCain!!
Posted by: StCMan | June 6, 2008 1:43 PM
Women are upset because they feel Hillary was cheated out of the nominaton. She got more votes than Obama period but the party leaders gave the nomination to Obama. ALso the Obama supporters are so hostile to Hillary and spew such hatred for her. All of the Clinton backers I talk to say they will never vote for Obama. Some of them will stay home and some will vote for McCain. If it were any other Republican they wouldnot but McCain is different.
Posted by: Vinny | June 6, 2008 1:48 PM
Any woman who was for Hillary who votes for McCain is making a big mistake. For one, McCain is against reproductive rights. I'm talking birth control here. He's a neanderthal.
Posted by: chimpymcflightsuit'snavigator | June 6, 2008 2:03 PM
I wonder how much Obama's "sweetie" comment to the woman reporter will come back and haunt him come November.
Posted by: Green Trees | June 6, 2008 2:17 PM
eebaltimore,
Yes, it is sad that many pundits on cable made truly awful sexist remarks against Clinton, but I do not beleive Obama or his campaign ever did. Nor McCain. So many people are complaining that others were against Clinton because she is a woman. Yes, there are plenty of sexist people, but there probably more people that simply did not like her as a candidate or her as a person. Anyone who is aware of the Clinton history or the public response should not be surprised by this. This sexism argument is just a red herring.
Posted by: PJ Hansen | June 6, 2008 3:01 PM
Republicans concern trolls will play this up, but I don't think large numbers of Clinton supporters will vote against their own interests in November, particularly when Hillary is backing Obama and campaigning for him, possibly from the VP slot. The rivalry from the campaign is still fresh, and there may be some who never forgive Obama for winning, but I think most will. After all, how many Democrats or independents really want four more years of Bush?
Posted by: Tom O | June 6, 2008 3:14 PM
Vinny,
You're a phony RNC trool.
Posted by: Doug Zook | June 6, 2008 3:29 PM
Why do women continue to embarass themselves? They celebrate shows/movies like Sex and the City, which clearly makes fun of them;
They let people say Hillary Clinton and her 6 years in the senate is the best they can ever do for a presidential candidate;
Now they let the media try to say they are so vindictive and petty that they'll vote against their own self-interests out of spite.
The women I know are not this stupid.
Posted by: Paul | June 6, 2008 3:58 PM
Just the idea that some of you don't even know the offensive things said by the Obama camp is reason enough for me not to want to be in the same political party with you.
First racist/sexist comments?
BHO campaign.
Last November.
With 10 Democrats in the race, Chris Rock told a Harlem audience at a BHO fundraiser that they would be "embarassed" if they voted for "the white lady."
So, I'm going to prove to BHO how unembarassed I am to vote for the white lady, by working against him ever being my President.
No, woemn are not stupid. We watched the treatment that the DNC gave us and we will stand up against it.
And please...
Stop with the scare tactics regarding John McCain! That's the old style of politics. Tell BHO to run on his own record, rather than tearing down his opponent on a personal level. The age jokes are disrespectful and offensive.
He's an honorable man, who served his country with dignity, and who has a son serving our nation in Iraq right now.
The Democrats will have the House and the Senate. Most Americans think that divided government is balanced government.
In addition, I have nothing in common with BHO's church congregation. They are all shucking and jiving in the background, clapping and cheering, while his pastor screams, "God Damn America!!!"
If others find those people someone they want to share a political party with, so be it. My husband is a combat vet and we don't much appreciate that kind of crap. I've never been a racist in my life, but I see those people as racists. That BHO doesn't just boggles my mind.
No, I could never vote for Barack Obama.
I think he will win the popular vote with his overwhelming black support. But the popular vote doesn't get him any electoral votes.
So wouldn't it be ironic if BHO won the popular vote like Gore but lost the "delegate count" like HRC?
Posted by: Jan | June 6, 2008 4:32 PM
Green Trees: Is THAT the best you can do to slam Obama???...with $4.00 a gallon gas...an unending INVASION...jobs lost by the MILLIONS...47 MILLION W/OUT HEALTH CARE...PEOPLE ...EVEN ED McMahon...losing their homes left and right... and YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT HIM CALLING SOMEONE "SWEETIE?" I would rather see someone called "sweetie" than treated the way Cindy Sheehan was treated when she lost her son in Bush's INVASION!!!!
