Why women are edging toward Bush

[RedEarth]

WASHINGTON – Amid all the strategizing and message-mongering and imagemaking of the 2004 campaign, all aimed at attracting various demographic groups, one stark fact has risen to the top: President Bush has made serious inroads with women voters, to the point where, in some polls, he is beating Democrat John Kerry among females. If that trend holds, Bush will almost surely win reelection.
Democrats have long held an edge among women voters, a slight majority of the electorate, and grown to count on them to offset the Republicans' persistent advantage among men. Traditionally, women have given extra care to issues that favor Democrats, such as healthcare, education, and Social Security. Now, the war on terror - and the way Bush is playing it - appears to have shifted that calculation somewhat.



"Bush is trying to reassure them on healthcare and education, saying those things are important, but really it's security," says Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. "Women give him a 23-point advantage on security, and that's what's really driving their vote."

Particularly over the past month, the president gets credit for making the war in Iraq part of the war on terror in many women's minds. While women used to give Senator Kerry an advantage on the Iraq war, they now give Bush a 10-point advantage, Ms. Lake says. And, she adds, "even though they give Kerry a 16-point advantage on the economy, they're not focused on it."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0923/p01s01-ussc.html

[The Night Owl]

1. Didn't the GOP do the "women prefer Bush" thing to Gore too? (NT)

[featherman]

2. They're not

[Claire Beth]

35. you're correct, they aren't.

[Just Me]

72. Yup. If this isn't the most stunning fabrication of all time,...

,...I'll just say "fascism".

I've been coast to coast. This is "Orwellian" and fascist-ruin,...in operation.

[Zorra]

74. Yuh. Every mother just can't wait to vote for Bu$h so she can send her

newly drafted daughter or son off to fight and die in a senseless war started by an incompetent, lying idiot.

Or vote for Bu$h, the greasy pig that wants to tell her what she can and can't do with her own body.

There you have it: Bu$h wants to kill our kids, and control our bodies. That should make every woman with half a brain want to vote for Bu$h.

Not.

This article is a propaganda POS.

[mth44sc]

3. You might want to spend a minute here

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/002829.html

Before buying into this one...

[Career Prole]

6. Thanks for the link! n/t

[okieinpain]

50. well those numbers that are in kerry's favor are still not good

dems are use to getting the majority of those votes now they are split, while bush is still getting the majority of white males. kerry is going to win, but this is something we need to work on for 2008. I really find it hard to believe anybody male or female could think that what's happening in iraq is a good thing.

[donkeyotay]

61. Thanks

from the link:

The PEW Charitable Trust had a poll that raised all sorts of questions, but in particular, this result:
Breakdown of Presidential Support - Women Voters
Bush / Kerry

August
42 / 52
Sept 8-10
48 / 42
Sept 11-14
43 / 48

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/002829.html

end:

That's a lot closer than I can imagine, but Kerry still leads. I know a woman with a draft-age son who spends her lunch hours working at the Democratic Party Headquarters. I know a woman who is going to leave the country with her draft-age son if the monster is re-(s)elected. Women love their children. Women do not love *.

[leftchick]

4. utter crapola!

I don't buy this for a second!

[Kierkegaard]

59. Neither do I.

It's ludicrous. Women can't possibly be taken in by this lying, braggart/asshole.

Well, maybe a few shoeless gals that have some teeth missing.

[VolcanoJen]

5. Not to mention the latest disgusting wingnut talking point:

What happened to those Russian schoolchildren will happen to your children next, if you don't vote for Bush.

Because Kerry is pro-terror, and we're going to blame Americans if we're attacked again. :eyes:

Watch for this point... it's out there, and not just from Cheney, either.

[krkaufman]

7. No question, VJ; it's spreading.

Franken's show just played an unbelieveable clip of CNN's (AEI's) Bill Schneider saying the same thing. (You really need to hear it to believe it.)

The clip was played during the David Brock segment, at about the 2:26 mark in the live show. (The time will differ in the AirAmericaPlace archive of the show.)

[krkaufman]

34. Ah, here's the video clip of the Schneider statement...

... provided by MediaMatters.org:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200409200007

Holy crap. At least 4 distortions or outright falsehoods in Schneider brief statement, countered by only one honest qualifier (bolded-blue below).

SCHNEIDER: Well, I can guarantee you, they (Al Qaeda) don't like George Bush. Do they think there's a difference? I think Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda network, who I am certain follow American politics, look at the messages coming out on their tapes. They seem to follow politics very closely. They would very much like to defeat President Bush. But the question is: Can they pull off the same trick that they pulled off in Spain? What Dennis Hastert said is, "They'd better not try that. It won't work here." And my guess is, he's right about that.

