Hillary: Bracing For the Gender Neutral Test
November 25, 2007 | 12:36 am | by t-blender |Rate It:
newsweek.com: For Hillary Clinton, a funny thing has happened on the way to the Democratic nomination: one of her biggest potential handicaps—her gender—has become her biggest strength. Seeking to “smash” what she calls “the highest glass ceiling,” Clinton has secured a 20-point national lead among Democrats almost solely on the basis of her support among women, who favored her by 42 points over Barack Obama in the October ABC/Washington Post survey.
But does Clinton’s early advantage mean we’re past gender when picking presidents? Not so fast, say experts. The Democratic primary is one thing—Dems are typically more comfortable than Republicans when it comes to voting for women. But the general election is a much different test. (Assuming Clinton gets that far: the latest ABC/Washington Post poll shows Obama ahead in Iowa, and tied among women there.) “The idea that gender won’t matter in the general election is just insane,” says unaffiliated Democratic pollster Mark Blumenthal. “Gender brings all sorts of baggage. The big question is, is it a net plus or a net minus?”
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