Posted by: Mary Dawson | June 6, 2008 5:20 PM
You hit hit the nail on the head, " Mary Dawson ", these Republican Ideologues are blinded by their own failures, but focus on matters that can be addressed later. We have our citizens fighting and dying in an illegal war and they are returning home to a Veterans' healthcare system that has been decimated by Republican pet projects; privatization, underfunding and understaffed !! Their agenda is more important than our national agenda, better schools, better roads and bridges and better responses to natural disasters !!! They have forfeited their chance to lead this nation, because of the dismal performance of the present, inept administration !! Give Senator Obama and the Democrats a chance to show you how great America can become, again !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | June 6, 2008 6:12 PM
Mary and Don, what is Obama's plan to ease gas prices? Is he in favor of drilling in ANWR? No. Is he in favor of drilling off the coast? No. Is he in favor of getting oil from shale rock? No. Is he in favor of building more refineries? No. Until you increase the supply, the cost for oil and gas will increase.
Jobs lost my the millions? About 300,000 have been lost this year.
Regarding Ed McMahon, if he is losing his home, that is his fault. He made millions in his life.
The rest of your prattle is just that.
Posted by: Green Trees | June 7, 2008 2:21 AM
You are free to vote stupidly, but you have to live with the consequences.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | June 7, 2008 9:04 AM
Mccain is surely winning our votes (women friends, family, coworkers, etc) Mainly because he is honest, trustworthy, and a fighter for our country. Obama is an arab-american with a radical past, and a danger to our country. The old lion knows the traps, the young lion leaps into the snares. Be careful america.
Posted by: Isabel | June 7, 2008 9:31 AM
Just for the record, liberal democrats, it's your "democrat congressmen" who is responsible for the economy, gas, etc. Learn your politics alittle better. Democrated Congress!!
Posted by: Isabel | June 7, 2008 9:37 AM
The women We know will not vote for Obama, for many reasons, His radical past, his deceiving ways, his un-patrioted ways, the false hopes he tries to pan off, his naieve inexperience, etc. need I say more. Wake up American, we need a strong president who will defend our country, not our enemies like Obama the arab-american says in his book
Posted by: Isabel | June 7, 2008 4:13 PM
I love Hillary. I voted for her in my state's primary. My next vote is going to Obama. I wouldn't vote for McBush in a million years.
McBush wants us to stay in Iraq for a century. And everyone except the rich will continue to pay for it.
McBush wants to "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."
McBush decided that waterboarding isn't torture after deciding that it is.
McBush favors tax cuts just for the rich.
McBush doesn't respect or support our veterans. He refused to support the 21st Century G.I. Bill.
McBush is against the farm bill that will help farmers comply with state and federal environmental laws, boost federal research on the fruits and vegetables the region relies on, open new markets for the region's products, and increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in school lunches.
McBush is against expanding the children's health insurance program.
McBush is against an assault rifle ban.
McBush is against the federal government helping people who lost homes in the subprime mortgage debacle. But he's in favor of the Federal Reserve lending $30 billion to salvage Bear Stearns.
McBush thought Iran was training Al Qaeda in Iraq when, in fact, Iran is a Shi'ite country but Al Qaeda is Sunni.
McBush isn't against teaching "intelligent design."
McBush took months to "unaccept" the endorsements of John Hagee and Rod Parsley.
McBush chairs the Senate committee that oversees the telecommunications industry, while his lead strategist, Charlie Black, has admitted to lobbying on his cellphone for his telecommunications clients while riding the so-called Straight Talk Express bus.
McBush is still having money raised for him by lobbyists.
McBush is anti-choice. He wants Roe v. Wade overturned. He would be in a position as president to appoint one, two, or more Supreme Court justices who could overturn it.
McBush opposes funding for family planning programs, voted against requiring insurance coverage of birth control, and has not supported legislation that would help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion.
Say no to McBush!
Posted by: Barbara | June 8, 2008 12:07 AM
How can these Hillary "supporters" disrespect her so much? She would be heartbroken if she saw this. These women are doing the opposite of what Hillary stands for in supporting McCain.
