Essential for Victory: WOMEN

[Romulus]

If you're a conservative woman, who are going to vote for??

Cain? - Uhm no.
Newt? - Not so much (once his past comes out more)
Romney? - Probably not.

WE have our secret weapon: Carol Paul!!!

This is our key to victory! The campaign MUST capture the women's vote! They ought to get her into a commercial asap. How could you not love that woman??? With her help, capturing the woman's vote will be crucial in winning... I think we can do it!

[Kludge]

Ron Paul is unable to furrow his brow enough to win the vote of women, and his suit doesn't fit. Paul's supporters are also notoriously sexist.

I fully agree that we need a woman on the scene to capture the vote of women, just as we need an ad targeting black folks with a black man. We could, of course, save money by having a black woman do an ad. Has Carol Paul ever appeared in camera in blackface before?

-- But seriously, I think Paul showing extreme confidence in an ad would be more effective then having Carol on, as lovely as she is.

[craezie]

MOST women (and I am somewhat peculiar this way) care a lot about what other people think. They will not vote for a candidate that isn't seen as mainstream or viable. They will not support a candidate that other people like them do not support. This is a hurdle that must be overcome. When I have gone to meetup events around here, it is all college age Asian men (with one or two college age white men or older ex-hippie men for diversity). That feels pretty uncomfortable as a stroller mom. As I was walking THROUGH the Michelle Bachmann crowd to get to the Ron Paul crowd, I had all kinds of people cooing over my kids (even in their RP bibs) and actually felt way more comfortable. Then I get to the Ron Paul people and I have no one to connect with. So with women, I would say that the perception of RP's supporters might be hurting more than helping.

I think that advertising with Carol, highlighting his FAITHFUL marriage, and especially his daughters would be fantastic. There is no point in even highlighting the others' personal shortcomings, they are obvious to any woman. Not many conservative women are going to feel comfortable with a candidate who has committed adultery against two wives, and is on his third, especially while preaching family values the whole time. Ron Paul has integrity in all areas of life, and that speaks volumes with women -- IF we can get the message out there.

ITA about the suit, though. Why can't he get a well tailored Italian slim cut suit? Instead of looking bony he could look sleek (we can't do anything about the osteoporosis). And you seriously underestimate the power of Romney's hair and veneers ;)

[Romulus]

lol I know exactly what you're talking about craezie... That perception needs to be changed.

[Feeding the Abscess]

Yay, collectivism.

[wgadget]

I dunno...When I gaze at the money bomb tickers, I usually see a surprising flurry of women's names passing by.

Women aren't as dumb as you might think.

[SwordOfLiberty+4]

I think the hurdle has to do with self-reliance. That has always been my internal theory as to why Libertarians tend to be men.

My wife voted for Obama last election. This election she has been following money bombs and donating (even when I didn't [read [couldn't"])!

Speaking of my wife, years ago she would sometimes say "Why can't Bill Clinton come back and TAKE CARE OF US." - they tend to want to be taken care of... if that means the government taking care of us, so be it.

Anyway, I don't know how to get them over that hump... not trying to sound sexist - speaking generally though, there are differences between men and women (speaking specifically too, I can think of a couple :) )

[Romulus]

I dunno...When I gaze at the money bomb tickers, I usually see a surprising flurry of women's names passing by.

Women aren't as dumb as you might think.

No but a lot of guys are. lol ;)

Anyway....

Idea on how to appeal to women voters?

[kill the banks]

do you want to vote for perpetual war for your children or Ron Paul ... More lies or a president of truth etc etc

[Cabal]

Yay, collectivism.

qft

[wgadget]

I can think of two ways to appeal to women:

1. Ron Paul will preserve Social Security for caretakers' parents. ($$$)
2. Ron will simultaneously bring their sons and husbands home from the war front. (family, security)

[cajuncocoa]

I'm a woman, and I've supported Ron Paul since 2007....a good friend of mine, also a woman, has been supportive of him at least as long as I have too. I don't think some of the things mentioned in this thread are exclusive to women (wanting to be taken care of, etc.) I know guys who think like that too. Go figure!

I just think it comes down to a good understanding of liberty and economics. Paul supporters need to keep explaining those concepts to everyone who has doubts.

[Revolution9]

qft

Backslappers backslapping themselves for calling women a "collective". My irony meter is pegged.

Go girls!
Rev9

[Cabal]

Who is calling women a collective? Not I.

[Krugerrand]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

[kill the banks]

yes guarantee those social security checks for the older vote 4 sure

[wgadget]

yes guarantee those social security checks for the older vote 4 sure

Yes, but also for the older voters' kids (baby boomers) who will be taking care of them if SS falls through.

[Romulus]

I still think Carol is the ticket.

I'm looking for an old video where she tells the story of Rons campaign race.. its an extended advertisement.. and updated version of that would be gold.

[cajuncocoa]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

♥♥♥♥♥I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!♥♥♥♥♥

[Romulus]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

BRILLIANT!

I knew someone would net something positive!

RP is an OB! You can't get anymore pro-woman than that!

[craezie]

Caring about what others think, and caring about society (call it collectivism if you like) doesn't make someone inferior.