And here's the donation page for MediaMatters: https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=2738

[krkaufman]

37. And another "Terrorists want Kerry" link on MediaMatters...

http://mediamatters.org/items/200409210011

"Terrorists want Kerry": The conservative mantra gains voices as it loses credibility

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. What happened to those kids happened BECAUSE of Bush's policies

Since there are now MORE organizations dedicated to recruiting and training terrorists since we did not cut the head off of Al Queda in Afghanistan

[Barney Rocks]

22. Bush's policies are

bad, but we have to put some blame on the Russians too. Their behavior in Chechnya has been appalling.

[leftynyc]

42. Russia and Chechnya have been at this for

over 10 years. We can't blame * for everything.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

45. I understand that point...but terrorism is INCREASING

and the tactics are becoming MORE severe...people are learning their tricks SOMEWHERE

[AndyTiedye]

52. Boosh will DRAFT Your Children

[blm]

8. You mean the press didn't tell them Bush was making deals with terrorists'

banks and money laundering networks while Kerry was working to shut them down?

If only people understood that Kerry was the FIRST lawmaker to track terrorists' funds to close them down, while Bush1 and 2 thugs worked to stop Kerry from exposing the terror networks and their funding by their cronies involved.

[ChrisK]

9. How can he be giving them security...

When he is sending there children off to die in a war that was a mistake in the first place based on false information...not to mention the war(s) he will drag us into next if he is re-elected.

[proud patriot]

10. but he's undercutting security

I just don't get it , the issue of security is important
to me and that's why I'm voting for Kerry.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Kerry needs to drive home that Bush will draft their kids

He can use that FEAR more effectively than Bush can use the "security" card with mothers.

[0007]

63. I absolutely agree with that strategy!

[Carolab]

12. Consider the source(s)

The Christian Science Monitor? Bill Schneider? Puhleeze.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

14. The Christian Science Monitor is a liberal leaning paper

[Carolab]

30. Just saying

it's not much to go by. They are interpreting the same skewed polls we've been looking at lately. I'd like to read the interpretation of someone in the polling industry whose views we can trust.

[sendero]

64. Liberal leaning perhaps...

... but about the only media outlet I trust completely. They are not prone to spinning a story for either side and seem to really go out of their way to be objective and tell all points of view.

[Lizzie Borden]

70. Yes it is.

[henslee]

15. We know its not the hair. Perhaps they like to get patted on the ass?

[sybylla]

16. Yeah, in their dreams.

I'm psychic and I predict it won't happen until hell freezes over while Venus is in retrograde and the Brewers have a winning season.

[delhurgo]

17. I don't think Kerry has convinced people, specifically women maybe,

that he'll be tough enough on 'terrorism'. Voters want to make sure they have a commander-in-chief that isn't afraid to use force, and as Edwards has said recently, "Crush the terrorists." He should of just said "kill" imo.

Kerry did have people convinced of this early on in the campaign. Thats what his running on being a war-hero was all about. But then came the SwiftVet ads questioning his service and mentioning that he became sort of a peacenik after the war, and that really caused damage. The Republican Convention just added to that, especially with Zell Miller's and Cheney's speeches making Kerry out to be soft on defense.

Kerry's going to have to say directly that he will not hesitate in using force/the military to literally hunt, bomb, kill,... the terrorists wherever they are. I don't think some voters are convinced that that is true. He's not seen as macho enough. People may disagree with Bush on Iraq, but they at least feel sure that he will hit back at the terrorists when need be. Kerry needs to convince voters that he will too.

[Bridget Burke]

23. I can't see how starting wars will "deal with" terrorism.

This "people" (a "woman", in fact) has not seen Bush hit back at any terrorist at all. He started a war against the Taliban, who may have had some connection with Osama, who may have had some connection with 9/11.

Then he moved the focus to Iraq (while Americans are still dying in Afghanistan), which had nothing at all to do with terrorism. Well, it does now.

This "women are turning to Bush" is just the latest meaningless slogan & a damned lie.

[The Night Owl]

24. Bush is tough on terrorism?

What was Bush's response to the USS Cole bombing? Nothing.

[Greyhawk]

47. USS Cole bombing

FYI:the Cole bombing was during the Clinton administration...

