The Barack Obama-Joseph Biden ticket is now in a statistical tie with John McCain-Sarah Palin on the question of who understands women and what's important to them, according to an "Every Woman Counts" poll conducted for Lifetime Networks between Sept. 11-15. Obama had led McCain 52 percent to 18 percent with 11 percent saying "neither" in this survey in July, but now McCain leads 44 percent to 42 percent.
The poll weighed in on a question that had come up both with Hillary Clinton and Palin: whether press treatment of them had been sexist or unfair. Fifty-six percent said coverage of Clinton was fair while 40 percent said it was not, and respondents said the same thing of Palin but by a 50 percent to 42 percent margin.
Fifty-seven percent of women who voted for Clinton in the primaries were upset that Obama didn't select her as running mate. Twenty-three percent say they will vote for McCain compared to 18 percent in July.
Palin is viewed favorably by 52 percent of women and unfavorably by 29 percent with 13 percent holding a neutral or mixed view. Drilling down into what went into the favorable-unfavorable perceptions, 51 percent liked her for her personal characteristics and 39 percent for her experience and qualifications. Forty-eight percent disliked her positions on the issues, although only 18 percent said that was due to her anti-abortion stand, and 45 percent cited her lack of experience.
The poll had these findings for women voters on key presidential attributes:
- Readiness to lead the country: McCain 47, Obama 43.
- Will help the middle-class the most: Obama 57, McCain 32.
- Will bring about change: Obama 51, McCain 37.
- Will reform the way Washington does business: Obama 47, McCain 40.
- Will best handle Iraq: McCain led Obama 50 percent to 36 percent on who was best equipped to win the war, while Obama led McCain 51 percent to 37 percent on who was best equipped to end it.
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