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Issues important to women have been front and center on the national stage -- and in Virginia over the past couple of months with talk of birth control, the kinds of ultrasounds women would be required to get, and personhood amendments.
And a poll out Tuesday morning shows women are fueling President Obama’s increased lead in the critical battleground.
The president is now up by eight points, 50-42 percent, over Mitt Romney in the state that could be key to whether Obama will be back for another four years in the White House, according to a Quinnipiac poll.
That’s up four points from a month ago and represents a 10-point shift from December, when Romney led 44-42 percent.
Even if Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is added to the ticket, the president still holds a commanding 50-43 percent lead.
"President Barack Obama has opened up some daylight in Virginia against his Republican challengers," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a press release.
The difference has been women. Obama leads Romney with women, 52-39 percent. In December, Romney led with them 45-43 percent, a whopping 15-point change.
The Obama campaign has made a concerted effort to reach out to women, using the benefits of the new health-care law, for example, in mailers in swing states.
The president’s approval rating in the state is 49-47 percent, the first time he has been a net-positive since Quinnipiac started polling Virginia for this cycle last June. Again, that’s driven by women, who approve of the president 52-43%.
With men and independents, though, the president is still a net-negative.
Kaine leads Allen in Senate race
The race for the U.S. Senate continues to be neck and neck, with former Gov. Tim Kaine leading former Sen. and Gov. George Allen by a narrow, 47-44 percent. But that’s a five-point shift from December, when Allen led 44%-42%.
Women are also backing Kaine (49-40percent) by a wider margin than men (43-46 percent). But not by quite as wide a margin as Obama.
And Kaine may have some room for improvement with black voters. African American backed Obama over Romney 94-5 percent. Kaine got 83-6 percent, so more are undecided. But, as the election nears, Kaine stands to benefit from the president’s efforts in the state, especially with black voters when he’s at the top of the ticket.
Virginia is a crucial Senate toss-up race that could determine control of the upper chamber. The open seat is currently held by retiring Democrat Jim Webb. Republicans need to take over three seats if President Obama loses reelection to win control, four if he wins.
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I lived through this discussion in the 60's. I will never in the years I have left will vote for a republician nor will my daughter, granddaughter or great grand daughter if I live long enough to see her vote. Even the men are pissed.
This attiude is from the middle ages as I stated on this comment board sveral weeks ago.
I want to thank the teaparty for helping Obama get reelected. Stupid legislation someone did not take a survey correctly.
as a woman and mother, I will never vote republican and as a matter of fact come hell or high water I will cast a vote for Obama and every other Dem running.
One granny to another,and one women to another,I'am with ya all the way.
One granny to another,I'am with ya all the way.Women can get it done! It should be votes not money,So get out the vote girls.
I lived through this discussion in the 60's. I will never in the years I have left will vote for a republician
Just goes to show you age does not equal wisdom....
Tammy1, I am surprised at you. YOu want your kids and grandkids to have to pay for all this massive debt for BHO's worthless and wasteful spending? shame on you....
No I want my children to have an education. I want them to not have to go to war based on lies. I want a world for them where they are free to choose their medical care.
Most generations want better for their children, Im surprised you wish the same old nonsense on yours.
Republicans are saying that women using contraceptives are sluts, so you women should give them what they want. If a man wants sex and is a republican just say no.
no we are saying that they can use contraceptives but let them pay for it themselves!!
No they are saying they want employers to choose my medical care. Stop listening to the bs and read the bill. If an employer says contraceptives are against their religion...no contraceptives. Well what if they claim cancer treatments are against their religion? NO THANKS
John-T what if the men are closet Republicans that live with democratic women, how can a women tell how their man will vote? There is alot of mixed marriages out there!
let's see they have ticked off women, Santorum is working on the Latino community....the Gop is finishing up with the over 55 crowd and Mitt is working on the college crowd....geeze is there anyone they haven't offended...oh yea the 1 percent.
That's exactly the percentage of votes their going to get in November 1%.
Paul Ryan's budget gets rid of:
Medicare as it exist now
Medicaid coverage for the elderly and disabled
Healthcare coverage for 30 million Americans
Paul Ryan's budget plan cuts:
food stamps
housing assistance
farm subsidies
federal workers
science programs
education services
prisons
border control
student loans
FEMA
unemployment insurance
IRS
FBI
Paul Ryan's budge provides:
Corporations and the Wealthy
3 trillion dollars in TAX CUTS
Obama's got my vote again in November
This is BS! Get your facts straight-Obamacare took $500Billion out of Medicare to pay for his worthless program. The Medicare system and SS is already $31Trillion underfunded. Mr. Food STamp president has increase the food stamp rolls from 28 mill to over 45 million. Obamacare will reduce private employer provided health insurance by 20 milllion people. ALL FACTS!
