Women Rally for Romney

Brockton Enterprise | September 24, 2002 | AP

[grania]

The former New Jersey governor tries to help the GOP nominee for governor close the gender gap in Massachusetts

Democrat Shannon P. O'Brien rode the support of women to a primary victory, but now her Republican opponent Mitt Romney is trying to buttress his own credentials among woman voters before their Nov. 5 general election face-off.

Romney, who chose a woman running mate in April, held a "Women for Romney" rally on Monday, and enlisted formet New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman-that state's first ever woman governor-to campaign for him.>p>Kerry Healey, Romney's running mate and a former state Republican Party chairwoman, touted Romney's proposals on education and public safety to an audience of 500 women at a downtown hotel. "Mitt Romne's agenda is our agenda," Healey said.

Polls have shown Romney, the former Winter Olympic chief, with less than solid support among women. A Boston Herald poll Friday showed O'Brien was favored among women by 50 to 35 percent, though Romney was favored by men.

On Monday, Romney stood on stage flanked by five women: Whitman, the current US EPA Administrator; Healey; Romney's wife Ann; Republican state Party Chairwoman Jean Inman, and Republican activist Gloria Larson.

He said that of the dozens of "workdays" he has performed since joining the race - from Fenway Park sausage vendor to gas station attendant to Big Dig worker - the most difficult was as a child care worker.

[grania]

Where to begin?

For starters, one has to wonder if Christine Whitman's support will earn Mitt Romney the support of conservative women.

The first debate between Mitt Romney and Shannon O'Brien is being held tonight. It will be televised live at 7:00 PM on WGBH Boston.

Any comments about Mitt Romney the sausage vendor?

[Little Bill]

Better than Swifty, I am stuck in this Slave State until I pass on my new home in NH on 11/15, friend don't let friends vote RAT.

[weikel]

Romney will win but these states show all the more reason why the 19th needs to be repealed. The Northeast was the most conservative section of the country before women got the vote.

[grania]

Romney will win but these states show all the more reason why the 19th needs to be repealed

Uhhhh.....or maybe the men could just lock their wives in their houses on election day. (sarcasm...don't go getting any silly ideas)

[weikel]

Amendments 16 17 and 19 are the big 3 passed in short succession which you can almost trace America's decline too. They need to go. Just listen to the Bill Hicks routine( hes a liberal but this is worth hearing) about the mass of women who were giving Ted Bundy wedding proposals during his trial. Keep listening to it till you agree with me about the 19th.

[Lorianne]

See you at the polls!

Actually in my state we'll have a choice of between two women for governor, one Republican, one Democrat. Oh, so hard to choose.

[weikel]

Look a LARGE crowd of women were trying to meet Ted Bundy at his trial and give him love letters and wedding proposals. Not to boo him or throw tomatoes or anything like that. That is what I like to call very very f***ed up. They also mostly vote Democrat. You want me to trust them as a group with the franchise?

I don't mind all women politicians I'd rather have lady Thatcher as our President then Bush. But as a group... no.

[Lorianne]

You're pitiful. You don't even provide a source for your "large crowd of women" hogwash. Meanwhile, our prisons are filling up "large crowds" of men. By your collectivism logic, that means men can't be trusted with the vote since "large crowds" of them are criminals.

Also, "large crowds" of men vote democrat. But that can be fixed by your retrograde logic as well .... just suspend the vote from Democrats. Why bother with voting anyway? Why don't you just declare yourself the supreme ruler?

[grania]

Women shouldn't vote because some made proposals to Ted Bundy?

How about men shouldn't vote because Ted Bundy is a man?

What would come next after taking away our vote? Burquas?

[weikel]

Only for Hillary Clinton and Rosie O'Donald lol.

[grania]

Only for Hillary Clinton and Rosie O'Donald lol.

Burquas for Hillary and Rosie...maybe you've hit on the one thing all freepers will agree to!

<^..^>

[JulieRNR21]

Did you watch the debate? What did you think?

