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National Poll Finds Broad Support for Hillary On Politics, ‘Trust,’ ‘Role Model’ and Other Values

Hillary Clinton would beat Sarah Palin head-to-head by a 2-to-1 margin if the 2012 presidential election were held today, according to women voters.

A national telephone survey of 600 registered women voters was conducted by Blum & Weprin from September 25 through October 3, 2008. The poll, commissioned by SheZoom.com, a new women’s internet media company, is titled ‘Palin vs. Clinton - You Decide.’ The survey (with a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points) queried women in all 50 states on their personal and political preferences pertaining to the two female party leaders.

The poll asks questions relating to presidential responsibilities, as well as personality and “values” questions important to female voters. For all areas, the survey shows Clinton with broad-based support, including the “values” questions, such as “Whom do you trust?”; “Who’s a better role model?”; and “Who’s been a better mother?” On all these issues, Clinton wins by at least 10 points. [NB: The poll's results did not shift in any significant way following Thursday's vice presidential debate.]

The poll’s other findings include:

• The preference for Clinton is widest in handling the responsibilities of a President. Clinton is seen as doing a better job dealing with the economy by a 40 percent margin and as more effective in dealing with foreign leaders by 48 percent.

• Clinton also holds a substantial edge in character and personal issues.

• American women voters not only admire Hillary Clinton more, they also relate to her more than to Sarah Palin. While the margin is not as wide as in the presidential job responsibilities, women see Clinton’s values as closer to their own and would rather have Hillary Clinton as a friend.

• While Clinton comes out on top again in her role as a mother, this is an area where many women felt they could not or would not judge or compare these women.

• A third of the women polled say their views of Clinton have become more positive. Only a tiny minority has a more negative view than a year ago. Fifty-six percent of women said their views are unchanged.

• On the 2008 vote, registered women voters favor Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin by a significant margin (51 percent to 35 percent).

“In short, Hillary wins on all counts,” said pollster Mickey Blum, of Blum & Weprin. “When analyzing the data, we looked to see if there were areas in which Palin came out on top. But, on virtually every level, Hillary takes it. I think this primary season, this entire campaign, humanized her. In a lot of ways, she took a beating and kept her grace. And Americans, especially American women, like fighters. This poll shows just how much women identify with Hillary. Obviously, that’s what the McCain campaign was looking to tap into with Sarah Palin. This polls shows that it hasn’t worked, at least not yet.”

“This is an unprecedented time for women in politics, “said Stacey Artandi, founder and CEO of SheZoom.com. “This election season has put two unique women in the spotlight in Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. On many measures, they couldn’t be more different — in their ideologies, their styles, and their experiences. Regardless of what happens in the November election, Senator Clinton and Governor Palin have changed the face of the political landscape for women. And they will remain forces in the future. American women’s answers to our questions give a sense of how we perceive Palin and Clinton, how well we relate to them, and perhaps a hint of what’s to come.”

SheZoom.com’s ‘Palin vs. Clinton - You Decide’ Poll 9/25-10/3/08

N= 600, Registered women voters (723 US Women), Margin of Error +/- 4%

1. If the 2008 Presidential Election were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Democrats and John McCain and Sarah Palin, the Republicans, for whom would you vote?

1. Obama/Biden 51%

2. McCain/Palin 35%

3. Not vote 1%

9. NS/Ref 14%

2. Suppose the Democratic candidate were Hillary Clinton, instead of Barack Obama. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have a better chance as Barack Obama of defeating John McCain, not as good a chance as Barack Obama, or about the same chance as Barack Obama?

1. Better 32%

2. Worse 23%

3. Same 34%

9. NS/Ref 11%

3. Now, thinking ahead to 2012. Suppose the candidates for President in 2012 were Hillary Clinton, the Democrat and Sarah Palin, the Republican, for whom would you vote?

1. Hillary Clinton 61%

2. Sarah Palin 27%

3. Not vote 2%

9. NS/Ref 10%

4. Compared to a year ago, are your views about Hillary Clinton now more positive, more negative or the same as they were a year ago?

1. More positive 33%

2. More negative 8%

3. The same 56%

9. Not sure/Refuse 4%

5. Who do you think would do a better job dealing with the economy?

1. Hillary Clinton 64%

2. Sarah Palin 24%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 1%

4. neither (volunteered only) 1%

9. NS/Ref 10%

6. Who do you think would be more effective dealing with foreign leaders?

1. Hillary Clinton 69%

2. Sarah Palin 21%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 1%

4. neither (volunteered only) 2%

9. NS/Ref 7%

7. Who do you trust more?

1. Hillary Clinton 56%

2. Sarah Palin 29%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 3%

4. neither (volunteered only) 6%

9. NS/Ref 7%

8. Who do you think is a better role model for young women?

1. Hillary Clinton 53%

2. Sarah Palin 33%

3. Not Sure/NA/Refuse 15%

9. Whose values are most similar to yours?

1. Hillary Clinton 48%

2. Sarah Palin 35%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 3%

4. neither (volunteered only) 5%

9. NS/Ref 9%

10. Who would you rather have as a friend?

1. Hillary Clinton 48%

2. Sarah Palin 35%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 4%

4. neither (volunteered only) 7%

9. NS/Ref 6%

11. Who do you think has been a better mother?

1. Hillary Clinton 35%

2. Sarah Palin 24%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 9%

4. neither (volunteered only) 3%

9. NS/Ref 28%

12. Who do you think strikes a better work/life balance?

1. Hillary Clinton 44%

2. Sarah Palin 32%

3. both equally (volunteered only) 7%

4. neither (volunteered only) 3%

9. NS/Ref 15%

Methodology

This national telephone poll of 600 registered women voters, based on a random sample of 723 women in all 50 states, was conducted for SheZoom by Blum & Weprin Associates, Inc. from September 25-October 3, 2008.

The sample was based on an RDD design which draws numbers from all existing telephone exchanges in all fifty states, giving all phone numbers, listed and unlisted, a proportionate chance of being included. Respondents were selected randomly among women living in the household and then screened for registration. The overall sample results were weighted demographically and geographically to population data. The estimated average sample tolerance for data from the survey is +/- 4% at the 95% confidence level. That is, the chances are about 19 out of 20 that if all households with telephones were surveyed with the same questionnaire, the results of the complete census would not be found to deviate from the poll findings by more than 4 points. Sampling error for subgroups is higher. Sampling is only one source of error. Other sources of error may include question wording, question order and interviewer effects.

Source: SheZoom