December 2, 2008 7:23:54 PM CST
(Newser) – John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate is drawing a mixed reaction from the female swing voters his campaign is desperate to woo, reports the New York Times. Some conservative women who have been lukewarm about a McCain presidency are energized by the pick, whereas many independents and Clinton fans take issue with the Alaska governor’s anti-abortion stance and other issues vital to women.
Palin has won over at least one Clintonite, who likes her working-mom ethics. But some women believe McCain is trying to pander to female voters, and they’re both insulted and worried by the choice of such an inexperienced candidate. “You don’t picture McCain surviving his whole term,” said a right-leaning woman who worries about an "unknown that close to taking over."
Source New York Times
Oct 30, 08 9:25 PM CDT John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin continues to hurt his chances of winning Tuesday's election, a poll from the New York Times and CBS shows. In the survey, 59% of voters said Palin is not qualified to be vice president, up 9 points in a month. About a third of voters said the VP choice would be a major factor in how they vote, and most of those people are picking Barack Obama. More »
Oct 27, 08 3:15 PM CDT Given the damage Sarah Palin has done to John McCain’s chances, Steve Kornacki, in the New York Observer, joins Republicans in wondering about the also-rans. Tom Ridge, Joe Lieberman, and Mitt Romney were unpalatable, either personally to the candidate or politically to the party. The first two would have drawn “middle-of-the road voters whose support he has steadily lost this fall— thanks in no small part to Palin.” More »
Oct 7, 08 6:43 PM CDT Sarah Palin’s novel influence on the presidential campaign appears to have waned, and the “gender gap” among voters has reverted to that in past elections, the Chicago Tribune reports. That means women favor Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain. Women will support Obama by a margin of between four and 11 percentage points on Election Day, predicts a scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. More »
Oct 7, 08 8:55 AM CDT When John McCain picked Sarah Palin, he hoped she’d measure up nicely against Barack Obama's rock-star appeal. “The choice is Obama vs. Palin,” Lindsey Graham explained, “and she has done things rather than talk about things.” Instead, Palin is proving just how impressive Obama is, writes Jonathan Allen of CQ Politics. “In nearly two years on the campaign trail, the Democratic nominee has never once looked as lost as Palin” did in her televised interviews. More »
Oct 3, 08 10:05 AM CDT Sarah Palin starred in her own political "infomercial" last night and once again revived John McCain's flagging campaign, writes Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal. Palin looked "not petrified but peppy," her style far more suited to a debate than a cerebral interview. Biden seemed to be waiting for her to make a fool of herself. She didn’t. Instead, she talked straight to the people in a baldly populist, if transparent, pitch to “soccer moms” and “Joe Six-Pack.” More »
She does appeal to me ... Having a child with Down syndrome, and being the governor, and she calls herself a hockey mom. I was impressed. She’s very pretty and seems very smart. - Cathy Gates, 40, a Michigan Republican and mother of two
It’s so blatantly a political move — picking a woman at all, and then picking a woman with so little experience when he keeps ramming Obama about his experience. - Rachel McBride, 52, a Houston independent and mother of three who has supported President Bush
The fact that she’s a working mom will send a message to America that you don’t have to choose children over career. - Kimberly Myers, a retired Pittsburgh transit worker and former HIllary Clinton backer
Election 2008 • John McCain • Sarah Palin • women • vice presidential candidate • Hillary Clinton supporters • female voters • abortion rights • women in office
