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For women voters, Palin's gender may be her only draw

BY CRAIG GORDON | craig.gordon@newsday.com

August 30, 2008

DENVER - Hillary Clinton's supporters were clamoring just a week ago to see a woman added to a presidential ticket.

They just never thought it would be on the Republican side.

John McCain's surprise pick of little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could put some of those disgruntled "Hillary Democrats" up for grabs in the fall election, experts said - even if the vast majority stay loyal to Democrat Barack Obama.

McCain's team has been targeting Clinton voters relentlessly in recent weeks, hoping to capitalize on their anger at Obama for passing over Clinton as his running mate. Picking Palin was a perfect way to rub salt in the wound.

Palin herself wasted no time reaching across the aisle to Clinton's backers. "Hillary left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America, but it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all," said Palin, who would be the first female vice president.

That appeal will cause some women to give McCain a fresh look - particularly voters who were already considering a vote for McCain.

"Because of what's going on in the Democratic primary, there's a sense there's a little bit of vulnerability there [for Obama] and a little bit of an opportunity for McCain to make some inroads there, and this vote could determine the outcome of the election," said Debbie Walsh, who studies women in politics at Rutgers University.

Democrats came out swinging, saying women who backed Clinton could never go for Palin because they are ideological opposites. Palin is anti-abortion and pro-gun rights.

Long Island Rep. Steve Israel said, "I've been in Congress for eight years and I've heard about Sarah Palin twice. I'm sure she's a capable governor of Alaska. I'm just not sure she's ready to be vice president."

Debbie Dingell, a loyal Clinton backer and wife of John Dingell (D-Mich.), said she'd been talking to women all day who felt "insulted" by the move. "This is just sheer political pandering," she said. "I don't think women are going to buy it."

But Clinton's own statement on Palin was muted: "We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin's historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin would add an important new voice to the debate."

Also, former Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson left open the chance that a few Clinton supporters could defect to McCain: "You are going to have a lot of women voters wondering why Senator Obama didn't tap Senator Clinton as his running mate."

Even a small number of Clinton supporters, added to a small number of independent voters, could tip what is shaping up as a close election. Independent women voters already are the No. 1 target for both sides.

Republican pollster David Winston said he sees three groups who might look more favorably on McCain due to the Palin pick - married women with children (Palin herself has five), independent women and blue-collar women. McCain already is getting about 25 percent of former Clinton voters.

Walsh, however, said voting patterns show most women tend to vote Democratic, not because of the gender of the candidates but because of the party's positions on the issues.

Top Clinton supporters in New York believe others will stick with Obama. "There's a moment of pride when any woman anywhere anytime is recognized and does well. However, that moment doesn't last if that woman doesn't stand up under scrutiny on the issues that really matter," said former state Democratic chairwoman Judith Hope.