Media unskeptically promote "security moms" as pivotal constituency in 2004

In recent weeks, the media have accepted, largely without question, the notion of "security moms" as the constituency in the 2004 presidential election that the candidates must win over in order to prevail in November.

The syllogism the media are complicit in advancing to the benefit of Bush-Cheney '04 goes as follows: Bush outpolls Kerry on terrorism as a campaign issue; this year's "It" constituency -- "security moms" -- cares most about terrorism; therefore, Bush will likely win the support of this crucial constitutency.

But there's strong evidence that the notion of the pivotal "security mom" is a myth -- one that the media appears to have unquestioningly bought into. Evidence shows that the women who fall under the demographic known as "security moms" -- white, suburban, married women with children -- are no more likely to identify the war on terror as their primary concern than are other constituencies, nor are they a "swing" group poised for persuasion by either candidate. In fact, they are and have been since the beginning of this year solidly in the Bush-Cheney camp.

According to a September 27 Washington Post-ABC News poll, so-called "security moms" are "no more likely than other voters to name the war on terrorism or Iraq as their top voting issue." The Post went on to note that "only about one in four married women with children -- 24 percent -- rated the war on terrorism as their major concern." And, as Anna Greenberg, vice president of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc., has noted, Bush has throughout the campaign outpolled Kerry with the group known as "security moms" -- the 22 percent of women who are white, suburban, blue-collar and college educated women with children:

The truth is, Kerry is struggling with some women and he has struggled with them from the very beginning of this campaign. White blue collar women and white married women are conservative, lean Republican and they have supported Bush since the beginning of the year.

Noam Scheiber, senior editor of The New Republic, quoted (registration required) TIME magazine pollster Mark Schulman saying that his polling firm as been looking for the "security moms" phenomenon, but "[w]e honestly could not find much empirical evidence to support it."

Nonetheless, media outlets have advanced the notion of "security moms" as this year's swing constituency who could determine the outcome in November.

Although polling nationally has shown Bush gradually taking the support of suburban women voters away from Kerry -- a factor known as "security moms" who care about raising their children in an atmosphere of terrorism -- the reverse is true in Illinois.

Suddenly, the hottest phenomenon in presidential politics is the metamorphosis of women from "soccer moms" to "security moms." ... A significant number of security moms and other women -- many of whom have reflexively voted Democratic in the past, appear to have concluded President Bush has proven a competent steward of national security in the wake of September 11.

The Orlando Sentinel in a September 26 column by Tribune Media Services syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker (her column also appears on the Heritage Foundation's "conservative news and information" website Townhall.com):

What women want, apparently, is to be safe. In post-Sept. 11 America, the group of swing voters formerly known as "soccer moms" has morphed into "security moms" -- mostly white, married women with children who worry first about national security. ... Thus far, polls show Bush leading among such women, which is causing headaches for the Kerry campaign.

The Christian Science Monitor, in a September 23 in a report titled "Why women are edging toward Bush":

A growing group of "security moms" puts national safety at the top of their list, weakening a traditionally Democratic base.

The so-called security moms, who have replaced soccer moms as a desirable demographic, are now flocking to Mr. Bush over Mr. Kerry, believing he can better protect their kids from scary terrorists.

Bush's strategists say he is trying to reach swing voters by showing how women benefit from his national security and economic policies, and it may be working. A few polls over the past month have shown him narrowing the gender gap that has dogged Republicans since Ronald Reagan's race in 1980. Pollsters said the change is largely because security has become a bigger issue for all voters, making "security moms" one of this election's hot categories and displacing Democrat-friendly issues such as health care and education.

CNN, MSNBC and FOX News Channel have also perpetuated the notion of "security moms:"

Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst: Well, it looks like married women are very security conscious. Many of them are what we call "security moms" concerned about protecting their kids. And they see President Bush as a strong and protective figure. [American Morning, September 23] MSNBC

Joe Scarborough, host: [I]s John Kerry winning more votes with windsurfing crowds than with a new voting bloc? We're going to take a closer look at America's newest voting bloc, the security moms. [Scarborough Country, September 24] Deborah Norville, host: And although women traditionally do vote Democratic, it appears that the Bush campaign, at the moment anyway, is winning the security moms. [Deborah Norville Tonight, September 23] FOX News Channel

Chris Wallace, host: And what about this talk that the so- called soccer moms are being replaced by something called security moms? What's that all about?

Mara Liasson, NPR national political correspondent: Well, every election is the great search for the swing group of voters. It used to be soccer moms, people who were concerned about education and health care and domestic issues. This year the theory is that women are flocking to Bush more than Kerry because they're concerned about their own safety. And they are. [FOX Broadcasting Company's FOX News Sunday, September 26] Sean Hannity, co-host: Is this [Kerry's] strategy ... [y]ou know, attack, attack, attack, and calling the president a liar and incompetent. You know, he's [Kerry] flip-flopped all over Iraq. Does that strategy, could it be effective in bringing some security moms over to their [Kerry/Edwards] side or bringing anybody? Could he [Kerry] -- in other words, can he bamboozle people into believing he's tough on defense when he's not, tough on intelligence when he's not? [FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes, September 24] As has network television:

Tim Russert, host: Let's look at the latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll and get a sense of this race. The election held today: Bush, 48; Kerry, 45; Nader, 2. ... But look at this. Married women [ages] 18 to 45: terrorism and values, 57; economy and health care; 33. The so-called security moms, David Broder -- unless John Kerry can have a gender gap, get his totals amongst women up, he's going to have a very difficult time. [Meet the Press, 9/26/04] ABC

