The Hot File

It was supposed to be the week devoted to women, cashing in on the female vote by addressing pocketbook issues.  But you wouldn’t know it after Rev. Jesse Jackson’s “nutty” remarks and McCain’s chief economic advisor’s whine session about America’s “mental” recession topped headlines and set cable news tongues wagging.

So, let me devote some time to dish on the courtship.  Friday, McCain wooed a group of 500, most of them women, with promises of tax cuts for small businesses owners.  P.S. Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett Packard CEO on McCain’s shortlist for VP LOVES to talk about the stats on small business owners–most of them are women and the numbers are rising.  McCain argued he was the big cheese for Wisconsin women, slapping the competing suitor with this

“Senator Obama’s policies would make it harder for women to start new businesses, harder for women to create or find new jobs…I’m not going to let that happen.”

Earlier on Thursday, Obama in Virginia spoke at a townhall of women stumping on economic security–a sign that perhaps this year, the swing voter sweet spot won’t be national security moms, but economic security moms.  Obama wrapped his economic proposals in appeals to family values:

“I don’t accept an America where a woman earns less than a man for the same work, or an America that makes women choose between their kids and their careers,” Obama said. “When I’m President, we’ll take these critical issues head-on and help women and families thrive in a changing economy.”

Some say Obama is ripping pages out of Karl Rove’s playbook, but I see the campaign’s speech writers taking notes from Hillary.  This is the best appeal to female voters I’ve seen either candidate make on the trail since the general election kicked off.  This was an “I feel your pain” moment, a moment both candidates are vying for in an economically challenged, change year.  But does Obama’s adept appeal, mean he doesn’t need a woman on the ticket to bring it on home?  On Fox Friday night, newly dubbed Fox News Contributor, Howard “WTF” Wolfson, admitted that his former candidate is not currently being vetted by the Obama camp.  Looks like Obama’s handicap with the female vote could be gone, which means Hillary stays in supporter status and not soon-to-be sidekick in the White House.