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Obama Doesn't Believe Polls Showing Women Voters Flocking to McCain-Palin

September 09, 2008 12:42 PM

At a press availability this afternoon in Dayton, Ohio, ABC News asked Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., if -- given the recent 20-point swing among white women towards Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll -- he feels the addition of Gov. Sarah Palin to the GOP ticket has attracted women specifically because of her gender, whether Obama regrets not naming a woman to his ticket as his running mate, and what he can do to woo those women voters back?

First, Obama expressed skepticism about the poll.

"You know I just think that the notion that people are swinging back and forth in the span of a few weeks, or a few days, this wildly generally isn't borne out," Obama said. "These are the same polls that had me 20 down last Summer that have swung wildly throughout this process."

Second, Obama said Palin had attracted a lot of attention and, among conservatives, excitement -- but he didn't think gender played factor.

"There is no doubt that Gov. Palin attracted a lot of attention this week," Obama said. "She's been on the minds of all of you, and as a consequence has been before the American people constantly throughout the week, and has brought excitement to the Republican party, there is no doubt about that."

Obama said the race is far from over, and that issues would ultimately beat out personality.

"I think that what we're going to have to do is see how things settle out over the next few weeks when people start examining who is actually going got deliver on the issues that people care about," Obama said. "You know, who's got an education plan that is going to improve the prospects for our children? Who’s got a health care plan that is going to help a whole bunch of women out there who don’t have health insurance? Who is better equipped to change the economy so that the average person who is working hard feels like they can get ahead and see their incomes rise? Ultimately those are the issues that I think are going to make the biggest difference in this race.

"But there is no doubt that you know the Republicans are excited particularly the right wing of the party is excited by Senator -- or Governor Palin's choice," Obama said. "I think that has less to go with gender than it has to do with her ideological predispositions, which are closely aligned to theirs."

Obama did not address the question about whether he regrets not naming a woman running mate.

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

September 9, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (548)

User Comments

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Mary-- you wrote:

"I don't understand why ANY of Hillary Clinton's supporters would consider Palin - she doesn't match up on the issues that Clinton holds dear."

We are voting for McCain, who has promised to put both Dems and Repubs in his cabinet. Obama lost me on his "change" message when he picked Biden as VP over Hillary. I can't support that choice and its sexist message.

Posted by: DuskyDakota | Sep 10, 2008 1:29:37 PM

What Hillary was doing at the Democratic Convention


Hillary Clinton is getting ready for 2012. Hillary and her supporters know she will need Obama's supporters to win the 2012 Presidential election. Obama's supporters now believe Hillary is doing everything she can to get Obama elected. Obama and his supporters will have to support Hillary in 2012 if he loses this election. So far everything is going as planned.

Hillary is doing what she has to do to get elected in 2012. Now we need to do our part by making sure Obama loses this election.

None of this has changed who Obama is. Obama used the race card to imply both Hillary and Bill Clinton are racist. Michelle Obama has never been proud of America and believes America is a mean country. Obama flip flops every time the polls change and will do or say anything to get elected. Nothing has change the fact Obama and Michelle belonged to an anti-American racist church for 20 years. Etc, etc, etc.

Obama had the stage he is gave his convention speech on built to look like a temple but Obama is not GOD.

Posted by: Nobama,Noway,Nohow | Sep 10, 2008 1:22:12 PM

I keep trying to find what Obama has done for Chicago and am still coming up empty.

What are his achievments as a Senator for a very large troubled state? Outside of voting "present" all the time?

One of these news mediums should be able to compile that for the voters instead of all this pig and lipstick bashing.

Posted by: Ginny | Sep 10, 2008 12:17:44 PM

Well, we're not stupid. It takes more than ovaries to get women to vote for another woman. I don't understand why ANY of Hillary Clinton's supporters would consider Palin - she doesn't match up on the issues that Clinton holds dear.

Posted by: mary | Sep 10, 2008 12:11:31 PM

What had Obama done for Illinois? First term Senator had spent most of his term campaigning. He would not even help our Futuregen project to produce new energy, thousands of jobs for Central Illinois. LOST

Posted by: Bpercival | Sep 10, 2008 11:57:50 AM

Please don't let me hear one more time how she told Congress, "thanks, but no thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere". Doesn't Palin have anything else to offer us? This is our future, people. Our Country's future is at stake in this election. We need to think really hard about where we are going and right now we are going down the toilet very fast. You want to flush one more time and get us totally into the sewer? Then vote McCain/Palin. That should do it.

Posted by: geecee | Sep 10, 2008 11:43:54 AM

Frank,

What I dont get is robots like you that vote against their best interests. I for one did not see anyone that looked like me at the RNC or any real issues that affect me discussed there. McCain has nothing except he was a poor POW. Just take one look at AZ and you can see why he's not worthy of being POTUS.

Posted by: NO_ONE_CARES | Sep 10, 2008 11:36:46 AM

I cannot understand these liberals who accept every promise that Obama makes as written in gold. Have you not ever been through a presidential campaign. Do you not know that promises are a dime a dozen but very few of those promises ever come to fruition, Were you born yesterday. The fact that you support taxing income over 250 grand is nice but Obama is unlikely to ever do such a thing. Every member of congress makes that kind of dough and michelle Barry certainly exceed that amount. You can't vote based on promises, but rather you need to find someone of character and trust them to do the right thing. I mean, how sickening is it to watch Obama say he supports charter schools. We all know he would and could never abandon his ties to the teacher's unions and that's where his real support comes from. I believe that Liberals are generally better educated than their counterparts. So how can the liberals believe promises made during a political campaign. The first thing people from outside this country notices about our system of politics is that anything said during a campaign is fantasy and all americans accept that after the election is over.