[The Night Owl]

55. FYI: Blame for Cole bombing was established after Bush took office.

The Cole bombing happened during the Clinton administration, but the CIA report on who was to blame for the Cole bombing came out during the Bush administration. Why didn't Bush respond when Al Qaeda was confirmed to have been responsible for the Cole bombing? Because he didn't give a shit about terrorism. In 2000, Bush was not focused on terrorism. He was focused on tax cuts for his wealthy friends and supporters.

Try reading the news.

[amber dog democrat]

33. I don't see what convincing needs to happen

Remember, this is the same administration that ignored terrorists warnings all summer of 2001, took a month long vacation and did not respond when we were under attack.

9/11 happened on their watch. Am I supposed to feel safer by giving the Chimp a second chance ? He was not elected the first time.

And don't forget this is the administration that got us into an unnecessary war under false pretenses - by lying to the American public and the world.

Why will I feel less safe with Kerry?

[roseBudd]

41. We need to Michael Moore them with facts

Go to http://somnamblst.tripod.com to download high resolution TIF or PDF files to print and

distribute. Let's Michael Moore Bush by showing the sheeple the explicit warning BushCo

ignored in 2001!

[sandraj]

18. Molly Ivins discussing this now on AAR

with Al Franken.

Transcribing as best I can, I may have missed a few points, probably not doing it justice-

Women in their 20s with a high school diploma and one or two children are a large block of undecided voters. The irony is, they're the ones who are hurt the most by Bush's policies.

How some of Bush's policies affect women on a daily basis:

* Overtime rules changed (1 hour comp time for 1 hour of work, employer decides). Is not the same as flex time. Loss of overtime pay.

* Spending cuts: pregnancy and early childhood nutrition programs, early childhood education (K-6) there's little or no revenue sharing to states anymore, so states have to make cuts; after-school programs; medicaid; federal health insurance program

[Malva Zebrina]

19. I don't believe this

My neighbors down the street have a lawn sign, one of seven, that says W stands for women.

How anyone can possible believe that, given his record is beyond me.

These people are wannabees. They are racist, seeking to identify with the millionaires that live on the road, but have not a thing but their bloviating, shallowness and eagerness in having themselves be associated with the rich. She was a teacher in a little rural school in the backwoods, and you would think she had a PhD and was the dean of Harvard. She continually bad mouthed the parents of the poorer kids, blaming them for her lack of skills in handling the pupils. He likes to say 'nigger' a lot. They both dress in LL Bean, complete with wellies, when they run their bird dog retriever, wearing little whistles on their neck. Oh yes, they are so much better than I--

On the other hand, we have a millionare or two or three,or four maybe five or six who have put out a Bush Cheney sign in front of their rock pillared entrance to their seven acre home on the water--where they go for the winter I have no idea, but they are also arrogant snobs--She is a friend of Barbara Bush.

[glitch]

21. W stands for Wannabe nt

[Lizzie Borden]

71. I think it stands for Worst.

[glitch]

73. that too. also What a Waste. nt

[MuseRider]

20. I just can't

wrap my mind around this one. I certainly do not see this in my daily interaction with other women. Most women detest men who act like he does, and his policies? No way. I do not believe it but if there is any truth to it we need to work on this. Bring out all the draft info, that should change it in a hurry.

[yardwork]

39. I agree - bring out the draft info!

And it would help if lefties could restrain themselves from saying "Kerry will have a draft too," just until after the election if it isn't asking too much....

Unfortunately, I know numerous women who plan to vote for Bush. These are their reasons as far as I can tell (they don't like to talk about it with me) -

1. Bush is a godly man. Their minister says so therefore it must be true.

2. Bush overcame drinking, drugs, and other problems in his youth and turned his life around (they hope their children will someday do the same).

3. Bush is tough on terror.

The Kerry campaign can fight this. Every single one of the reasons above are lies. Kerry and Edwards should go for Bush's weaknesses.

[MuseRider]

46. Looks like he just did.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x883997

Each one of the reason listed above are so easily argued that I can't understand how anyone would just assume them true without at least asking themselves how it is so. Education, the number one reason. The number two reason is we are worked to death and most do not have the time or the luxury of even considering their options. Such a darned shame.

[yardwork]

53. You're right. American culture as a whole is extremely stressful

and a lot of the stress falls on women, who are expected to do everything while kow-towing to the males in their lives.

I know a lot of families that aren't much different from Saudi Arabian families. It's no coincidence that the Bushes are close to the Saudis. Same oppressive attitudes toward women.

I have nothing against devout Christians, but imo the Christian church has a lot to answer for. Women are hammered into believing that they must be "good" wives, mothers, employees, volunteers - all "good" as defined by a male-dominated hierarchical church and society.

