Conservative Women Excited about Palin
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Sarah Palin says, you know, "I was in second grade when Joe Biden was elected United States senator at age 29." That's true. But she was in 6th grade the last time John had a new idea.</s>COOPER: Senator Joe Biden firing back at Sarah Palin. A Pew Research survey released last week shows that Obama-Biden ticket is leading the Republican ticket by 17 points among women. That's up ten points from two weeks ago. With 26 days to go, it is important to remember that women voters twice helped George W. Bush defeat Democratic challengers. Women like the group of mostly moms who share devotion to Sarah Palin. 360's Randi Kaye spent some time with them and has the "Raw Politics."</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We pray we that may be an example for the Lord Jesus.</s>RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These Florida women hope their prayers are answered and Republicans win the White House. They are conservative Christian, Bible study members and big fans of Sarah Palin.</s>NANTZ: She's the rock star of the Republican party right now.</s>KAYE: At 37, Tami Nantz is a born-again Christian, a wife and mother who sees a kinship in Palin like no other candidate before. She waited seven hours at a rally just to shake her hand and get this autograph. (on camera) You feel like she's someone you can hang out with?</s>NANTZ: I feel like if she walked in my door right now, and we could sit down and have -- have snacks with her and talk and have a ball. I feel like she's one of us.</s>KAYE (voice-over): "One of us" because she's a woman and because she has conservative views.</s>NANTZ: Being a mom and Christian woman.</s>KAYE: Tami and her friends are just a small sampling of the conservative base Palin has re-energized. But they speak volumes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was bold. She's authentic. She tells the truth.</s>KAYE: These women were not sold on John McCain until he picked Palin. He isn't conservative enough for them. Like Palin, they oppose embryonic stem cell research and abortion rights. They admire her for knowingly giving birth no a Down syndrome baby and for supporting the pregnancy of her teenage daughter.</s>BRENDA MYNKS, PALIN SUPPORTER: Such a great example for the country, that people have these challenges, but with the Grace of God, with the love of family, these challenges can be overcome.</s>KAYE: Even the single registered Democrat in the bunch sys she can relate to Palin.</s>CARA GARCIA, PALIN SUPPORTER: When she came on the ticket, it excited me. I personally started listening to her, and I liked what I heard. So I'm a fan.</s>KAYE: So why aren't all these fans showing up in the polls? CNN polls show McCain hasn't made any gains among women since naming Palin. And a "TIME" magazine poll this month gives Barack Obama a 17- point lead among women.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think there is a silent majority out there. I have never been polled. Have any you guys been polled?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.</s>KAYE (on camera): The ladies we talked with believe Palin's appeal goes beyond the conservative base. They say even if voters don't agree with her conservative base, they will be attracted to what our group calls her authenticity.</s>GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE-PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: The American people know...</s>KAYE (voice-over): And her feistiness. In Palin, these women have found their champion.</s>NANTZ: She has got that personality. She's got that, you know -- that tenacity about her. She's -- she's a pit bull. She really is.</s>KAYE (on camera): In lipstick.</s>NANTZ: In lipstick. Absolutely in lipstick.</s>KAYE: What do you say to critics who say that she's more about style than substance?</s>NANTZ: I say that I think they just don't get her. We get her. We get the little winks and nods and the little comments and sarcastic remarks. We get them.</s>KAYE (voice-over): Tami was so angered by criticism of Palin she started this blog, Moms for Sarah Palin. It's received more than 11,000 hits, about half anti-Palin.</s>NANTZ: Emma wrote me and she said, "I thought this was the moron blog, and I wasn't disappointed. Morons for Sarah Palin." And she called her an animal killer and a pig.</s>KAYE: Bloggers have also targeted Tami personally. But like Sarah Palin, Tami Nantz isn't backing down. It's only strengthened her faith. Randi Kaye, CNN, Coral Springs, Florida.</s>COOPER: The appeal of Sarah Palin among some. Just another quick update now on our breaking news, the markets. Asian markets trading now in Japan, down 10 percent -- that is crash territory. And Hong Kong's market down 8 percent. Just ahead, a community organizing group getting out the vote seems to be doing its job too well, raising allegations of voter fraud. We're "Keeping Them Honest."