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" Many younger voters expressed similar feelings about being put off by Palin. At Mount Rushmore, Republican voter Neal G., 23, currently an engineering and economics student at Ohio State University in Columbus, said he is "100 percent for gay marriage." Taken together with Palin's seeming "uninformed on a lot of issues," he said that he is now reluctant to vote for his party's ticket.
Some see the selection of Palin as a cynical move by McCain to court segments of the electorate in which his support was sagging. They think it will backfire.
"I respected him before, but Sen. McCain will do anything to get elected," said Maureen K., 68, a university administrator from Pittsburgh. "And now with Palin, it's like 'American Idol' replayed." Her husband, Ralph, 68, a computer programmer, and a Republican, reluctantly agreed. "As much as I hate it," he said, "I gotta vote for the Democrats." Carl B., 35, a naval officer also from Pittsburgh, said that "people find it insulting that they would pick Palin to pick up female votes." He said he will stick with his convictions and vote in November for libertarian candidate Bob Barr.
Palin's view of the world beyond Alaska has not gone unnoticed. Even some of those eager to see a woman in power are unimpressed. "When she was talking about foreign policy experience and said, 'I can see Russia from my backyard' -- Ding! Ding! -- that was enough for me," explained Pam Mueller, 64, of Grand Rapids, Mich., a former Hillary Clinton supporter. Mueller said she will stick with her party and vote for Obama. Gray Mayo, 70, from North Glenn, Colo., put it bluntly: "She should stay a sports mom. She's no Hillary." "
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