[weikel]

My college apartment this year doesn't have cable and my attena is busted I can't watch anything I can't get off Kazaa.

[Brytani]

Include Reno in there and you've got my FEMALE vote. :-))

[grania]

Did you watch the debate? What did you think?

I'm one of those who doesn't warm up to Romney...maybe it's because I'm still seething over his choosing Kerry Healey over Jim Rappaport. Part of that's a gal thing...Kerry Healey hasn't paid her dues; the Democrats have Shannon OBrien who certainly has.

Shannon OBrien did, indeed clean up a lot of the mess. To blame her for not lowering costs at the Lottery and for the Big Dig overruns was bizarre.

What was your reaction?

[johnny7]

Don't let them vote... especially in MA! Kryst, I watched the Romney/O'Brien debate last night and started yelling at the TV.

O'Brien is a Beacon Hill hack who gets the nod because “she's a woman you know”.

GET THE PAIL! O'Brien will keep everything the same in MA.

Bad schools, bi-lingual education, corruption and higher taxes.

Makes a man wanna' puke!

[grania]

Makes a man wanna' puke!

Did you see that ad with Romney and his family...pure pandering for the female vote.

Unions + female vote...Democratic victory?

[JulieRNR21]

I cannot vote in MA as my legal residence is in FL; however I try to support the GOP in MA especially when I'm there in the summer months.

I thought picking Kerry Healey was a good strategy to balance the ticket as so many women will vote for O'Brien just because she's a woman. In August, I heard both Healey & Rappaport speak & I liked what Healey said.

Also a friend who is a MA native told me that Rappaport has a 'lot of baggage' from his real estate dealings & actually could have hurt Romney since the RATs would have used that to smear him.

I believe Romney has the smarts & organization skills to clean up Beacon Hill. I also think he'll bring business opportunities and new ideas to solving old problems.

O'Brien owes a lot of people...it will be 'same old same old' if she gets in.....IMHO.

[grania]

The real estate deals you speak of didn't come up during the primary campaign. What the Romney campaign came up with was that MA wouldn't vote for two rich white guys, which isn't valid...look at our Senators.

Jim Rappaport did a lot of grass roots work and supported Republican candidates at all levels, which is what the party needs. I didn't see Kerry Healey out in these outlying suburbs during the campaign. It was so good to see some real enthusiasm from people who wanted to be part of something. Most people I know, both Democrat and Republican, speak highly of Jim Rappaport.

Jane Swift, who has been a joke and a disaster as a governor, actually had more of a political background and valid experience to be Lt. Governor than does Kerry Healey.

Meanwhile, the reality is that Shannon O'Brien doesn't owe anyone. The unions came out for one of her opponents, as she is not known for caving to the unions. Shannon O'Brien did, indeed, do a lot of good things for the Lottery after the disaster of (Republican) Joe Malone. She has done a good job with the impossible situation she was handed with the Big Dig fiasco. I went to one of her Saturday financial workshops for the nearly retired and the pensioners. It was excellent.

Plus, don't forget, there are two other women running for Governor. Libertarian Carla Howe is sharp and impressive in person. The Green Party also has a female candidate.

You think of Shannon O'Brien as someone who owes favors. I think of her as someone who has demonstrated that integrity, hard work, and managing the budget are her priorities. I don't know that Kerry Healey isn't another Jane Swift, as she doesn't have a track record in office.

[JulieRNR21]

Sounds to me like you may plan to vote for O'Brien since you harbor such resentment over Rappaport.

I believe that the only way the GOP will ever become a force in MA politics is if they do like the DEMS & close ranks & support the ticket once the nominees are chosen!

If Romney is elected, I believe that he has the ability to revive the MA Republican Party and God knows it certainly needs that! So many districts don't even bother to run a Pubbie because the Dems are so dominant.....not good for the people of MA......no alternative has led to higher taxes, more government giveaways & crony patronage that wastes limited resources!