[Kolesar]

25. Women identify with his impulsive warmongering--NOT!

That pig-headed decisiveness will be the reason women vote against him.

[mimitabby]

27. sex appeal?

any guy who refers to his wife as "that lump in the bed"
is not even remotely appealing to most women I know.

[iamjoy]

75. John Edwards = Sex Appeal

I was at the rally last nite in Orlando, and when Kerry and Edwards walked on that stage, the crowd was wild, the lights were flashing. Sure, Kerry was cool but Edwards eats that stuff up like a Wendy's Frosty. Almost like he's a rock star or something.

Bush does not have sex appeal, although in a way he is sorta cute - kind of like a slobbering dog that wants to stick his nose in your business (how appropriate and brings us back to the topic of Bush and women and how he wants to take away our privacy)

[funnymanpants]

26. Republican talking points being repeated

I don't believe there is any *good* evidence to support this claim. But creating doom and gloom is part of the Republican strategy right now. Notice how many times the "Kerry is dead" line is repeated.

[ScrewyRabbit]

28. Soccer moms for security?!

I just don't get it.

[Red Fox]

29. And why the hell not? "No male genitalia" people need to support own kind!

Bush lacks balls, so it's obvious women feel more related to him than JK.

[Generator]

31. Yep there's nothing that makes me feel safer

than my son in Iraq giving his life when everybody knows he would be just as unsafe here. The terrorists are everywhere man!

Oh, and my poor husband gettting his head cut-off because he can't find a job in W's America. It just makes me all warm and fuzzy for George.

They aren't focused on the econonmy? How many terrorist attacks have we had? Are we cowering all day long in fear so bad that it doesn't matter we have to work two jobs, gas is unafordable and milk is $3.49 a gallon?

Once again this new line of attack against Kerry defies reality. But you know what they say, those that control the information make reality. Something to think about.

[Carolab]

32. Pew research/people-press indicate otherwise

These numbers show Kerry GAINING in women's support.

http://people-press.org/reports/tables/224.pdf

[kayell]

36. W stands ON women

[Media_Lies_Daily]

38. Why are you believing that crap?

[SoCalDem]

40. sadly, there ARE women out here who return to abusive husbands

and boyfriends...time after time..

They are attracted to the very guys who will abuse them, and manage to convince them that it's THEIR fault when anything goes wrong.. We all know that * NEVER EVER EVER accepts responsibility for ANYTHING.. That "quality" must be what attracts them to him..

[Media_Lies_Daily]

43. But that's not the case here....what we're seeing is propaganda....

...DISGUISED as a poll.

[SoCalDem]

44. ALL polls are propaganda..

The whole purpose of them is so "people" can look at them and "decide" if their opinions are "with the mainstream" or not..

Unfrotunately the "mainstream" is little more than a polluted creek..

[progressivebydesign]

48. Gosh.. do I smell at new TALKING POINT???

How many articles like this have we seen this week? God.. the media is pathetic. Any original ideas out there? Kerry absolutely ROCKS the women's vote. No women with a brain in their own head would vote for Bush.. this is just more whisper campaign bullshit from the FRIGHTENED Bush camp.

[drdtroit]

49. Why do women love the abuser? n/t

[SoCalDem]

51. Because the abusers "charm" them into thinking that THEY

are the ones with the problem...and the abuser is just trying to "help" them...

Psychotics often know quite a bit about psychology.. They seek out "weak" women because they can be dominated easily.

[thethinker]

54. Total BS !

This is total BS and the Christian Science Monitor knows it.

I am writing them a letter about this one. They use to have a reputation as being a good newspaper that printed the truth. Now they print republican talking points?

I have heard the same talking points on right wing hate radio this afternoon.

I remember when Bush I was running for president. The one thing I noticed was they were always quoting polls that I knew were not true.

They are quoting polls trying to tell us that Bush is ahead so it will not be so obvious when they cheat counting votes (with no paper trail).

[demokatgurrl]

56. Another woman here

who could NEVER vote for Bush. Kerry is a REAL man.
Maybe we should all offically join "Women for Kerry" so the membership explodes to reflect the true support for Kerry among women.

[llmart]

57. This is another piece of pure propaganda....

I work in a library with mostly women and only two men. ALL the women are voting for Kerry and only one of the men is. The custodian is voting for *, but then that's why he's a custodian making $10/hour. Not too bright.

