Empathy gap, women voters at play during town hall presidential debate

Surveys in Virgnia have found that "men and women held nearly opposite views of which candidate was better on the economy: Women said Obama was superior on that front, 52 to 39, while men said it was Romney, 51 to 40," Henneberger wrote. "It's on that issue that Obama has to make his case with both men and women if he really intends to win this thing."

Aides said Romney will not specifically try to woo women during the Tuesday debate, but that he would continue to present himself as the best alternative for all constituencies, The New York Times reported.

"Our internal polling shows strong movement toward Governor Romney over the past two weeks," Rich Beeson, the campaign's political director, said in a memo. "It also shows serious movement by independent voters, women, and those who were soft supporters of President Obama toward the Romney-Ryan ticket."

Voters may have considered the Oct. 11 vice presidential debate a draw, a CNN poll suggested, but The Atlantic reports that Ryan's performance might have helped improve the ticket's standing with women voters by charming "grannies."

"I thought Paul Ryan came out looking very responsible and intelligent, and personally I did not think the vice president did," Susan Seifert, a 65-year-old retired housewife said.

"I thought Paul Ryan was respectful and knowledgeable. He was head and shoulders above the other man," said Nancy Runion, a 58-year-old office manager. "Biden was very disrespectful. But Paul Ryan showed a lot of character."