The Candidates
I don’t think so… But Jim Geraghty has a list of Sen. Obama’s statements that may give some women pause. Here’s a sample:
On a more serious note, Robert Novak (also via Geraghty) sees evidence that Obama does indeed have a problem with women voters:
This resentment is reflected in a private nationwide poll conducted this month by McLaughlin and Associates, which usually works for Republicans but is not connected with the McCain campaign. Poll-taker John McLaughlin found that John McCain had a 49 percent to 38 percent edge over Obama among all women. That is an extraordinary result, running counter to a longtime Democratic advantage.
The conventional wisdom is that women, along with other Clinton backers, will remain in the Democratic camp once Clinton actually concedes. But seasoned operatives for both Obama and Clinton privately advise that the length and closeness of their race make reconciliation much more difficult because Clinton did not drop out once she no longer had any clear path to the nomination.
If you recall, Pew found that Obama’s unfavorability rating among white women rose by 13% between February and May.
Is this just a temporary bump in the road that will begin to fade as Hillary concedes and endorses Obama? Well, that’s the million dollar question of this race, isn’t it?
June 5th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
It’s only permanent if we exploit it and keep Barack’s arrogance in women’s minds.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I know you guys want to win, but I hate to see us embracing political correctness. Republicans are not the feminist party. Democrats are. I don’t personally call women “sweetie” but whether or not Obama does is irrelevant. If a woman called me sweetie I’d like it anyway. We should beat Obama because he’s too liberal not because he says things about women that are politically incorrect.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
#2 By the same token, I’m appalled that Republicans seem proud to uphold the anti-educated, anti-sophisticated, anti-worldly.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
What’s wrong with feminism?
I know there’s an extreme version of it that’s icky but what’s wrong with the mild version that demands equality?
June 5th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Econ grad stud, I have no problem with equality. However, if a woman called a man “sweetie” no one would think it was bad. I had an older woman call me that the other day, and I thought it was cute. I don’t know any men who would ever complain about being called sweetie, yet the feminists think it’s awful if a man does. That is NOT equality. As far as comment 3, I’m not sure I grasp what Metro is saying, but the way I interpret it is that he thinks political correctness is “educated, sophisticated, and worldly”. That makes sense because Metro and I are not on the same side of the culture war.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Given the woman he’s married too, who wouldn’t be a sexist after a year or so. I feel for Barack on this.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
I think it’s not exactly right to exploit these perceived tendencies towards sexism in Obama, but at the same time it would be utterly stupid to completely ignore. After all, Clinton supporters genuinely are defecting to McCain (see http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/democrats_for_mccain_watch.php ) so McCain supporters should work to keep these sentiments in perspective for Clinton supporters, so they don’t completely forget by November how terribly they felt Clinton was being treated in June.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I suppose sometimes you have to use issues like this if it will help McCain get more female votes and help him win. However, I don’t think there is anything wrong with any of the three comments listed. If a woman called a man sweetie, no one would think anything of it. I think it’s whimsical and nothing more that Obama said someone looked like a dancer. Most men would also be very flattered if a woman said they were “gorgeous”, even if it was a woman they were unattracted to. As to the third comment, traditionally women have spent more time in the kitchen than men. It is foolish to kid yourself into thinking otherwise. I just hate to see us playing on the feminists’ turf. However, if some liberal women want to vote for McCain because of these comments, I would welcome that. I’ll take any vote I can get.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Gamecock, he’s also been a faithful husband to Michelle. I like John McCain, but he has no moral high ground over Obama when it comes to how he treats individual women. I will leave it at that.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
There are a number of sites popping up by women angry at the DNC and Obama. Whether he is truly sexist or not, I don’t mind have people defect from the Democratic party to vote for McCain. Honestly though, from a woman’s point of view who’s pretty open, those comments weigh on the sexist prig side.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Meanwhile talk of hopes of 50,000 people showing up in NO VA for Obama did not happened. He only got 10,000 people..
June 5th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Clarance, #3 referred to the deification of Hillary’s demographic.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Clarence,
A man calling a grown woman reporter “Sweetie” as he brushes aside her question is clearly offensive. Especiallya guy in a position of power like Obama. Do you have any idea how many women out there have heard “sweetie” or similar terms from male authority figures as they dismiss them?
The dancer thing is just showing how he objectifies them and considers them sex objects.
You should have ssen some of the comments on pro-Hillary blogs when those things were said. A lot of women have a lot of problems with Obama.
Will they still have them in November? Therein lies the rub
June 6th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Clarence, PC goes too far. That’s not what the early feminists faught for.
The right to have people lie to you instead of telling an uncomfortable truth. I think the immaturity sensitivity of the Boomers explains the popularity of PC.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:17 am
This simply confirms what is (and should be) the bottom line, that is, with Alaska Gov Sarah Palin as VP, McCain WINS.
Without Palin, McCain likely does not win.
