Obama: GOP’s Excitement Over Palin Due to Ideology, Not Gender

The Land of Lincolner shrugs off the suggestion that women are flocking to the McCain because Palin's on the ticket, though he says there's "no doubt" the right wing is excited about her.

Says at Ohio presser: "I think that has less to do with gender than her ideological predispositions, which are closely aligned with theirs."

Also downplays national polls showing him dipping or even with McCain, saying a year ago he was 20 points behind Clinton.

Read transcript of Q&A here.