WASHINGTON -- Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's top strategist predicted Thursday that nearly a quarter of Republican women would support Clinton in the presidential contest _ a claim that later drew a sharp rebuke from rival Barack Obama's camp.
Mark Penn, Clinton's senior adviser and pollster, told reporters that private surveys suggested about 24 percent of Republican women would vote for Clinton "because of the emotional element of having a woman nominee."
Penn's claim that Clinton would win the support of GOP women was flatly challenged by Obama pollster Joel Benenson in an e-mail to reporters.
"Penn's assertion is entirely baseless and refuted by a number of public polls. Moreover, these polls also indicate sizable defection among Democratic women should Sen. Clinton be the nominee," Benenson said. "While it may not be her fault, Clinton appears to be as polarizing a figure as ever, showing the least crossover appeal of any of the Democratic candidates."
Penn also refuted a claim made frequently by Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani, suggesting he is the only candidate who can beat Clinton in a general election contest. Giuliani currently leads the GOP field in most national surveys.
"We have gone through a cycle with Giuliani," Penn said, referring to the 2000 New York senate race in which Clinton and the former New York mayor briefly sparred.
Giuliani abandoned the race in May of that year after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Penn said his polling at the time indicated Clinton had pulled ahead before Giuliani left the race after trailing him in the early part of the contest. Most public polling at the time found the race essentially tied when Giuliani dropped out.
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