The Power of Apologies: How Bush's 'Mistakes? Never' Approach May Fall Flat with Female Voters

In the aftermath of the second presidential debate, it's clear that the topic of mistakes has taken center stage. Senator John Kerry has accused President Bush of making a catastrophic error in rushing to war in Iraq, while the president has maintained that he made no mistakes. This stance is part of a broader hypermasculine persona that Bush has cultivated, but how will female voters respond to it? Historically, women have played a significant role in presidential elections, with more women than men voting and a larger percentage of women voting Democratic.

Key Takeaways:

• Women value apologies and admitting mistakes as a sign of caring and credibility, making Bush's 'Mistakes? Never' approach potentially damaging to his appeal.
• The British Labor Party and Senator John F. Kennedy have both admitted fault and apologized in high-profile elections, showing that it can be a winning strategy.
• Bush's refusal to apologize may be seen as dismissive of the consequences of his actions, particularly in relation to the war in Iraq and the deaths of American soldiers.
• The 'compassion gap' that has dogged Republicans is a significant issue, and Bush's attempts to address it with his 'doing' approach may not resonate with female voters.
• Women prioritize domestic issues like jobs and health care, and it remains to be seen whether the president will be asked about his mistakes on these issues.

Statistics:

• 61% of undecided voters are women (Time magazine poll).
• 8 million more women than men voted in the 2000 presidential election.
• Women voted Democratic by 11 percentage points in 2000, while men preferred Bush by 11 percentage points.
• 11 percentage points is the margin by which women voted for Gore compared to Bush.

Sources:

• Time magazine
• British Labor Party/New York Times (March 2004)
• Pulitzer Prize-winning article about the 1960 presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon
• Various news sources discussing the 2000 presidential election