Some gaffe, huh?

Before the Democratic National Convention in late August, Mr. Obama held an 8 percentage point lead among white women voters – 50 per cent to 42 per cent – but after the Republican convention earlier this month, Mr. McCain was ahead by 12 points among white women, 53 per cent to 41 per cent, the poll found.

“Yes, it's about Sarah Palin, but not just putting her on the ticket,” said Susan Carroll, a senior scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

“It's about what the choice of Sarah Palin did for McCain's image.

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