by Christi Parsons
Barack Obama will spend his day reaching out to women voters today, first at a fundraising breakfast in New York City and then at a town hall meeting in suburban Virginia where he'll talk about improving economic opportunity for women.
Sen. Hillary Clinton is along to help him at the New York stop, as Obama continues his drive to win over women voters so loyal to Clinton during the brutal primary season.
Some Democratic constituencies are looking askance at Obama this week, following a skirmish over whether he was backing off his record of supporting abortion rights. (Some abortion-rights groups find cause for concern in Obama's remarks to a Christian magazine seeming to question a mental health exception to the ban on late-term abortions. But others say they're comforted by Obama's solid voting record on the issue, and by his clarification that he supports a mental health exception, as long as the woman has been diagnosed with an illness.)
The campaign to win Clinton supporters had a minor glitch last night, when, at a fundraiser with the New York senator, Obama forgot to include in his pitch a request to help Clinton retire her campaign debt. He had to hop back on stage to add the ask, telling people "It's very important to us, and obviously Sen. Clinton will be grateful as well."
But the main-event speech was full of praise for Clinton, whom he credited for the fact that little girls are "dreaming a little bigger and setting their sights a little higher today."
Today's pitch will focus on economic benefit to women. At the town hall meeting, Obama will lay out proposals for ensuring that parents are better equipped to balance the demands of work and family. First Lady Anne Holton will introduce Obama to the crowd in Fairfax, Va.
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Comments
Flipper Obama will court women voters like some guys do dates--tell them anything to get what he wants, then abandon them.
Posted by: bruce | July 10, 2008 9:06 AM
Obama and Clinton? Where is the new day in American politics he spoke about during the primaries? With Hillary, he gets the big Bubba, a package VP deal so to speak. The Clintons will suck all the air from an Obama Presidency. From all of Obama's recent moves, it appears he is willing to sell his soul to the devil to get elected. Putting Hillary on the ticket is just another example of this.
Posted by: Jeff in Orlando | July 10, 2008 9:52 AM
Don't for get Jeff of Orlando , Jessie Jackson will be thrown in as part of the Clinton package-
Posted by: George | July 10, 2008 10:28 AM
After what Obama and his campaign staff did to sabotage Hillary with all the false racist accusations and take away what was rightfully hers, he can forget about getting the white women's vote. Maybe some black women will vote for him but others? No chance. They will prefer to wait until 2012 to vote for her then.
Posted by: Chiara | July 10, 2008 10:35 AM
Did he call any of them sweetie and lie to them about taking their questions?
Posted by: Jeff | July 10, 2008 10:37 AM
Hillary is poison. The more she stays in New York, the better it will be for Obama.
Posted by: Susan | July 10, 2008 10:46 AM
Why should Obama have to worry about Clinton's campaign debt? Reminds me of the movie Brazil where you are billed for the cost of your own torture.
The women who are still so enamored with Hillary should pay off her debt.
Posted by: DD | July 10, 2008 11:39 AM
Bruce and Susan are like two sides of the same loser coin. Are we supposed to just let McCain win, Bruce? Susan--without Hillary--I don't think Barack can win.
and DD--I'd rather pay Hillary's campaign debt than the oil company's debt being racked up weekly hourly in eye-rack.
Posted by: seems kinda repug to me | July 10, 2008 7:09 PM
I'd rather pay Hillary's campaign debt than the oil company's debt being racked up weekly hourly in eye-rack.
Posted by: seems kinda repug to me | July 10, 2008 7:09 PM
Well, we're paying for both. And both are because of poor planning and decision making. I have my own debts to pay, thank you very much.
Posted by: DD | July 11, 2008 1:11 AM
I'm voting for Sen. Clinton on Election day. Either as vice president, or
I'll write her name in as President.
Period
Posted by: stheil | July 17, 2008 6:40 AM