Monday, December 17, 2007
Women more willing to forgive Monica scandal than Judi Giuliani's trysts
BY HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, December 17th 2007, 1:09 AM
A straying husband is bad. But a home wrecker is worse - at least when it comes to who should end up in the White House.
That seems to be the judgment of women polled by the Daily News. More were likely to punish Judith Giuliani for trysting with the then-married mayor when she was Judith Nathan than Bill Clinton for cheating on his wife in the Oval Office.
The News' national poll of female voters found women - by a 40% to 35% margin - said Judith Giuliani's affair with Rudy made her less suitable to be First Lady.
However, they were more forgiving about Clinton's adultery, with 42% saying his affair doesn't make him less suitable to be First Laddie and 34% saying it does.
"I think [the Giulianis] have a lot of nerve to think they can get elected when the Republicans won't let my poor buddy Bill alone for what he did," said Marie Klieman, 74, of East China, Mich.
Maybe it's because many women think the Big Dog is under control now that he's had heart surgery and become an international statesman.
Only 15% of respondents in the poll said they worried about another sex scandal exploding should the Clintons return to their old digs on Pennsylvania Ave.
The poll also found that many female voters like the idea of Bill Clinton taking on a role in his wife's administration, but they split on whether Rudy Giuliani's third wife should get involved in government.
Hillary Clinton has said she might put her husband to work helping out with diplomacy, and 54% of women in the poll said they approved.
But only 37% liked Rudy Giuliani's plan to have his wife, a one-time nurse, take a role in health care issues. Younger women were more likely to see it as a good idea than older women were.
In general, there were widespread doubts that either spouse should get involved.
"Personally, I don't think either Bill or Judi should be anywhere near the government. I wouldn't trust them as far as I can throw them," said Norma Naegele, 61, of Lucas, Kan.
When asked whom they'd prefer to watch their kids, 36% of the women polled would rather have Bill and Hillary Clinton baby-sit, while 21% would pick Rudy and Judith Giuliani.
"I might let Mrs. Giuliani watch my kids, but not Rudy. If his own children won't speak to him, I don't want my kids speaking to him," said Deborah Taylor, 58, of Derby, Kan.
One in five volunteered that they wouldn't trust their children with either couple.
Blum & Weprin Associates surveyed 569 female registered voters for The News. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
hkennedy@nydailynews.com