Posted by: Jackie | June 8, 2008 12:13 AM
There are no "womens' issues". Women cannot even rely on basic human rights, such as respect, dignity, equal access to campaign and to votes. If we are still, in 2008, defamed, disrespected, slandered, insulted, called b-----and it is tolerated by all men involved in political campaigns and perpetrated by the MSM, then, I cannot think of any other "issue" more important or worthy of my effort and concern. I certainly no longer believe them when they purport to speak to "womens' issues" anymore. They have laid themselves bare to what they really think of women throughout this campaign. And you know what? I didn't start out this way but by now, I am really, really bored with all of these men in dark suits and baby blue ties. Especially the two left standing. It is boring to hear them, to see them; I feel no excitement; it is the same old thing.
Posted by: nana4 | June 8, 2008 2:09 AM
to american moms, i am a american citizen ex south african. i see whats real and whats not,please keep america AMERICAN. VOTE McCain please
Posted by: robert siegenberg | June 8, 2008 3:02 AM
Hello,
So many of you have hit it right on the head. And, for the rest of you so when Obama said that when Hillary was cornered he knew "exactly how she would react." In other words, an overemotional woman. Or, when he said about Hillary, "Oh, I knew her claws would come out." You know. like every woman participates in catfights. Or when he referred to her as Annie Oakley, that was a compliment I guess by the nits reactions and comments on this blog. Or my most favorite one of all was, "Well, when your campaign distributed negative fliers about my campaign, I didn't whine." So, all women whine. This is what we do. And, you don't see the sexist attitude behind those comments? And, for those of you trying to tout all of the evils of the Republican party and claim that we are hurting HIllary and what she stands for and we are punishing the rest of the country by voting for McCain, I say fantastic! This is exactly what we are trying to do. We are not voting for MCCain because we are on his bandwagon, we are voting for him because we are trying to send the Democrat party a message. Allow disrespectful treatment of women in campaigns and by their own party which should have respect for them and we will not only NOT vote Democratic, we will swing our vote completely over to the other side until you wake up! There is strength in numbers and you nay sayers will never stop our movement. It is not about HIllary winning or losing, it not about only sexist comments, it is about having had enough of this type of treatment thrown in our faces and this was the last straw. Every time sexism rears its ugly head and anytime a woman candidate is so cruelly treated we will immediately mobilze and shift our support. Obviously, our quiet requests and disgust with this were not enough. Everyone just blew us off and knew we'd fall in line when the general election came. Well, we're not. I will be voting for McCain, working for McCain and dancing in the streets when Obama is defeated this November. He is an elitist sexist and I will vote MCCain before I will cast a vote for a man who is supposed to everything opposite of the Republican party. He showed his true colors towards women. If you want to blame someone, blame your candidate, Obama. He painted himself into this corner. It's his own fault. If he handled this differently I would be voting for him in November. Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death." We are at the breaking point and would rather give up everything rather than back down about this now. If the country has to endure another Republican in office as President the Obamazombies and Obama have no one to blame but themselves. Calling Hillary a witch and a monster, etc. and him for making such sexist remarks and acting so superior all the time. Hillary has more class in her little finger than he has in his entire body. Well, we are not going away and we will keep returning everytime anyone tries to pull this nonsense again against one of our own kind. ENOUGH! So, I ask all of you know it alls here how do we send a message of being upset with Democratic party and Barrack Obama by voting for him? How does that take a stand for women? It doesn't at all. It's ludicrous. You are just upset that the democratic party can't force him down the entire countries throat the way they did with the dems. I hope he loses bigtime in November and I am working hard for McCain recruiting other HIllary supporters to make it happen. And, that scum, Axelrod, who swiftboated Hillary, a person in his own party, should be ashamed of himself. He knew full well that Bill Clinton's remark about black candidates taking southern states did not guarantee they would win the primary, was not a racist remark. And, when HIllary was stating that she felt she was more electable because more white men would vote for her, he knew she was not being racist, she was stating a fact. He swiftboated someone in his own party. Two people who have always fought for women and minorities. It was bad enough when the other party did the swiftboating but when our party began doing that to someone in our party, it was time to say, good riddance to bad rubbish. VOTE MCCAIN IN NOVEMBER AND CONTACT HILLARY SUPPORTERS COUNT TOO. I am working in NE PA to make it happen!
Posted by: Mary Anne Whitonis | June 13, 2008 1:32 AM