"Security Moms" Boosting Bush Among Women Voters In Most Polls

A development increasingly showing up in polls spells trouble for the Kerry campaign: President Bush appears to be winning the support of women voters worried about terrorism, the so-called "security moms." On NBC Nightly News, NBC Washington bureau chief and moderator of Meet the Press Tim Russert analyzed the numbers in the latest NBC/WSJournal poll, saying, "Bush is strong with men, 52% to 42%. Women, Kerry winning 48% to 45%. In the year 2000, Al Gore won by 11 points. John Kerry must do better, particularly with younger women." Russert notes that "among married women, 57% say terrorism" is the more important issue "over 33% [who cite the] economy and health care. That's a huge bump which shows that the term 'security moms' is a reality." The Christian Science Monitor reports President Bush "has made serious inroads with women voters, to the point where, in some polls, he is beating Democrat John Kerry among females. If that trend holds, Bush will almost surely win reelection." The Washington Post reports that what is "most troubling for Democrats is that a majority of the women polled say that they believe Kerry would do better for pocketbook issues -- an indicator that usually drives the female vote -- yet they favor Bush because they consider him a stronger leader and better equipped to handle the terrorist threat."