Posted by: frank | Sep 10, 2008 11:30:33 AM

I cannot understand these liberals who accept every promise that Obama makes as written in gold. Have you not ever been through a presidential campaign. Do you not know that promises are a dime a dozen but very few of those promises ever come to fruition, Were you born yesterday. The fact that you support taxing income over 250 grand is nice but Obama is unlikely to ever do such a thing. Every member of congress makes that kind of dough and michelle Barry certainly exceed that amount. You can't vote based on promises, but rather you need to find someone of character and trust them to do the right thing. I mean, how sickening is it to watch Obama say he supports charter schools. We all know he would and could never abandon his ties to the teacher's unions and that's where his real support comes from. I believe that Liberals are generally better educated than their counterparts. So how can the liberals believe promises made during a political campaign. The first thing people from outside this country notices about our system of politics is that anything said during a campaign is fantasy and all americans accept that after the election is over.

Posted by: frank | Sep 10, 2008 11:29:04 AM

I was voting McCain but with palin on the ticket now..... forget it! Women deserve better.

Posted by: I can fake it too | Sep 10, 2008 11:28:34 AM

Whoever came up with the idea of playing the Hillary women deserves a medal, both for keeping the white house and giving us such comedy. I for one never would have thought it would work because while they are hideous to look at, I'd thought they were smart. I've taken to reading their blogs every day just for the freak show.I also think Johnny mac deserves a medal, for striking a blow for all men who want to pick women by our criteria, Just as Cindy reaches her sell-by date the old fox scores the highly decorative Sarah. Cigars in the oval office?/

Posted by: Mark from Pheonix | Sep 10, 2008 11:08:08 AM

Are women flocking to Palin? Maybe, maybe not. We know that SOME group of people are flocking to McCain/Palin.

McCain was behind Obama by about 7 points a week and a half ago. Now McCain is ahead of Obama.

Posted by: ivan12356 | Sep 10, 2008 10:41:55 AM

Facts are so damn sexist!!! Facts are so damn unPatriotic to criticise McCain.
Facts should be ashamed of themselves for criticising a former:
(Pick One) __ POW
__ Hockey Mom
Facts are too damn liberal.

Posted by: Bethie | Sep 10, 2008 10:40:15 AM

I am a woman who will be casting my vote for Obama. I listen to Fox and Hannity on Fox radio who either are so ignorant that they think that saying the same negative slogans repeatedly will brainwash us. Well, it has had the opposite effect because I realized they are targeting people they think are dumb by fast talking and making the same OLD comments on Ayers, Wright, and religious fears regarding Obama. Listen for yourself. I don't care what day or time you tune in, listen for 2 minutes and you will hear how dumb they sound and how dumb they think America is. I am not buying it. I am for choice on Abortion, I am for more taxes on people who make more than $250,000, I am for improving education and ending the war in Iraq. It, for me, is about the issues. All of this talk of experience- no one has any on the job training for President. Bush followed his father and did a HORRIFIC job- so I want you to vote issues. Not out of hatred because Obama did not choose Hillary; not out of being smitten by a beautiful face and oratory skills, not for a sweet story: Vote on the issues- whatever your belief is. That is the intelligent thing to do. Know where you stand and choose a candidate that stands with you on those issues. Don't get duked by all the media, the polls...read, think, VOTE!

Posted by: Audi | Sep 10, 2008 10:02:47 AM

Did she not say "The difference between a hockey mom and pittbulls is lipstick?

She called them pittbulls...why can't they call her pig? She drew first blood and girlfriend...you're in the big league with the big boys! Your little town mentally ain't workin!

Women of America...WAKE UP! We are smarter than this. Let's focus on the real issue. There are people dying, losing their jobs & homeless from this hurricane and you are worried about lipstick on a pig?

Posted by: Aurora6 | Sep 10, 2008 9:59:52 AM

Alpaig52,the republicans are the ones who are starting the insults on palin..
they say these so called attacks on palin 1st,so that the dems can't use them..
example:when it was 1st announced that she was running with mccain,the republicans quickly made up the "she should be home taking care of her kids/her family is not in this/they are attacking her daughter for her pregnancy"crap before any response on ms.palin was even thought of..
that way,they figure they could beat the dems to the punch and any inkling of those arguments that the dems would say would be the so called,"HA,I TOLD U SO"..

but,this is gonna be short lived..

and did u know that the polls are mainly trained in republican areas and and are not accurate this time around..

even when obama was picked as 4-6 points ahead,it was not accurate..

this will be A blowout election..
nobody has called me to see whom i am supporting,have they called u??

i bet not.....

Posted by: JASON WHEELER OF ATLANTA GA. | Sep 10, 2008 9:46:45 AM

If the Repubs are going to take the change from us we should take the fear from them.
I am scared to death of four more years.

Posted by: mary macon | Sep 10, 2008 9:40:47 AM

This is one woman that supports Palin! It is time for a woman to break the glass ceiling.

Posted by: BARBANEL | Sep 10, 2008 9:35:53 AM

I keep reading about Obama asking Clinton to be VP. She was the one who said that she would never be VP to him. So if you're voting for McCain/Palin just because Hillary is not running for VP, then you are just stupid and in for more of the same. As for white women in this country, I too am a working (white) mother who would never vote for Palin. She believes in everything that I don't. White women, WAKE UP!!!!!!

Posted by: Angela | Sep 10, 2008 9:16:41 AM

Will he believe it next week when he takes another 5 point whack after The Great Pig Debate and Uncle Joe's "backward step" comment?

Posted by: Woody | Sep 10, 2008 9:04:16 AM

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