WOMEN

Posted at 6:28 a.m. ET

We can now say with a high degree of certainty that it is possible to speak to American women without the permission of Gloria Steinem.  This will come as a shock to Ms. Steinem and her humorless brigades, but it is true.

The Politico reports on a survey that shows Sarah power is having its impact.  We smile, we rejoice:

Since Republican presidential nominee John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, he has erased Barack Obama’s once-commanding lead as the candidate seen by women as having a “better understanding of women and what is important” to them, a new poll of likely female voters shows.

Sen. McCain now has a two point advantage – 44 to 42 percent – over his Democratic rival on that score, according to the poll conducted by pollsters Kellyanne Conway and Celinda Lake for Lifetime Television. In a July poll by Lifetime, Sen. Obama was seen as more empathetic to women’s concerns, by 52 to 18 percent over McCain.

If McCain/Palin can pull this election off, Sarah becomes the most powerful woman in America, and she didn't have to marry the governor of Arkansas to get there.

In this latest poll, conducted Sept. 11-15, age remained a key determinant in response to the question about women’s concerns. Young women, ages 18-34, chose the Obama/Biden ticket as more empathetic to their needs, while women aged 35-64 went for McCain/Palin. Unlike black and Hispanic women, white women saw McCain and Palin as most understanding of their concerns.

In addition, about one in four women who supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primaries said McCain and Palin have a better grasp of women’s needs than Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden.

Okay, those are attitudes.  The bottom line is votes.  How did that come out?

The survey comes as women overall favor the Democratic ticket, 48 to 44 percent, according to the weekly summaries of Gallup polling. That marks a wider margin than Democrats enjoyed in 2004 on Election Day, but less than in 2000.

And the Dems lost both times. 

The Sarah phenomenon was temporarily detailed last week by the financial crisis, and yet she drew some of the largest crowds of the campaign.  One rally in Florida had some 60,000 cheering Sarah fans, according to one knowledgeable source.

The next ten days, building to the vice-presidential debate on Thursday, October 2nd, will be crucial.  The Republicans must put their new star front and center, and let her do her thing.  She must also get through the debate and hold her own.  I have a gut feeling she may do much more.

September 22, 2008