Richardson courts women voters in N.H.

CONCORD, N.H. --Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson said he will not concede the women's vote to rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and opened his courtship of the important Democratic voting bloc Monday by pledging to protect the right to abortion.

The New Mexico governor and former Clinton cabinet member launched his Women for Richardson effort with pledges to support pay equity, limited Social Security credit for family leave and appoint judges who would uphold abortion rights.

"This is not a constituency issue. This is not an issue of women being a special interest. Women are the majority in this country," Richardson said. "What I'm doing here is addressing the interests of the majority."

Richardson, who has made gains in recent state polls and reported $7.1 million in his campaign checkbook, said he is pushing "the most far-reaching women's platform." In a speech to a mainly female audience, he said his judicial nominees would have to support the precedent established in Roe v. Wade.

"When you talk about Supreme Court justices, you look at the enormous damage the Supreme Court has done over the last two months. It has not been a good summer," he said.

"I am going to ask my Supreme Court justices -- anybody who applies -- are you for settled law, like Roe versus Wade? If you are not, you are not going to be appointed. Some people are going to call this a litmus test. I call it respecting precedent. It's about putting women's lives above politics."

Richardson also proposed giving limited Social Security retirement credit to women who leave paying jobs to care for children or parents.

"Caregivers deserve more than lip-service for the work that they do," he said. "We will push for caregivers' incentive in Social Security. Our retirement system should recognize this valuable work."

Richardson badly lags with women voters in the state. In the most recent statewide poll, 7 percent of all likely Democratic voters supported him, but only 3 percent of female voters in that group.

More than a third of women supported Hillary Rodham Clinton and a quarter supported Sen. Barack Obama, according to the Research 2000 poll conducted for the Concord Monitor.

Richardson said he can narrow that gap as voters hear more of his agenda.

"I believe my platform is the strongest pro-women's platform and it shouldn't be based just on the fact there's a woman in the race," Richardson told reporters after the event. "I'm the only candidate that has been moving up in the polls. I represent change and I represent experience and, most importantly, electibility in the general election."

Richardson said much of his policy wouldn't be needed had the nation adopted the failed Equal Rights Amendment, a hot political issue during the 1970s.

Richardson said he appointed women to top jobs as a member of Congress, cabinet secretary and governor.

"I've always appointed women to critical positions. You know why? Women are better workers than men. It's very simple," Richardson said to laughter. "I hope that doesn't lose the men's vote."