Before Palin joined the ticket, Obama enjoyed a lead over McCain among women, 55 percent to 37 percent, according to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll.
However a new ABC News/Washington Post poll out today finds white women have moved from 50-42 percent in Obama's favor before the conventions to 53-41 percent for McCain now, a 20-point shift in the margin that's one of the single biggest post-convention changes in voter preferences.
Sixty-seven percent view her favorably and 58 percent say her selection makes them more confident in McCain's decision-making. Among those with children, Palin does better yet. And enthusiasm for McCain among his female supporters has soared.
The day Palin delivered her speech at the Republican convention last week, Obama was in Toledo, Ohio, where he hosted an economic town hall meeting with women, arguing he is the candidate who will stand up for women's rights.
"She's opposed, like John McCain is, to equal pay for equal work. That doesn't make much sense to me," Obama said of Palin.
The campaign also released a radio ad highlighting McCain's opposition to abortion and suggesting that he will try to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
"John McCain's out of touch with women today," the Obama ad narrator says. "McCain wants to take away our right to choose. That's what women need to understand. That's how high the stakes are."
Some Obama supporters are reportedly grumbling they would like to see Clinton use her leverage with women supporters to do more campaigning against Palin.
However Clinton remained respectful toward Palin in her comments today in Kissimmee, Fla.
"It is a great accomplishment," Clinton said of Palin's selection as the GOP's first female running mate to a crowd of 500 people. However she said the issues, not the candidates, will decide the election.
"Women as well as men make their decisions after they weigh the evidence," Clinton said. "As Americans go into that voting booth, what they have to ask themselves is not so much who am I for, as who is for me? And I don't think it's an even close question that we have the ticket that is going to do the best job in restoring the American promise."
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