The "rugged individualism" of the ilk that wants to sit out by themselves in the woods with their guns and their gold, while growing all their own food (let me know how that works out for ya) doesn't resonate with a lot of women. If that is FREEDOM LIVING then I don't want that kind of freedom. The collective IS better than the individual, that is what a free market is. Division of labor creates market efficiency, and gives each of us the ability to have things that we could never create on our own or in small groups. It also gives us time to pursue those things for which we are best suited. And caring for children and the elderly is important to any moral society. People, both men and women, who love the benefits of society and want to see everyone strengthen and prosper together can get scared off by some of the kind of thinking around here. I think that Ron Paul's message is our last, best hope for society, but its hard to overcome the perception that Ron Paul supporters are either creepy guys living in the woods or creepy teenagers living in their parents' basements.

[craezie]

fantastic ad idea. With lots of pictures of women of various ages AND RACES and cute babies.

[wgadget]

Some WOMEN have gold and guns.

Just sayin.

I still like my two ideas from my previous post, as they speak to more "normalized" women.

[craezie]

And I am one of those women ;)

But I still want to keep them in my nice suburban home, surf the net on my ipad, send my kids to private school, and shop at Whole Foods every week. All of which are brought to me by the collective.

[kill the banks]

free cook book for carol page for women on Ron Paul site ... it would get them there ... maybe a google ad for women

[roversaurus]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

YES!!!!!

[wgadget]

Well, if you guys want to play up the ob/gyn connection, why not have the children he delivered on there, too.

[roversaurus]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

I guess I'm a guy so I can't really say. I think it's great. Someone has to get this idea to the campaign.

Would this appeal to women or just make them comfortable with Paul?

[Badger Paul]

That's a hell of a commerical.

[Krugerrand]

Well, if you guys want to play up the ob/gyn connection, why not have the children he delivered on there, too.

Children don't have any real tie to the doctor that delivered them. A woman puts a good deal of trust in her doctor. That relationship is worth highlighting. It underscores Ron Paul's character.

Plus, for those woman who do not favor his pro-life stance, it can help soften their resistance to him.

[Krugerrand]

Did he deliver any of his own kids? We could subtly include Carol in the mix. Then, she could be the last one and say "I trust Ron Paul as my president and as my husband."

[TexMac]

I must not be a REAL woman, because I hate ob-gyns. Ugh, rather not think about them. Are there really women who "trust" their doctors? Seriously? I raised 3 kids and I can barely remember the name of last year's orthopedic surgeon, much less an ob-gyn.

[TexMac]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

This creeps me out. Women don't care that Ron was a doctor except as it proves he was intelligent enough to get through medical school.

[Lymeade-Lady]

I dunno...When I gaze at the money bomb tickers, I usually see a surprising flurry of women's names passing by.

Women aren't as dumb as you might think.

No, we aren't. I got my husband interested in Ron Paul. :) But to give you all a personality type lesson, people are either feelers or thinkers (according to MBTI theory.) 2/3rd of women are feelers. 2/3rds of men are thinkers. Thinkers are convinced by facts. Feelers are convinced by values. Integrity, honesty, making the world a better place for children. If you are harsh but right, you lose the feelers. RP is definitely a thinker--it's why he does so well--stick to the facts and truth no matter what they say about him. I have trouble with politics b/c I don't have thick enough skin for much debating. I value holistic health b/c of my own history of illness. So, when someone I respect on health endorsed Ron Paul due to his health freedom ideas, I looked into. He hit something I value and my research surprised me at a candidate who had integrity. I started listening and well, now I have a Ron Paul sign in my yard.

That to say, there are also the 1/3 of women who like the intellectual political debate. I'm just not one of them.

[Lymeade-Lady]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

BUT every politician kisses babies and wants to look like a good guy. This isn't really credible. Besides, a lot of women dread ob/gyn visits--maybe not the best connection.

[maxoutco]

I think the best approach for a Ron Paul commercial about women is to ask the women. No matter how good we think it can be, it doesn't have a woman's touch if it's all men creating it. So we need the woman's blessing.

[ronnilingus]

i still think someone should publish the Ron Paul Diet - Get You and Your Government Back In Shape. the guy is in better shape than most of the other candidates, he bikes and exercises every day. i'm sure he must eat pretty well also. i remember how women were losing it over obama's body when he got elected, need to generate more publicity about how fit Ron Paul is.

[Romulus]

i still think someone should publish the Ron Paul Diet - Get You and Your Government Back In Shape. the guy is in better shape than most of the other candidates, he bikes and exercises every day. i'm sure he must eat pretty well also. i remember how women were losing it over obama's body when he got elected, need to generate more publicity about how fit Ron Paul is.

That's a great idea too.... lots of women are concerned with health. I like that concept...

Ron Paul Health Plan - Get Your Government Back In Shape

[Tina]

do you want to vote for perpetual war for your children or Ron Paul ... More lies or a president of truth etc etc

Agreed. I don't know any women that are pro war and it's the first issue that brought me to Ron.

[craezie]

BUT every politician kisses babies and wants to look like a good guy. This isn't really credible. Besides, a lot of women dread ob/gyn visits--maybe not the best connection.


