The flap over Webb's record on women's issues: help or hurt him?

[Stinky The Clown]

This thread is not to discuss the issues and Webb's 'rightness' or 'wrongness' or need for apology. There are lots of other threads where that's more appropriate. This is just simple 'inside baseball'.

What effect will the issue - raised by Camp Macaca in a swiftboat-like gathering of former female Middies - have on the race between Webb and Felix?

The choices 'It will raise the appeal of both' and 'It will depress the appeal of both' can easily have different reasons for each candidate. For example, it could raise Webb's numbers because Virginia is full of closet misogynists (no, I don't believe that) and at the same time raise Felix's numbers just because he raised the issue and appears 'tough'.

A comment about why you voted as you did is, of course, always helpful.

[waiting for hope]

1. Other -

only because I believe that Webb will show Allen's similar statements about women in the military. It could cancel the other one out.

[BootinUp]

2. Webb answered it well

And this is in VA. I say no impact.

[Frances]

3. I don't have TV, but I clicked on a link at Fox

supplied by a DUer. A Fox newscaster gave the most biased account possible of this portion of the debate. He said that Allen has apologized for his macaca remark repeatedly. Then he said DEMOCRATS are saying that Webb should apologize big time for his remarks about women in the military.

I was so upset when I saw this spin! I don't think most women in Virginia would hold the statement made 27 years ago against Webb. (I'm sorry to say it, but I think most women in Virginia--I worked in Virginia at that time--did not disagree with Webb when he made the statement. Of course, like Webb, we were wrong.)

I hate it that Repubs get so much free spin from the media while we poor Dems have to pay to have our views put on TV.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. The fact is .... there are some Dems calling for him to apologize

I'm not going to start a debate as to the need for that, or not ..... but the fact is, it has happened.

edit to add: There are also those who say he already has apologized, but that seems to be getting a lot less coverage.

[Frances]

5. I'm not saying that Webb shouldn't apologize

I think he should do so and at the same time insist that Allen apologize for saying the same thing about VMI 11 (not 27) years ago.

The public seems to like it when the candidate goes on the offense & it's so true that Allen is a hypocrite about the women in the military thing.