The lingering image of the open mike incident, was of Cheney as flunky. Gore not only chose someone outside the old boy network, but together they have an easy, teasing and egalitarian style. I know it's not just women who resonate to this partnership. And I don't want to suggest that women go for style over substance. A campaign isn't a chick flick.
Women voters hear their issues coming out of the Democratic mouths.
But most women seek character cues from watching relationships, not just individuals. We figure out who people are by how they are with others. The Al and Joe appeal is also tied into a somewhat different sense of leadership styles. The polls show Bush and Gore in a virtual tie. Polling questions, however, rarely go deep enough.