No. It is a great connection (if you connect it with babies). I hate going to the OB for my yearly. But the days that I delivered my 3 children, those were the best days of my life. No matter what drama (and there was plenty with one of them), once that baby is in your arms, that doctor is a hero. Women love heroes.

Just my 2 cents.

[klamath]

From my experience women in my family hate OB/gyns. Especially men ob/gyns. She supports RP but this would not bring her toward him if she wasn't at all! Someone brought this method up last election and she nearly puked.

[amy31416]

From my experience a women in my family is that they hate OB/gyns. Especially men ob/gyns. She supports RP but this would not bring her toward him if she wasn't at all! Someone brought this method up last election and she nearly puked.

I am also not fond of OB/GYNs, so there's another vote down on that. Though I do like the concept of the commercial, and think it could be tweaked in another direction.

[wgadget]

I think the best approach for a Ron Paul commercial about women is to ask the women. No matter how good we think it can be, it doesn't have a woman's touch if it's all men creating it. So we need the woman's blessing.

Well, I gave you my ideas a few pages back. : )

[McDermit]

I don't dislike the commercial idea, I just don't think his being a doctor/OB gives anyone a reason to vote for him. There are more important and more influential messages than "he's a doctor and delivered babies."

I don't have a problem with ob/gyns. Mine is a 70 year old Hispanic guy... no complaints. He's a nice guy, caring doctor, good sense of humor. My mom had the same OB for over 35 years... he delivered both of her kids, and she adored the guy. Her sisters are in the same boat--same doctor until he retired, delivered all of their children that were born locally. They all loved him.

No woman in her right mind looks forward or gets excited about going to a yearly checkup, but we don't all espouse a hatred of our doctors. It's just part of life, and when you find a doctor with great bedside manner and who cares about his patients, it's not a big ordeal.

[Invi]

Paul's supporters are also notoriously sexist.
They are? O.o
Aside from the occasional "Get me a sandwich" bit, this is the first I'm hearing of it.
Seen a few guys drool over various female supporters, but horny =/= sexist, obviously. Lol. So I do wonder where that comes from. I don't think I've seen any Paul support intentionally say something outright derogatory about women, unless you want to count saying we vote for whoever "looks most presidential" or "always vote based on emotion," which I do not find particularly offensive.

Know how I got my mom to consider Ron (before she just decided she'd vote for whoever I told her to, apparently)?
She was freaking out that Obama was not going to send out SS checks when we were looking at a potential shutdown because then her grandparents would be without an income. So I brought up Ron, and suggesting cutting military spending before refusing to pay out SS, while also telling her Obama was full of it and checks would go out as normal.
So yes, she's one who votes because of emotion. You could probably use that kind of thing to get a lot of the more emotion-oriented people onboard. A lot of women are like that. I'm not, but so many in my family are. Probably why that doesn't bother me.

The "looks presidential" thing, though.. That makes me want to rage BECAUSE it is true with some people.
They make me want to beat my head against a wall. ;.;

[libertygrl]

I'm a woman, and I've supported Ron Paul since 2007....a good friend of mine, also a woman, has been supportive of him at least as long as I have too. I don't think some of the things mentioned in this thread are exclusive to women (wanting to be taken care of, etc.) I know guys who think like that too. Go figure!

I just think it comes down to a good understanding of liberty and economics. Paul supporters need to keep explaining those concepts to everyone who has doubts.

THANK YOU! I've been a supporter from '07 as well. Honestly, I love participating in these forums but sometimes some of these posts really infuriate me. Talk about stereotyping! Maybe if some people here wouldn't look down on women as stupid and needy, you might get better results.

I did some research on the 2008 Obama campaign and how Obama did with the female vote. This can be very useful:

Unmarried women -- often dubbed the "Sex and the City" vote -- overwhelmingly support Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., over Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in key battleground states, according to a recent poll.

Single, divorced, separated, and widowed women voters in 14 battleground states favor the presumptive Democratic nominee over his Republican rival by 61 to 29 percent, according to a Democratic poll commissioned for Women's Voices Women Vote Action Fund , an advocacy group for unmarried women voters.

Those findings jibe with the latest ABC News poll released in July, which found Obama leading McCain nationally among unmarried women voters 59 to 32 percent.

"Unmarried women are to progressives what evangelicals are to the conservative movement," Page Gardner, founder and president of Women's Voices Women Votes, told ABCNews.com.

But the Democratic poll also found that Obama continues to struggle with support from unmarried women who are also white seniors, white women who haven't gone to college, white women with children, and women making less than $30,000 a year.

While 56 percent of white senior unmarried women are Democrats or lean Democrat, only 48 percent are backing Obama, an eight point margin. Among unmarried white women with no college education, 54 percent are or lean Democratic, but 44 percent back Obama, a 10 point margin.

"This issue for Obama is true with the electorate overall," said Anna Greenberg, a Democratic pollster working with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, the firm that conducted the poll of unmarried women in battleground states.

"But regardless, there's this sort of gap that he's got to figure out if he wants to grow the margin among unmarried women," she said.