Case closed.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Obama addresses the Whitey tape rumor:
http: //www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Obama_denies_a_rumor_and_questions_the_question.html
Thing is, what he said does not justify the headline. It’s a non-denial denial.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Metro, I apologize then. I took your comments about upholding the unsophisticated as saying that you thought I was unsophisticated because I don’t think it’s the end of the world if a man calls a woman sweetie. I guess you’re saying that Obama’s voters are more “sophisticated” than Hillary’s because she tended to get more working class voters and he got more highly educated liberal elitists. Hillary actually got two bases, working class voters and raging feminists. If you are referring to Hillary’s working class base, that is elitist on your part, but Alex Knepper has told me that he is proud to consider himself an elitist. I take it you are the same way. The elitist wing of the Republican party represented by the likes of Metro and Alex would actually have a lot more in common culturally with Obama voters than with Hillary voters. As far as JC and Jim, it is disappointing on a Republican website that people would be whining about Obama being sexist. I know JC takes the comments to be sexist, but you have to be so careful what you say to women anyway. That’s why I have almost all men for friends. You have to be so careful what you say to women so as not to offend them that I just don’t talk to them most of the time. I’ve noticed older conservative reporters like Bob Novak and Pat Buchanan really speak their minds. Younger ones are much more wishy washy and PC. They don’t make conservatives like they used to.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Ted, I would like to think women vote on the issues and not based on whether there is one on the ticket.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Metro if you believe the tape exists I really feel for you.
You couldn’t have written a more perfect script for the hoax it is.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:10 am
The first quote is certainly a bit dismissive, but could it be he just wasn’t taking questions just yet? Mostly non-issue. The second quote depends on what kind of “dancer” you think he’s talking about, I suppose. The third is just dumb, as people talk about throwing the kitchen sink (or everything but) all the time, and there’s no gender indicator in that. There’s so much more fertile ground to go after Sen Obama on than this silliness.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I was shocked that Beckel believed there was a tape.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:16 am
#18 Clarence, yes, women vote on the issues just like men. But we also want to see that glass ceiling broke, just like black people want it broke for their reasons. Once a woman is elected to the POTUS, these gender issues won’t be so prominent in future elections.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Heath, I’m agnostic on the existence of the tape.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:01 am
secret weapon.
http://www.mccainblogette.com/docs/postings/060508/18_full.jpg
June 6th, 2008 at 11:03 am
#23, she clearly said it, but I do not believe it is on tape. I believe that people from that conference remember what she said.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Hello folks. I’m new here but I just have to jump in and throw my 2 cents in about the sweetie comment. Go find the video of it and judge for yourself. It was dismissive, coming at the end of some questioning. The response of the reporter after he turned away from her was telling- her voice literally dripped with derision. Whether or not one thinks she’s overreacting is beside the point. He struck a nerve. Republicans would be fools to overlook this potential weakness.
And having been called “honey,” “sweetie,” “babe,” etc. I can tell you that context is EVERYTHING. Hearing it from a close male colleague is one thing- hearing it from an older man, a (male or female) stranger or one in a position of power is quite another altogether- it all depends on if you really believe the person in question could mentally reduce you to a sweetie, honey or babe.
I get the feeling Palin would have had a better comeback than the shocked reporter. Something along the lines of “Sure, hon, you set that right up.” I’d pay money to see that- up to my $2000 limit if she was on the ticket. She’s played with the boys and she knows that chip-on-your shoulder feminism is not the way to work it. Calling a chauvinist on his BS or joking about it while you show that you know your s**t better than he does, is. If they made Palin nutcrackers she’d buy them by the case and hand them out as party favors.
She would be wildly appealing to women of all stripes. She will pull in people who have never voted before, like Obama has. The abortion issue is not the litmus test it used to be. The pro-lifers have been successful winning hearts and minds- I agree technology has been helpful but more helpful than better birth control is the widespread use of ultrasound. The stigma of unwanted pregnancies has diminished, too. The population views abortion as a necessary evil, and this is the truce we will permanently have. The VP has exactly zero to do with abortion rights, as changes there will come through the courts, like Roe v. Wade, and she doesn’t appoint the justices. If she softens her stance to accept abortion in extreme cases, that is all she needs to do.
Republicans have to shake the image of the older white male party- even if it’s not really true. If McCain wants to win he’s got to get Palin or Jindal. It’s that simple. Sorry for the long-winded post. I shouldn’t wait so long to de-lurk next time.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Here’s the link to the video of the “sweetie” incident. Sexist? You bet.
I wonder how many of those reporters fawning over Obama in his blue jeans would be doing it now.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
It is disappointing to see all these so-called conservatives whining about sexism.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
#9 YES, AS FAR AS WE KNOW RE MICHELLE. SHE PROBABLY HAS DIRT ON HIM.
YES, OBAMA ABUSES (SEE KILLS) FEMALES WHEN THEY ARE STILL IN THE WOMB OR WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF BEING BORN ALIVE WHEN THE ABORTIONIST IS INCOMPETENT.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Gamecock, some of the people suggested for McCain’s running mate also support killing females who are still in the womb.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
#31 VP’s don’t get to appoint judges.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Clarence, I would think a conservative would wish to address people by their titles, or when in doubt, “Ma’am” or “Sir.” Not by diminutive nicknames.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
#33 Which is why its so significant that Obama calls the biggest racist in America by the honorific “Minister” Farakhan.