IF it continues at this pace, one day it will all just....stop! then what, genius? Want to be Greece? we are headed there..
Toyota3,
Keep buying imported cars and bitching about no jobs you dumb azz.
Obama Administration:
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) -- a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing; and, where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
The women of VA have spoken!! Did the Repubs even look at any information on this before they decided to make this an issue in almost every Republican controlled state legislature?? Women of both parties are in favor of birth control rights and an overwhelming majority of Republican women are still in favor of abortion in cases of rape, incest, and if the mother's life is in danger. Why would bills to completely outlaw abortion even make it to the floor of state floor in Florida, Arizona, and even Iowa - who took it one step further and wanted to give doctors life sentences for performing them. Women are paying attention - and they don't like what they're seeing from the Republican party.
Oh, and I forgot about the newest bill that just passed the house in Mississippi that would make it illegal to get an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is found, making an exception for victims of rape or incest only if they can PROVE the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. Do we really have to guess why women are pissed off??!
What else would DeNiro say? He has only dated and married black women for the past 30 years or so! He understands and likes black women, and the difference that Michelle Obama has made of that position. And Newt is an idiot, grasping at straws. Did he yell that loudly when that fool talked about Michelle Obama having a fat behind? He needs to shut his invalid/sick wife leaving mouth!
Deniro's comment was racist! Don't you recognize racism when you see it? Oh, I forgot, libs can't, because they are always claiming it!!
Most of the GOP backed Limbaugh. Bonehead made a feeble attempt to say something via a runner. Get over it.
Feminists are not women!
Feminists are not Republican women like Sara Palin claimed she was!
I'd like to stick a cattle prod up the gop's ass and see what we find there. It won't be any jobs bills for sure, just hot air!
Someone ought to clue the neocons/teabaggers into the fact that ALL WOMEN are not mindless morman who will follow their prophet off the face of the earth. We are pissed-off and this War On Women is devastating to us and our daughters. We will be on college campus', malls, work places and everywhere else women are. Romney said women should "vote for the other guy". AND WE ARE!!!!!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012! we got it straight in 08
ALL WOMEN are not mindless morman who will follow their prophet off the face of the earth
you are correct-the only women who are mindless morons are the ones that vote Democrat and plan to continue to do so!! oh, and the "teabaggers" comment is so ladylike! No hint of any open mindedness there!
keep laughing all the way to the bankruptcy of our country, you idiots! BHO is destroying this country by his spending-and you focus on social issues, something you accuse us of. Obama is the worst president in history, he has run up more debt than all the other presidents before him including your hated GWB. to repeat what your perverted icon Bill "BJ" Clinton said "It's the economy, stupid!"
War on women? what war on women? you guys are delusional....BHO and The dumbest VP ever Joe Biden are in a war against ALL Americans-btw, what part of the 16% real unemployment, $5 gallon gas, and skyrocketing food and electricity do you like? These guys are a fiscal disaster.....
And now the "fetal-pain" bill, HB 954 in GA, which requires any abortion performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy be done in a way to bring the fetus out alive. The measure says that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, therefore the state has an interest in protecting it. Despite the fact that medical professionals and scientists explained that fetuses do not develop connections related to pain until 28 weeks. But what does happen at the all-important 22 week mark is testing for birth/health defects. Well, now if you get pregnant in GA and find out that your baby's heart is outside its body or its skull is missing or there is a genetic defect, you don't have to make the heart-wrenching decision of whether or not to continue with the pregnancy and either have a still-born child or miscarriage. GA legislators have made the choice for you.
Holding out little hope that HB 3808 in TN won't pass the state's GOP controlled House of Representatives. It would essentially put a target on doctors' and patients' backs by requiring physicians to furnish the public with their names and the office, clinic or hospital where the procedure was performed, as well as the woman’s county of residence, age, race, marital status, number of prior pregnancies, prior abortions, gestational age of fetus and her pre-existing medical conditions. This bill would set a dangerous precedence by completely destroying doctor-patient confidentiality, and again - makes absolutely no provision for those women who are victims of rape or incest nor in cases where the life of the mother is at risk. After the vote by the state's House of Representatives, the measure is also expected to pass in the GOP controlled state Senate.
Beachbum: Pity that I wasn't here earlier...Save your fine speech for your members of CONGRESS and the business community. You see, THEY are the ones truly responsible for economic recovery.
People campaign on what they will do for the econonomy during Presidential Election years, but the President has a minor impact. Congress did not have to pass the budget Mr. Obama recommended but they did. They also authored it, with suggestions from the President. This is "the way it works".