The findings of the Democratic poll were based on a survey of over 1,000 registered, unmarried voters in the battleground states of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Single Women Fastest Growing Demographic

The upward trend in unmarried women could help Obama in November because single women are one of the most reliable Democratic voting groups, Gardner said. Exit poll results going back to 1992 show an overwhelming majority of unmarried women reliably voting for the Democratic candidate.

However, unmarried women tend to be cynical about politics. And while the unmarried women group is growing faster and faster, they do not reliably turn out to vote. Single women are less likely to register, and less likely to vote.

"Their lives are incredibly stretched," Gardner said, "so unmarried women tend to not be active seekers of political information."

In 2004, 20 million unmarried women didn't participate in the election. Women's Voices Women Vote has launched a campaign to try to increase the number of unmarried registered voters, creating public service announcements featuring Hollywood actresses, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld" fame.

In August, Gardner will mail 6.5 million voter registration applications to unmarried women in 35 states, along with information about the candidates' positions.

"There's a real information gap for these women," Greenberg said. "So, the best way to get them information is a non-rhetorical, side-by-side sort of comparison of where the candidates stand on the issues."

Unmarried women are disproportionately black; are more likely to have lower levels of education; and are both younger and older than married women, because unmarried can mean never married, divorced, separated or widowed, pollsters say.

November will be the first presidential election in the nation's history where the number of unmarried women equals the number of married women, each representing 26 percent of the eligible voting population.

They are also one of the fastest growing large demographics in the country, according to Census data. The percentage of married households is dropping steadily -- 52.5 percent in 2000 to 49.7 percent of households in 2006.

Gas Prices Key for Single Women

The Democratic poll found that, like many voters, unmarried women believe gas prices are their top concern. Health care and food prices also rank highly as issues of concern for unmarried women.

"That group, certainly like other groups, are going to be taking a hard look at the economy and, particularly, gas prices," said Republican pollster Myra Miller.

Miller says GOP polling has found that unmarried women, who tend to be less economically well-off than married women, may be more inclined to support offshore oil drilling to offset the high price of gas.

That could bode well for McCain, who supports offshore oil drilling.


"As gas prices have risen considerably, people are giving consideration to offshore oil drilling, whereas a couple years ago, they might not have," Miller said.

"Cost of living issues are critical for unmarried women," she said. "Obama, he certainly is an articulate speaker and he sounds good, but they are really going to be taking a look at 'what are you going to do,' particularly about gas prices."

However, Greenberg says that the more unmarried women understand about Obama's background, the better they like him.

"One of the things that unmarried women like about him is that he sort of comes from a humble background, he's worked his way up, his mom was a single mother," Greenberg said. "There's some real points of connection that they have with him."

Married Women Could Be Swing Voters

One of the biggest swing groups in November could be married women, who voted for Clinton in the 1990s and George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.

Among married women, Obama holds a 52-43 percent lead over McCain, according to the July ABC News poll.

However, married women are one of the most moveable swing voter groups, which could bode well for McCain. Thirty-three percent of married women said they could change their minds before November, according to an ABC News poll.

Both candidates have targeted women voters, who could represent over 54 percent of the electorate in November. Women overwhelmingly went for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during the primaries, though Obama appears to be picking up her support.

In the latest ABC News poll, Obama leads McCain among likely women voters, 54 percent to 39 percent. Obama and McCain are tied 45 percent to 45 percent among likely men voters, pointing to a gender gap in this election.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Vote2008/story?id=5416899&page=2#.TsLz3Bw0gpc

Maybe we can break up these demographics and then target those specific groups individually based on the issues that concern them most. Just a thought. Not a bad idea coming from a simpleton female, huh? :rolleyes:

[McDermit]

The "looks presidential" thing, though.. That makes me want to rage BECAUSE it is true with some people.
They make me want to beat my head against a wall. ;.;The most frustrating part of this is that the campaign could so easily appeal more to these types by just spending $5k on a couple of suits.

There have been some minor wardrobe improvements... but they haven't been quite what we need to see.

[Birdlady]

I've already said that I absolutely hate going to the OB-GYN. haha Then again I don't like doctors at all.

You get more women votes by just talking to women the same way you would a guy who isn't convinced about Ron Paul. There is no easy way to do this. If this were just a women problem, then we would be doing a whole heck of a lot better in polls overall. We just need more support across the board.

I doubt our message has reached the unmarried women crowd. I don't know of a single friend who sits and watches the debates or the nightly news.

[rgampell]

MOST women (and I am somewhat peculiar this way) care a lot about what other people think. They will not vote for a candidate that isn't seen as mainstream or viable. They will not support a candidate that other people like them do not support. This is a hurdle that must be overcome. When I have gone to meetup events around here, it is all college age Asian men (with one or two college age white men or older ex-hippie men for diversity). That feels pretty uncomfortable as a stroller mom. As I was walking THROUGH the Michelle Bachmann crowd to get to the Ron Paul crowd, I had all kinds of people cooing over my kids (even in their RP bibs) and actually felt way more comfortable. Then I get to the Ron Paul people and I have no one to connect with. So with women, I would say that the perception of RP's supporters might be hurting more than helping.