Claire Shipman, ABC News senior national correspondent: But while soccer moms, that group that was so influential, as you mentioned, in the last decade as swing voters, went for Bill Clinton twice, security moms are going Republican. Now, women in general are moving to Bush. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll out shows Kerry with only a 3-point lead among women. [Good Morning America, September 23] CBS

CBSNews.com: However, in the first presidential election since the Sept. 11 attacks, when security moms hve replaced soccer moms, the political landscape looks less favorable for Democrats with women voters. [CBSNews.com article, September 23] And National Public Radio (NPR):

Scott Horsley, NPR business correspondent: Kerry argues that he can fight a tougher, smarter, more effective war on terror. So far, though, most voters say President Bush has the advantage there. Fear of terrorism has helped President Bush win more support this year among women voters, who four years ago tended to favor Al Gore. John Kerry is working to win back these so-called security moms. [Weekend Edition Saturday, September 25] Juan Williams, NPR senior correspondent: Boy, if you want to win the presidential race in 2004 ... I would suggest that you appeal strongly to suburban white females in battleground states, also known as security moms. [Morning Edition, September 27] — N.C. & M.K.

Okay Security Moms For Bush and WISPers!!! As you know, we are on a roll with the media! Over the past week, we have had interviews with or we have been quoted in: The Wall Street Journal (May run this Thursday) Chicago Tribune ~ to run in two weeks Reuters ~ working on tight deadline Baltimore Sun (W.I.S.P. interview) story ran today National Review Online New Max WABC Radio - NYC (two interviews in one month) WRZE Radio - Cape Cod !! (Live interview this morning) NBC News Affiliate in South Carolina - Met with our S.C. team yesterday Norway newspaper Japanese Newspaper ABC Nightly News With Peter Jennings (to air later this week, or early next week) ABC Now Digital TV (live interview with our NYC volunteer - Pam - who use to support democrats!) and calls from CNN and ABC looking for background information or people to interview W.I.S.P. call into Sean Hannity last week Beth's call into a Chicago Radio Station Lorraine's (NY Capt) letter to the editor of The Daily News on 9-11-04 Read the article below ~ they still think we don't exist! They are calling us a MYTH!! They do not think any of you were ever "leaning left" and are now supporting our President, they think we are not a big enough voting block!

Have I gotten you a little mad yet? I sure hope so!

I believe this is the liberal view to try to quash our voices! They want to try to get the word out to the "Media" that we do not exist, so that they will not continue to want to talk about us! This is both disheartening and WRONG!

Let's take action (I know, this is the second time in 24 hours that we are making this request of you....but this is our time to get our message out and let other moms know about our group so that they will give their support to the President!)

Send a letter to "Media Matters For America" mm-tips@mediamatters.org

Let them know that YOU do exist, that you are not a myth, that you are an important voting group in the election that is going to be held in 35 days!

Kerry : Help is on the way!
Hanoi Jane Partners with MoveOn.Org
Click Here

John F. Kerry
Timeline of a traitor.
Click Here

READ THIS INTERVIEW THAT KERRY GAVE in 1970
KERRY GAVE AID AND COMFORT TO THE VIET CONG

Harvard Crimson : Kerry refused order to destroy Viet Cong village

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=352185

Published on Wednesday, February 18, 1970
John Kerry: A Navy Dove Runs for Congress

By SAMUEL Z. GOLDHABER

Crimson Staff Writer

"...One time Kerry was ordered to destroy a Viet Cong village
but disobeyed orders and suggested that the Navy Command
simply send in a Psychological Warfare team to be
friend the villagers with food, hospital supplies,
and better educational facilities."

Free online version of
Kerry's "The New Soldier"
You can read it online right now.

Gee, where was the hoopla over the "soccer moms" constituency? Oh, that's right - that was a group invented by the Democratic Clinton spin-sters! Gosh I've got to stop being so cynical (dripping sarcasm) - the MSM is just protecting us from the EVIL right wingers.

PS. I don't know why but I can't get this vision out of my head: soccer moms in armored vehicles carrying M-16s insuring that their kids aren't messed with on or off the field.

It's a hokey term, but it's true. I am a die-hard Bush fan, but have a teacher friend who NEVER votes Republican. Guess what? She is voting for President Bush. The issue that turned her? Yep, terrorism. She is an expectant mom and knows that nothing is more important than our national security (plus she thinks Kerry is a weasel). My friend is smart enough to know that the economy, education, etc all depend upon our country being safer, and she doesn't think Kerry can do the job.

LBelle

Here is the letter that I sent to Brit Hume at Fox:

I thought you might want to know where Security Moms are and who they are - www.moms4bush.com and www.gowisp04.org. These groups are reaching out to women who are passionate about protecting their families and keeping terrorists away from our buildings, our schools, our homes. We feel very strongly in the leadership shown by President Bush. He has not faltered or wavered on his position about taking the fight to them, so that we can feel safe again in America. Women may differ on many issues facing our country domestically; however, one issue on which we are absolutely undivided is that we never again want to experience the horror of September 11, 2001. The feeling that we all experienced three years ago when our only focus that morning was to get to our children, and be with our families. We did not know what kind of an attack we were under, but we knew that we had to be with our families and if there was a further threat, to protect our children.

We feel confident that George W. Bush will continue to lead our Military decisively and honorably. We also know in our deepest inner gut that John Kerry will only demoralize the military, appease the terrorists, compromise our national security and put our country and our freedoms at great risk.

We are Security Moms. We do exist and we fiercely support the President and his mission to protect us and our families.

Sincerely,

Shirli LoSchiavo

Co-Founder, WISP

Women in Support of the President

www.gowisp04.org

gowisp@comcast.net

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