#58 Cover Your Bases: Are White Women Going to Elect Trump? Using Memory in ChatGPT and Some Fall Pleasures

White Women and the U.S. Presidential Elections

For over 70 years, a majority of white women voters have generally favored Republican presidential candidates, with only two exceptions: the elections of 1964 and 1996. However, this trend has never been monolithic. White women without college degrees and those over 50 have shown a stronger preference for Republican candidates, including Donald Trump. By contrast, white women with college degrees have increasingly favored Democratic candidates in recent elections. These splits within the demographic reflect deeper divides on issues such as education, healthcare, and reproductive rights, making white women a crucial but complex voting bloc.

This trend continues to be significant in the 2024 race. According to recent data from Pew Research, a majority of white women prefer Donald Trump over Kamala Harris (55% to 41%).  

A recent KFF poll underscores this divide, with white women nearly evenly split on who they trust more to handle policies related to abortion access and birth control—47% trust Trump, while 40% favor Harris.

The pundits say that while Harris has a substantial advantage among Black and Hispanic women on this issue, white women are more likely to consider both candidates, with 47% trusting Trump on topics related to economic costs, compared to 40% for Harris.

It’s frustrating to see so many women align with a candidate whose policies—particularly on healthcare, reproductive rights and democracy—are dangerous to their rights and well-being, as well as to our retaining any fairness in government.

Exploring ChatGPT’s Memory: A New Tool for Smarter AI Use

In my latest blog post, I’ve examined ChatGPT's memory feature, which allows the AI to remember details from previous conversations. Whether you’re collaborating on a project, seeking ongoing advice, or simply want a more tailored interaction, this feature offers ways to make your AI experience more efficient and personalized.

In the post, I cover:

• What ChatGPT’s memory is, and how it works

• Practical tips for managing it effectively

• Real-world examples of how it can be applied in different professional contexts

If you’re interested in how this functionality might benefit your workflow, please read the full post here.

Fall Pleasures

The heat wave just broke in California, so some of the fall feelings are still a little imaginary or anticipated. But it is cooler at night and in the morning and gets dark earlier. I’ve been thinking about what new clothes to buy for fall, the soups and stews that I want to make,  what a winter vacation might look like, and whether, for a change, we’d like to go to the snow (in California, most areas don’t have snow. Instead, we visit it.)

So, here are some of the things that have given me joy(or that I have been really into) in the past two weeks:

CLOTHING AND STYLE

I like Land’s End because they have so many petite sizes, and I am short. I just discovered they have a super-cool fashion director named Amanda Kramer, who has an Instagram, so she’s a new follow.

I am also a Quince fan; I wear my $50 Charcoal cashmere crew-neck sweater constantly and want to order more.

MEDIA 

Netflix, The Perfect Couple.  After my Elin Hildebrand reading jag, I vegged out, post-COVID shot, with The Perfect Couple, an adaption of one of her novels. Nicole Kidman, Liv Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Megan Fahey; it was easy to watch grade-B entertainment of the highest caliber. Need to chill? This could be your show.

ABC/Hulu,  High Potential  Kaitlin Olson, who was so great as Jean Stark’s daughter in Hacks, is the lead in this very cute and clever show that reminds me of The Lincoln Lawyer in that it’s well done but doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you get a kick out of watching a blonde actress play a mom with exceptional deductive reasoning and a 160 IQ and is deeply committed to wearing mini-skirts, thigh-high boots, and big dangling earrings in every scene, this is your new comedy. 

 COOKING AND EATING

Ginger Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew with Lentils & Kale

Kale came in the CSA box this week, so I bought sweet potatoes and am getting ready to make that post-pandemic classic, Ginger Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Stew with Lentils & Kale, from The First Mess. This recipe went viral because it was and still is so good.

Persimmon Fennel Salad with Mustard Dressing. My son, the fantastic chef, made a beautiful dinner salad last weekend with ultra-thin fennel and persimmon; the minute I had it, I wanted to make it at home. This recipe is the closest approximation to his dish, and I am making it tonight. It’s so good. 

Thank you for reading CYB #58. If you found this issue thought-provoking, feel free to share your thoughts or pass it along to someone who might find it helpful. I appreciate your engagement and look forward to continuing the conversation in future issues.

Warmly,
Susan

PS Since you made it this far, here’s Caleb Sasser at the recent XOXO Conference, giving a talk which delighted many people.