Poll: Clinton paved way for first woman president
WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton paved the way for the first woman president, a milestone that could be reached within the next eight years, according to a nationwide poll of women released yesterday.
But it won't be Hillary.
Only three in 10 of the women surveyed said that Clinton would be the first woman to occupy the White House as chief executive, the poll for Lifetime Networks found.
And despite complaints by her backers of sexism during the hard-fought primaries this year, the majority of women blame Clinton and her campaign strategists for her loss to presumptive nominee Barack Obama, the poll found.
A Clinton campaign aide disputed the poll's findings.
Yet Clinton could play a crucial role in shoring up support for Obama as she prepares to make her first solo campaign trips for him this month in an election that could be decided by the women's vote.
Democrat Obama leads Republican John McCain 49 percent to 38 percent, but 10 percent remain undecided, according to the survey of 700 women nationally in the last week of July. The poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 percentage points.
Obama still must win over nearly one in five of the women who backed Clinton in the primaries, said Celinda Lake, who conducted the poll with Kellyanne Conway.
Three quarters of the Clinton voters say they will support Obama, but 18 percent of them - who are more independent, blue collar and older - say they'll vote for McCain.
"That may change when they see Hillary campaign for Obama," Lake said.
Clinton will host rallies and voter registration drives in Las Vegas on Friday and in South Florida on Aug. 21, the Obama campaign said yesterday.
Clinton campaign adviser Ann Lewis disputed the poll's ability to make sweeping conclusions about Clinton's presidential possibilities, since it is not clear how many of those surveyed are Democrats.
After all, Lewis said, more than half of the women voted for Clinton for president when they had a chance to do so in the Democratic primaries.
As to the reasons for Clinton's loss, Lewis said the polling question apparently does not ask whether sexist attitudes during the primaries, particularly in the media, played a role in Clinton's defeat.
The poll indicates bitterness lingers among her followers. But among women overall the poll found:
Two-thirds blamed Clinton's loss on "the kind of campaign she ran" or "who she is and what she stands for." Only a fifth said she lost "because she's a woman."
The majority of women say if Obama or McCain pick a female running mate it won't make a difference in their vote.
Obama is viewed favorably by 53 percent of women, and McCain by 37 percent.
44 percent say a woman will be president in eight years.
But it won't be Hillary.
Only three in 10 of the women surveyed said that Clinton would be the first woman to occupy the White House as chief executive, the poll for Lifetime Networks found.
And despite complaints by her backers of sexism during the hard-fought primaries this year, the majority of women blame Clinton and her campaign strategists for her loss to presumptive nominee Barack Obama, the poll found.
A Clinton campaign aide disputed the poll's findings.
Yet Clinton could play a crucial role in shoring up support for Obama as she prepares to make her first solo campaign trips for him this month in an election that could be decided by the women's vote.
Democrat Obama leads Republican John McCain 49 percent to 38 percent, but 10 percent remain undecided, according to the survey of 700 women nationally in the last week of July. The poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 percentage points.
Obama still must win over nearly one in five of the women who backed Clinton in the primaries, said Celinda Lake, who conducted the poll with Kellyanne Conway.
Three quarters of the Clinton voters say they will support Obama, but 18 percent of them - who are more independent, blue collar and older - say they'll vote for McCain.
"That may change when they see Hillary campaign for Obama," Lake said.
Clinton will host rallies and voter registration drives in Las Vegas on Friday and in South Florida on Aug. 21, the Obama campaign said yesterday.
Clinton campaign adviser Ann Lewis disputed the poll's ability to make sweeping conclusions about Clinton's presidential possibilities, since it is not clear how many of those surveyed are Democrats.
After all, Lewis said, more than half of the women voted for Clinton for president when they had a chance to do so in the Democratic primaries.
As to the reasons for Clinton's loss, Lewis said the polling question apparently does not ask whether sexist attitudes during the primaries, particularly in the media, played a role in Clinton's defeat.
The poll indicates bitterness lingers among her followers. But among women overall the poll found:
Two-thirds blamed Clinton's loss on "the kind of campaign she ran" or "who she is and what she stands for." Only a fifth said she lost "because she's a woman."
The majority of women say if Obama or McCain pick a female running mate it won't make a difference in their vote.
Obama is viewed favorably by 53 percent of women, and McCain by 37 percent.
44 percent say a woman will be president in eight years.
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