[xchrom]

58. men, women and children are no safer in bush's america

than they were on 9-11.
pass it on.

[ignatius 2]

60. You remember a few weeks ago when Laura would not speak to the

mother who had lost her son in Iraq? I think this needs to be blown up somehow. Here we have a supposedly compassionat woman who will not speak to another woman who has given to this country her most precious possession, her son. In my mind Laura looked callous, certainly uncompassionate, and certainly graceless by not speaking to this woman. This coupled with the fact that Chimpy has yet to attend a funeral of a fallen soldier is the real tale about those two. They live in a parallel universe where their beautiful minds cannot be troubled with the reality of dead young people and grieving families. Meanwhile,the twins throw out $45,000 for booze in a big bash. I think the exploitation of Laura's callousness to another mother would touch many women. I wish that mom would go on Ophrah.

I have sent many comments to my paper about Laura's snub, but they have printed none of them. IMHO, Laura needs to be put over the coals for this.

I have thought if either Bill or Hillary had been confronted with this woman, how would they react? I suspect that both of them would have graciouslly spoken to and mourned this woman's loss. It seems to me that neither Bush nor Laura have even one ounce of empathy in their souless bodies.

[athena]

62. Bush is NOT getting the women's vote.

I'd sooner believe that the earth is flat than this propaganda. There is absolutely NO way single women are going to vote for Bush. This is the same media that chose, during the March for Women's Lives which drew more people than any march in the history of the nation, to give more coverage to the few hundred anti-abortion demonstrators. I haven't heard any commentary from the mainstream media that pro-choice women will be a factor at all.

Planned Parenthood and NARAL have been working very hard for months to inform pro-choice women of the Bush threat and encourage them to vote on Nov. 2. The mainstream media will look pretty stupid when Kerry wins a large proportion of the women's vote.

[Scootman78]

68. Right on!

Loved your post athena. I'm not a woman (last I checked), but I'm sickened by the thought that the media thinks the many free-minded women of this nation are going to be suckered in by Bush's slimeball tactics.

Only the close-minded fools buy into what he spouts out. I'm an optimist and I believe there are more open-minded women than close-minded ones. However, I do live in an area where I see more of the close-minded (central Florida). Oh well, still gotta stay optimistic.


My idea for a sign..it would be a bumper sticker if it weren't so damn long...
_____________________________________________________________

Cheney and Bush are evil scum.
If you vote for them, then you're really dumb

Vote for Kerry and you'll feel less pain
Because with Bush, we'll probably be attacked again.
_____________________________________________________________


I thought about it, but then I decided not to write it because unlike Cheney and other miserable Repulsivecans, I don't stoop so low to mention scare tactics.

[Zynx]

65. They're not.

[Leilani]

66. Don t shoot the messenger!

Celinda Lake is a highly respected Dem pollster.

Instead of denial, the Kerry campaign is surely aware of this result...they have their own polling.

What happened to all the females supposedly swooning for Edwards?

This election is about Iraq & terrorism. Wes Clark is looking better all the time, not to mention the importance of Arkansas.

Kerry has time...he will make adjustments.

[iamjoy]

77. Just More Doom And Gloom

All these supposedly liberal outlets spreading all this bad news about Kerry. It's not part of a right wing conspiracy or anything (IMO) - I just think more "woe is me" handwringing. Poor Kerry, not running a very good campaign. Oh, whatever shall we do.

If anything this should help energize and motivate those of us who know the truth to spread it. It beats sitting around crying and bitching.

[Digit]

67. Total Booshit! More propaganda, doncha know.

Women are MUCH smarter than this, and we can see through all the lies and distortions.
We know with *'s pre-emptive stupidity that we could lose our children to war. We are, afterall, the peacemakers.
We are generally the ones who think longterm about the earth and leaving something for our progeny.
We are the caretakers for our aging parents...we don't want a government which abandons us, when we need (and our parents need), all the help we can get.
For these, and many other reasons, it is all propaganda.

[2Design]

69. not this woman - only women who like to be abused will vote for bush

[leesa]

76. They aren't. This is pure horseshit.

[wovenpaint]

78. If I recall correctly,

There were more than ONE MILLION women (and their supporters!) in Washington DC last April marching for women... against * and this failed "administration". I know - because I was there! Something smells like what will shortly be hitting the fan.

[arikara]

79. Absolutely ridiculous.

Another fabrication.

[farmboxer]

80. Republicans Are Anti-Women

Who was it who said: "If women receive equal pay and equal rights, the will turn into witches and lesbians."? It was a Republican, of course!