I think that advertising with Carol, highlighting his FAITHFUL marriage, and especially his daughters would be fantastic. There is no point in even highlighting the others' personal shortcomings, they are obvious to any woman. Not many conservative women are going to feel comfortable with a candidate who has committed adultery against two wives, and is on his third, especially while preaching family values the whole time. Ron Paul has integrity in all areas of life, and that speaks volumes with women -- IF we can get the message out there.

ITA about the suit, though. Why can't he get a well tailored Italian slim cut suit? Instead of looking bony he could look sleek (we can't do anything about the osteoporosis). And you seriously underestimate the power of Romney's hair and veneers ;)


Also, with your post-count and join-date, you remind me of ... me.

My purpose in highlighting this particular post is that since I don't know how a grassroots message reaches the campaign, I figure I might as well just offer it up again. (I also loved your subsequent message about how an OB is a hero on delivery day.)

[PursuePeace]

I'm a woman.
I don't care about Ron's suits.
I care about his views on foreign policy, the economy, liberty and our freedoms, the role of government, bringing our troops home, etc. etc.

There's your feedback.

[GeorgiaAvenger]

If you're a conservative woman, who are going to vote for??

Cain? - Uhm no.
Newt? - Not so much (once his past comes out more)
Romney? - Probably not.
To be honest, when it comes to Romney, probably so.



WE have our secret weapon: Carol Paul!!!

Good idea, and she would be even more effective with seniors.

[milo10]

I don't want to pretend I know a lot about this topic, but I'll offer a few thoughts and would like some feedback.

1. Avoid any ads that appear to be geared directly towards women. Maybe I give people too much credit, but I find stuff like that to just be dumb, like Michelle Bachmann talking about moms in that one debate.

2. Focus on the stylistic aspect of future ads. Get some element of charm and confidence in the ads. While he's a very likeable man, he also comes off as intensely analytical in most interviews, and sometimes a little disconnected from the person asking him the question, because he is trying to steer them into a big-picture understanding of things like the money supply. This is not always easy for some people to relate to, and perhaps it's harder in general for women than men.

Women are less swayed by looks than men, but are definitely taken with confidence. I think you can show some brief clips of him bike riding or outdoors or at moments where he's acting a little more "accessible" with a more cordial/charming/confident side than what we typically see. And I think you can do all of this without insulting anyone's intelligence, or compromising the message. Just integrate it into a normal ad.

[Birdlady]

As far as caring about how people think of me. Yeah I think every woman has a little bit of that. That is healthy and normal. When that takes over your entire existence is when there is a problem. We will NEVER reach the crowd or group of women who only care about their looks.

Maybe I'm weird, but I don't find Carol an instant win button. She's a great lady, but I don't quite get what you are all seeing in her to be quite frank. ...

Touching upon the OBGYN thing again. Single women don't care about child birth and most of them are scared to death of it and scared of becoming pregnant. If you have a family, I can see why your views on this are A LOT different.

Edit: Wanted to add real fast that the poster above is right. Romney has so much confidence, power and strength in the way he speaks and in his body language. Ron Paul really doesn't have this. This isn't to say RP doesn't have those qualities, but Romney has been groomed extensively. And I don't mean his hair either.

[McDermit]

I think a "bring them home" ad would do well with women. You could use the basic layout of the obgyn commercial...

Show a young woman, with a young child on her lap, holding up a photo (husband in military dress) "My husband is serving in Afghanistan and I support Ron Paul."
Show a middle aged woman putting together a holiday care package, with a picture of her son in uniform prominent in the shot. "My son was injured by an IED in Iraq and is being rehabilitated in Germany... and I support Ron Paul."
Show a middle aged man, holding a picture of his daughter in uniform. "My daughter was just called up for her third tour in the Middle East, and I support Ron Paul."
Show a couple, each holding up a photos of their sons in uniform, "Both of our sons will be spending Chistmas overseas this year, and we support Ron Paul."
Maybe show a mom with a few kids, house decorated for Christmas, pictures of daddy everywhere. Zoom in on a little girl opening a Christmas card... she opens the card, and it zooms in so you can read the handwriting at the bottom "Merry Christmas, sweetie! I miss you, but I'll be home soon! Give your mom and brother a hug for me! Love, Daddy".
Pan out and focus on the mom, kids playing with a toy train or something in the background. Mom says "I support Ron Paul because he is the only candidate I trust to bring their father home."
Fade to black and have the words "Bring Them ALL Home" on the screen.
Flash to the Ron Paul 2012 logo.

[amy31416]

Another option might be to target current and aspiring female small business owners. There are tons of women who do craft work, catering, candle-making, soap-making, maid services, childcare, gardening, writing, adult care, hair dressing, web services, etc. Lots of these women go into business for themselves (or would like to), in order to take care of the kids, in addition to the same reasons men want to go into business for themselves. Obviously there's a lot of barriers to doing so, considering all the regulations and taxes.

That's a target that isn't pandering to women as if they were weak, incubators, etc. It's empowering and it sends the message that you can take care of yourself, and we'll help you do so by breaking down government barriers. It's also an easy message to sell to men.

