Sarah Palin's appeal to working-class women may be limited

[RamboLiberal]

UNIONTOWN, PA. -- Trish Heckman, a 49-year-old restaurant cook and disappointed Hillary Rodham Clinton supporter, watched last week as the country's newest political star made her explosive debut.

She followed the news when John McCain introduced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, paid attention to the raging debate over her qualifications, even tuned in to watch her dramatic speech at the Republican convention.

But when it came down to an issue Heckman really cares about -- sending a daughter to college on $10.50 an hour -- her desire to see a woman reach the White House took a back seat to her depleted savings account.

"I wanted Hillary to win so bad, but I saw Sarah, and it just didn't work for me," said Heckman, taking a break in the empty courtyard of J. Paul's restaurant in a downtown struggling to revive. "I have no retirement. Obama understands it's the economy. He knows how we live."

Heckman, like many others in this former coal-mining town at the western foot of the Appalachians, is the type of voter that both presidential campaigns will target in the final two months. Polls show that working-class women have emerged as one of the most critical categories of swing voters at a time when McCain and Barack Obama have galvanized their party bases but still need more votes to win.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-women7-2008sep07,0,7702239.story

[Raine]

1. Real supporters of Hillary are

smart and not fooled by the sort of woman that Palin is.

[curious one]

2. I am not counting on her appeal, she will be faded in early Oct.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. I think we should call them "street hockey moms".

I do not think Sarah Palin speaks for them.

Democrats should be their party of choice. I hope and pray most of them realize that.

[Iris]

4. Wow, I like it. Something that includes working-class women in the national discussion.

When I read it, it gave me a little chill.

[spooky3]

5. The polls (ABC, Rasmussen) show that more MEN (vs women) like her

It's approx. a 10 point gap. Not surprised at all by this.