The business community is more responsible, or would be, if most of them had vision and were less greedy. These folks seem to forget that America was strong and prosperous with American workers and investors. Now they choose ONLY foreign workers and investors, trading today's personal wealth for the future security of the nation.
I do wish ignorant people like you would study all the factors that brought us to these dark days. You will see that they do not begin and end with the current President. Or even George W Bush. The roots of our modern economic problems stem quite a few years back and include members of both parties, and of course, the good 'ol businessman.
I almost hope Republicans all get elected so that people like you can see that their "plan" is not the magic carpet, either.
Business must gain momentum and the ordinary man must be empowered. Until this happens, life as we know it will not change.
Stop pretending to care and just vote Republican. Stop making meaningless comments.
True Fiscal Conservative:
What Mr. De Niro said was insensitive, but when compared to the umpteen racist remarks of many Republicans, it becomes a drop in the bucket.
As I was attempting to tell "beachbum", one man (whether a Bush or an Obama) has not brought us to this day, economically. If the country had been in sound shape the President's supposed spending would have made little difference. But years and years of decline have led us to this.
He asked Congress to pass a budget and they did. He did run businesses away (that has been going on for years) and he did not cause myriad terrorist issues and put pistols to Congress members' heads.
I do not have the time to explain, in detail, all the forces that led to the bad economy. But suffice it to say, it's not all "Obama's fault".
When the DNC needs a poll to support their side, then look in the closet.
Women voters agree that "someone from the ranks" with common sense is what this country needs. Search youTube for Ouzzy88 and watch Decision 2012.
Contrast First Read's headlines on this Virginia poll, versus the recent NY Times poll which gave Obama a bad 41% approval rating.
For the NY Times poll, First Read tried to spin the poll as an outlier, and tried to spin it away. We have to wait to see other polls to see if it is legit, says the cautious MSNBC.
For the "Obama ahead in Virginia" poll, First Read eats it up, taking the poll as gospel. No background, no comparison with other polls (Which have very different results), no analysis of the methodology of the poll...
Can your bias be more obvious?
Virginia women are too smart to fall for this rhetoric. They realize that this country is sliding into a cesspool of third world sewage. Why does anybody want to live under the dictatorship of huge, bankrupt government? You leftists disgust me - you clowns are willing to sell away your freedom and liberty for 2 nickels. It wasn't that long ago that your forefathers fought and died protecting these very same freedoms. Shame on you traitors.
A larger, more powerful government equals a smaller, less powerful YOU.
Remember, Socialists (Communists, Marxists, Leftists, Democrats) want a government that rules OVER the people, not FOR the people.
Vote to take our government BACK.
Don't be swindled AGAIN!
Vote this clown show OUT in 7 months.
We have our own Taliban and is called the Republican Party.
There the proof lies - Democrats - the party of HATE.
Met the top leaders of the GOP here,, They asked if I was ready for a new president named Romney...Reached for my wallet and asked Either one of you want to bet some money on that. All I heard was a chorus of HELL NO. My own personal Doctor was in that group and he said HIS WIFE had forced him to register as a DEMOCRAT..Or face large alimony payments. I dont get it with Repubs,,First they impeached Clinton for VAGINAL PROBING and now, They want MORE VAGINAL PROBING...Clinton might vote republican this time,, Im sure Newty is all for Vaginal probes. As long as HE gets to do the probing.. He has more experience than Romney..I suppose,
Gingrich probed more women than Romney, at least 3 made it to wife status. I just could not resist that jab. the party of "crazy"- Republicans
Gingrich is irrelevant. He won't get the nomination. Now, shall we talk about Slick Willie and his "indiscretions"?
If you want more of this, vote Obama:
Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) -- a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing; and, where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
Sad, and true, of our current state.
All that Romney and the rest of the REPUBLICAN PARTY are trying to do here is to ensure a cheap labor force for their factories in the next 16 to 20 years. With a poor, uneducated labor force you can pay them little or nothing with no benefits. That mean more money in a REPUBLICANS POCKET.
Women will decide the election, too bad the cons didn't see that train coming.They also didn't see the train wreck with the people you voted in Nov. Women clamp down on the Korman Foundation,because they invited themselves to radical positions. All our companies are going overseas because the hispanic population has refuse to be used for cheap labor. 24 cents an hour in China is slavery.The repubs have decided to attack every job in America,especially policemen,teachers and firefighters. Their way to attack police officiers is handing over law enforcement to vigilanties shooting children. The Gop has died over time because they don't listen to the people they represent,ask Scott Walker. All our states are red in the south and some of the poorest uneducated people in the country. I wonder why,actually I know why! OBAMA-BIDEN 2012 J-MAL