[cdc482]

No offense, but for the sake of appealing to women, i've noticed a lot of remarks on RPF along the lines of "she's hot and a ron paul fan..."
I think it'd be a great thing if people stopped making remarks like that. Pretend like you've been married for 50 years...

[McDermit]

Another option might be to target current and aspiring female small business owners. There are tons of women who do craft work, catering, candle-making, soap-making, maid services, childcare, gardening, writing, adult care, hair dressing, web services, etc. Lots of these women go into business for themselves (or would like to), in order to take care of the kids, in addition to the same reasons men want to go into business for themselves. Obviously there's a lot of barriers to doing so, considering all the regulations and taxes.

That's a target that isn't pandering to women as if they were weak, incubators, etc. It's empowering and it sends the message that you can take care of yourself, and we'll help you do so by breaking down government barriers. It's also an easy message to sell to men.Good point.

I've seen it suggested before that HQ should have a small business owners slim jim... we really should do more to get small businesses and self-employed folks on board.

[Birdlady]

I think a "bring them home" ad would do well with women. You could use the basic layout of the obgyn commercial...


If done right this could be great. If done wrong, it could be horribly cheesy and stupid. I'd get rid of the "I support Ron Paul's" until the very end. You don't want potential voters to tune out because of preconceived notions towards RP. You build up the emotions and at the end, Ron Paul is the answer to their problems.


Amy's idea is brilliant. We need to appeal to women who are independent and working for themselves. I think we focus so much on the "weak" women we are missing out on the demographic of strong women who think for themselves and are sick and tired of regulations and taxes as much as men. From all of the women I've seen on this forum, I'd put all of us in the strong, independent, free-thinking category. :)

[amy31416]

If done right this could be great. If done wrong, it could be horribly cheesy and stupid. I'd get rid of the "I support Ron Paul's" until the very end. You don't want potential voters to tune out because of preconceived notions towards RP. You build up the emotions and at the end, Ron Paul is the answer to their problems.


Amy's idea is brilliant. We need to appeal to women who are independent and working for themselves. I think we focus so much on the "weak" women we are missing out on the demographic of strong women who think for themselves and are sick and tired of regulations and taxes as much as men. From all of the women I've seen on this forum, I'd put all of us in the strong, independent, free-thinking category. :)

Thanks. Not only does it not "offensively" target women as being in one particular category, it brings in immigrants, single women, married women, moms, non-moms, intellectuals, unemployed, their boyfriends, husbands, fathers, etc. It's very pro-America, it helps resolve the issue of bringing troops home when we're lacking jobs. It provokes an entrepreneurial spirit that made America great...I could go on, but I think you get the idea. It's freedom, man!

[itssimplyjeff]

Commercial: 10 or so women that were patients of Ron Paul:

Woman 1: For 10 years
Woman 2: 8 years
Woman 3: 6 years
Woman 4: 15 years
Woman 5: 5 years
Woman 6: 8 years
Woman 7: 12 years
Woman 8: 10 years
Woman 9: 3 years
Woman 1: I trusted Dr. Ron Paul
Woman 2: as my OB/GYN.
Woman 3: He delivered my son.
Woman 4: my daughter.
Woman 5: my 2 daughters.
Woman 6: my son.
Woman 7: my 4 children.
Woman 8: I trusted Ron Paul as my doctor and I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 9: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 1: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 2: I trust Ron Paul as my president.
Woman 3: I trust Ron Paul as my president.

How about we add in some of the children ron paul helped deliver into this commercial. he delivered over 4,000 babies, chances are at least one of them was a complicated pregnancy.

have them say something like
"Ron Paul saved my life, and now he's trying so save my country"

[acptulsa]

How about we add in some of the children ron paul helped deliver into this commercial. he delivered over 4,000 babies, chances are at least one of them was a complicated pregnancy.

have them say something like
"Ron Paul saved my life, and now he's trying so save my country"

I don't know of any such story, but I have met a couple of women who had him as their OB/GYN and absolutely swore by him.

I have gotten good reactions from women when I told them that he had been married to the same woman for 54 years. Otherwise, I find that the best way to win them is to reassure them that government works better when there aren't so many layers of it trying to do the same thing. Then it becomes less like a committee...

[IndianaPolitico]

Interestingly enough, it was my Mom who first supported Ron Paul in my family.

[freeforall]

I think it is harder for women to start up conversations about Ron Paul and to jump into the conversation with other supporters. Honestly, the top two things that brought me to Ron Paul are his message about homeschooling and protecting the right to choose whether or not to vaccinate my children. I also love the video where he says he would not support making homebirth illegal. I have learned a lot about his views on the economy and foreign policy and understand how important they are for the health of our country, but those issues are less personal to me.

As far as his suit, it is not important to me, but I could seen it making a difference with others. :rolleyes:

Someone also mentioned that supporters can sometimes be sexist. I have been put off by some comments from some who are very comfortable saying anything because it amuses them. Fortuneately, I have been around long enough to respect the opinions and knowledge of others and not put off completely. If the timing had been different, I'm not sure I'd still care what people had to say here.

Finally, I know very little about Carol and have not seen her in any videos. I am very interested in who she is and what she will bring to the white house as the first lady. It's a role that speaks to our sense of charity and kindness. As the OP stated, she really could be holding the key to female supporters.

