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Political Hay
The Morning After the ‘War on Women’
A partial transcript from November 7.
(Page 2 of 2)
The public also saw politics in the controversy. In March, a public opinion poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that half of respondents said they believed the mandate debate was “mostly being driven by election-year politics.”
Many Democratic strategists failed to understand that the idea that women don’t have access to or can’t afford birth control just didn’t measure up with reality of a society swamped with free and cheap contraceptives.
But President Obama inexplicably continued to make the false allegation. In mid-October, he told a crowd at a campaign event at George Mason University, “I don’t think a college student in Fairfax should have to choose between text books or the preventive care that she needs.”
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: So, Jake, if I may interrupt, why the obsession with abortion and contraceptives?
JAKE TAPPER: That’s a good question, George. These scare tactics certainly brought in a lot of money to abortion groups and energized their base. But Democrats seemed oblivious to polls that found abortion and birth control ranked last among issues most voters cared about.
A Pew Research poll found abortion and birth control ranked next to last on a list of 18 voter priorities.
A Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that less than one percent of respondents mentioned women’s health or birth control as top election issues.
In the closing weeks of the campaign, Fluke and Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards were campaigning full time on behalf of Obama but drawing sparse crowds. One event with Fluke drew just 10 people.
By mid-October polls began to show that the scare tactics just weren’t working. The 20-point lead Obama enjoyed among women for much of the campaign quickly evaporated and polls began to show the race a dead heat.
Exit polls from yesterday showed Romney won among women because women cared about the same issues as men, most of all the economy. That spelled defeat for a president whose term saw the number of unemployed women rise by 450,000 and the poverty rate for women rise higher than at any time in 17 years.
Romney, meanwhile, kept his attention on the economy. But he was careful not to back off his pro-life position. A key part of Romney’s pitch was that he would repeal Obamacare, including its contraceptive and abortion mandate. And only a few weeks ago, the president-elect reiterated his pledge to defund Planned Parenthood “immediately” upon entering office.
Robin and George, the Democrats’ scare tactics on women’s issues will be looked back on by political historians as one of the biggest strategic blunders in recent American political history.
Yes, the Democrats became defined by their preoccupation with abortion and birth control, and they paid a high political price for it. Some Democrats are already suggesting that the party enter a period of soul-searching about the wisdom of taking a position on abortion that’s increasingly out of step with the electorate.
Back to you in New York.
About the Author
Daniel Allott is a writer in Washington, D.C.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (17) | Leave a comment
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Appleby| 11.1.12 @ 6:43AM
I just heard that a woman who came in to vote wearing a shirt that said "Vote Bible" was told by the witch/wizard/demonic being at the door to either cover it up with her jacket or get out of the polling place. Every time one of these overreaching events occurs, another person says, "By God, Harry, I'm gonna go down and vote and sing 'em a chorus of VICTORY IN JESUS on the way out the door! Who the hades let those Russkies in anyway?"
Hardcard| 11.1.12 @ 8:41AM
beware of the lies and deception to come. these commieprogs will stop at nothing to get the moslem back in the catbird seat. they will use the disaster in the northeast to further their cause. stay strong and vote.
Bill8472| 11.1.12 @ 9:04AM
"MITT ROMNEY WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - WOMEN AND BLACKS HURT MOST"
Pecos Pete| 11.1.12 @ 9:25AM
Prove it.
markenoff| 11.1.12 @ 10:29AM
Obviously this was sarcasm.
Alej| 11.1.12 @ 9:51AM
"MITT ROMNEY WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - STUPID WOMEN AND 96 % OF BLACKS HURT MOST"
Fixed it for you.
DTOM| 11.1.12 @ 9:53AM
War on women? It is being waged by liberal Democrats. Its primary casualties? Half of the babies murdered in their mothers' wombs by abortionists would have been women.
THAT'S THE REAL WAR ON WOMEN!!!
DTOM
SUBVET| 11.1.12 @ 12:25PM
Margaret Sanger/Rockefeller III
It all started when Margaret Sanger under the name of the American Birth Control League. The name was changed for public relations reasons to Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1942, Clinton signed into law (infanticide) on the first day of his presidency as a matter of great pride.
Planned Parrenthood....in NY City was established in 1971 and funded with a $200K pledge from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.......also a member of the CFR.
Connect the dots folkes...........Control by degrading womanhood.
markenoff| 11.1.12 @ 10:28AM
"Sandra Fluke, who complained at a congressional hearing"
It wasn't a Congressional hearing It was a glorified Democrat news conference. Some people alsothink she "testified". But she wasn't under oath.
Jimbobogie| 11.1.12 @ 12:22PM
Speaking purely impartially, isn't there an age-old proverb that says something about "counting chickens"? Do not underestimate the impact of Hurricane Sandy-or more importantly Romney's seeming disconnect from the issue. IMHO, he should have at least publically offered any possible assistance to Obama with crisis management instead of simply continuing the campaign with an "Oh by the way let's help the victims of the hurricane". Perhaps he could have offered something more to Chris Christie than a photo-op. Christie made the FOX Morning folks look, shall we say, uni-dimensional (that's about as mildly as I can put it) yesterday.
Appleby| 11.1.12 @ 2:23PM
Actually, there's nothing at all Romney could have done that would not have gotten him mocked and slammed by the press (and half of the people who post here) -- a "me too" like you suggest would have made him look silly.
Reality1| 11.2.12 @ 8:58AM
Hey Jim, do YOU know exactly how much Romney pulled out HIS pocket and donated to the relief effort? You do not so please refrain from hurling useless and baseless accusations around.
RCV| 11.1.12 @ 12:35PM
Dream on, Daniel!
Politically Incorrect | 11.1.12 @ 12:51PM
Im sorry, I find it hard to believe that ABC morning news anchors will run this story. I think they will be just agog that Romney beat there precious leader, that there to busy crying to come up with anything this sensible.
Michael| 11.1.12 @ 3:42PM
I just how many of the liberal media in NY and DC will say, "Oh, goodness, I just remembered I'm pro-life until the next election!! (Or I can claim to be to get the good interviews)
Rhoetus| 11.1.12 @ 11:16PM
The women in my household are voting for Romney.
Fluffy| 11.3.12 @ 1:28AM
I vote like my boy parts depend on it!