[PursuePeace]

Finally, I know very little about Carol and have not seen her in any videos.

Have you seen this interview yet -

part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKm1JMQS3fc

I'd like to see more. I like her a LOT.
She is REAL.

What a fantastic First Lady she is going to be.

[heavenlyboy34]

I am also not fond of OB/GYNs, so there's another vote down on that. Though I do like the concept of the commercial, and think it could be tweaked in another direction.
Why? Too much cervix-poking? I heard from danno you womenfolk like that. ;)

[Birdlady]

Why? Too much cervix-poking? I heard from danno you womenfolk like that. ;)

If you really must know. It is horribly uncomfortable.

Serious question for the guys. If Ron Paul instead did prostate exams and grabbed testicles checking for hernias, would that somehow make you want to vote for him?? ...:confused:

[wgadget]

If you really must know. It is horribly uncomfortable.

Serious question for the guys. If Ron Paul instead did prostate exams and grabbed testicles checking for hernias, would that somehow make you want to vote for him?? ...:confused:

LOL

You guys....:rolleyes:

[amy31416]

Why? Too much cervix-poking? I heard from danno you womenfolk like that. ;)

Precisely. It is incredibly painful, especially the one time I got back an abnormal pap smear and they had to really get at it. Fortunately their test was messed up, but that's the kind of thing that you do not forget, and one of the reasons I beat Dannno up so much over that--especially when he was making bizarre claims about g-spots. I actually passed out from the procedure, and it was minor. Just about gave the nurse a heart attack.

[low preference guy]

Precisely. It is incredibly painful, especially the one time I got back an abnormal pap smear and they had to really get at it. Fortunately their test was messed up, but that's the kind of thing that you do not forget, and one of the reasons I beat Dannno up so much over that--especially when he was making bizarre claims about g-spots. I actually passed out from the procedure, and it was minor. Just about gave the nurse a heart attack.

That's just because they didn't use the right foreplay, the one dannno knows!!!!

[Birdlady]

LOL

You guys....:rolleyes:

What? :p I was honestly looking for some guys to answer this and I see none have, so I believe I have made my point. Every time we have a thread like this, the OBGYN thing is always one of the 'best ideas' and I think it is absolutely absurd.

Let's go with Amy's idea and see how it works out for us. I think we will see better results.

[Hospitaller]

A Palin endorsement would do wonders for female support

[amy31416]

That's just because they didn't use the right foreplay, the one dannno knows!!!!

I'm sure you're right...just never been with someone so skilled is the most likely reason I don't think it's heavenly.

[RIPLEYMOM]

Ron has a fatherly appeal. Women who cannot 'fix' what's wrong are looking for strength and someone to reassure them everything will be okay.

Ron's ad 'Life' was the most 'liked' video by my friends that I have ever put on Facebook. It's the compassionate way he tells the story of the innocent baby whose life is thrown away. This resonates with women. Another touching example was at a 2007 debate when he said, 'just come home'. The way he says these things are so heartfelt and fathery.

His wife by his side in one of these ads would be nice, too.

America needs a father.

[libertygrl]

Did anyone happen to read my previous post??? THESE should be the women to target. Here are some key points:

Single Women Fastest Growing Demographic

...unmarried women tend to be cynical about politics. And while the unmarried women group is growing faster and faster, they do not reliably turn out to vote. Single women are less likely to register, and less likely to vote.

"Their lives are incredibly stretched," Gardner said, "so unmarried women tend to not be active seekers of political information."

In 2004, 20 million unmarried women didn't participate in the election. Women's Voices Women Vote has launched a campaign to try to increase the number of unmarried registered voters, creating public service announcements featuring Hollywood actresses, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld" fame.

In August, Gardner will mail 6.5 million voter registration applications to unmarried women in 35 states, along with information about the candidates' positions. ** HOW CAN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?? ** WHERE DO YOU GET THESE ADDRESSES??

"There's a real information gap for these women," Greenberg said. "So, the best way to get them information is a non-rhetorical, side-by-side sort of comparison of where the candidates stand on the issues."

Unmarried women are disproportionately black; are more likely to have lower levels of education; and are both younger and older than married women, because unmarried can mean never married, divorced, separated or widowed, pollsters say.

November will be the first presidential election in the nation's history where the number of unmarried women equals the number of married women, each representing 26 percent of the eligible voting population.

They are also one of the fastest growing large demographics in the country, according to Census data. The percentage of married households is dropping steadily -- 52.5 percent in 2000 to 49.7 percent of households in 2006.

Gas Prices Key for Single Women

The Democratic poll found that, like many voters, unmarried women believe gas prices are their top concern. Health care and food prices also rank highly as issues of concern for unmarried women.

"That group, certainly like other groups, are going to be taking a hard look at the economy and, particularly, gas prices," said Republican pollster Myra Miller.

Miller says GOP polling has found that unmarried women, who tend to be less economically well-off than married women, may be more inclined to support offshore oil drilling to offset the high price of gas.


Cost of living issues are critical for unmarried women," she said. "Obama, he certainly is an articulate speaker and he sounds good, but they are really going to be taking a look at 'what are you going to do,' particularly about gas prices."

Married Women Could Be Swing Voters

One of the biggest swing groups in November could be married women, who voted for Clinton in the 1990s and George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004.

Among married women, Obama holds a 52-43 percent lead over McCain, according to the July ABC News poll.

However, married women are one of the most moveable swing voter groups, which could bode well for McCain. Thirty-three percent of married women said they could change their minds before November, according to an ABC News poll.

Both candidates have targeted women voters, who could represent over 54 percent of the electorate in November. Women overwhelmingly went for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during the primaries, though Obama appears to be picking up her support.

How to reach them?? Here's one way:

65% of Online Adults Use Social Networking Sites
Women maintain their foothold on SNS use and older Americans are still coming aboard

Now, a new survey by Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that 65% say they use a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn, up from 61% one year ago. That's more than double the percentage that reported social networking site usage in 2008 (29%). And for the first time in Pew Internet surveys, it means that half of all adults (50%) use social networking sites.

Among internet users, social networking sites are most popular with women, young adults under age 30, and parents. Young adult women ages 18-29 are the power users of social networking; fully 89% of those who are online use the sites overall and 69% do so on an average day.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2088/social-networking-sites-myspace-facebook-linkedin

[rgampell]

Gas Prices Key for Single Women

The Democratic poll found that, like many voters, unmarried women believe gas prices are their top concern. Health care and food prices also rank highly as issues of concern for unmarried women.

"That group, certainly like other groups, are going to be taking a hard look at the economy and, particularly, gas prices," said Republican pollster Myra Miller.

Miller says GOP polling has found that unmarried women, who tend to be less economically well-off than married women, may be more inclined to support offshore oil drilling to offset the high price of gas.


Cost of living issues are critical for unmarried women," she said. "Obama, he certainly is an articulate speaker and he sounds good, but they are really going to be taking a look at 'what are you going to do,' particularly about gas prices."

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2088/social-networking-sites-myspace-facebook-linkedin

I realize this isn't your main point, but I wanted to pivot off this to make a point of my own: Since the European sovereign debt crisis has escalated, Ron has shifted his emphasis from personal liberty to government austerity. (I realize they're intertwined.) But despite this, it is still taboo even for Ron's biggest supporters to confront the fact that his policies will result in a severe deflationary depression. Bear in mind that for Ron, this is a feature, not a bug. He talks glowingly about the debt liquidation of 1921, which resulted in an unbelievable 15% DROP in GDP in one year. Needless to say, if Ron's economic plan is implemented, gas prices will go down hard. His point is that we need to take the same medicine now in order to have healthy growth. Again, this is clearly Ron's #1 emphasis right now, and yet most of us are doing our best to ignore it. Why?

To circle back to the topic, I wonder if women (on average) might be more receptive to the austerity message than men. Women (on average) see doctors more, take more medicine, etc., than men. And somehow or other, this message MUST be embraced, because it is what we are asking for from Ron, and what we are going to get if he is elected! Look to Europe if you want to see what happens when the austerity message is played down. There, any downturn in GDP is regarded as a failure of austerity. In other words, people are expecting austerity to result in immediate improvement in the economy; they do NOT view it as medicine for future benefit. It is absolutely critical to change the thinking on this if we want Ron to succeed.

Take the medicine (the chemo, the pap smear, the prostate exam) today, because we want to be alive tomorrow!

[wgadget]

bump

[Krugerrand]

I realize this isn't your main point, but I wanted to pivot off this to make a point of my own: Since the European sovereign debt crisis has escalated, Ron has shifted his emphasis from personal liberty to government austerity. (I realize they're intertwined.) But despite this, it is still taboo even for Ron's biggest supporters to confront the fact that his policies will result in a severe deflationary depression. Bear in mind that for Ron, this is a feature, not a bug. He talks glowingly about the debt liquidation of 1921, which resulted in an unbelievable 15% DROP in GDP in one year. Needless to say, if Ron's economic plan is implemented, gas prices will go down hard. His point is that we need to take the same medicine now in order to have healthy growth. Again, this is clearly Ron's #1 emphasis right now, and yet most of us are doing our best to ignore it. Why?

To circle back to the topic, I wonder if women (on average) might be more receptive to the austerity message than men. Women (on average) see doctors more, take more medicine, etc., than men. And somehow or other, this message MUST be embraced, because it is what we are asking for from Ron, and what we are going to get if he is elected! Look to Europe if you want to see what happens when the austerity message is played down. There, any downturn in GDP is regarded as a failure of austerity. In other words, people are expecting austerity to result in immediate improvement in the economy; they do NOT view it as medicine for future benefit. It is absolutely critical to change the thinking on this if we want Ron to succeed.

Take the medicine (the chemo, the pap smear, the prostate exam) today, because we want to be alive tomorrow!

Interesting take.

Blogger OneMom just endorsed Ron Paul and joined the RPF:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?330733-One-Mom-endorses-Ron-Paul

One of her reasons:

The Economy (yes, Ron Paul’s solutions may be very painful, but we need some powerful medicine if we are going to restore the United State’s prosperity).
http://onemom.com/2011/11/onemom-endorses-ron-paul/