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April 11, 2012 10:32 PM UTC

Romney Camp Misfires Badly on Women's Pay Equity

  • 15 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

CNN–aren’t we supposed to be done with the Etch-a-Sketch moments?

The Mitt Romney campaign’s failure to answer a reporter’s question Wednesday over the support of an equal-pay for women law was quickly pounced on by President Barack Obama’s campaign, marking the first skirmish of the general election now that Romney is the apparent GOP nominee.

On a conference call with reporters, Romney campaign surrogates were asked if the candidate supports the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that expands workers’ rights to sue if a pay discrepancy between a man and woman exists.

The reply: “We’ll get back to you on that,” Romney Campaign Policy Director Lanhee Chen said.

Apparently somebody in Mitt Romney’s campaign replied on background soon after that he “supports pay equity and is not looking to change current law,” but it’s a bit late. We got this release a short while ago from the Barack Obama reelection campaign’s Colorado office:

“When asked whether he supports the concept of ‘personhood’, Mitt Romney didn’t skip a beat in saying ‘absolutely.’ But when it comes to the simple idea of equal pay for equal work, his campaign said he has to ‘think’ about it before offering another empty answer. Romney’s reluctance on the Lilly Ledbetter Act – which President Obama signed into law – makes it clear that he is out-of-touch with Colorado women and can’t be trusted to stand up for working families,” said former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Jean Dubofsky.

“President Obama took decisive action at the outset of his Administration to sign the long-overdue Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and help ensure women get equal pay for equal work. Contrast this to Mitt Romney, who waffled and stumbled his way to another empty response. This isn’t just a women’s issue – it’s an issue of economic security, and Mitt Romney needs to come clean on exactly where he stands,” said State Representative Crisanta Duran.  

Folks, it’s important to remember that this began as a conference call highlighting how “bad” Obama’s presidency has been for women! Unfortunately, leaving out the very first bill Obama signed into law as President to protect pay equity for women–and not even knowing what your candidate’s position is on said law–is a sure way to look really stupid in that pursuit.

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15 thoughts on “Romney Camp Misfires Badly on Women’s Pay Equity”

  2. Who wants to bet that the president makes more mistakes on the campaign trail then the presumptive nominee for the Republicans?  Not even Biden is as gaffe prone.

      2. they should know their candidate better than he knows himself.  Fuxsake Mitt has been running since ’08 and this teleconf was their campaign outreach to set land mines for the Obama.  How classic that they screw the pooch outta the gate.  

        BTW, it was Lanhee Chen that gave the “we’ll get back to you” brush off.  Same Lanhee dude that’s now been with the campaign for over a year and did prior work with Mittens in his ’08 Fail (more bio below).  

        Policy Director  Lanhee Chen

        (from Jan. 2011, announced March 28, 2011)

        Most recently a visit scholar at the University of California’s Institute of Governmental Studies.  Chen was the deputy campaign manager and policy director on California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner’s campaign for governor, 2009-10.  Associate attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, 2008-09.  Chief domestic policy adviser during Romney’s 2007-08 campaign for president. Senior counselor to the Deputy Secretary at HHS, 2008.  A health policy adviser to Bush-Cheney ’04.  Ph.D. in political science, J.D., A.M. in political science, and A.B. in government, all from Harvard University.

        now how the f*ck does your Sr. Policy Director not know how to respond to this simple query?  Is Mittens that much of a control freak or does he have no street smart directors on his staff?    

      3. …that Romney surrounds himself with only incompetent idiots and fawning sycophants? Apparently, until they get the memo, they don’t know what to say!

      4. This guy is comedy gold with his gaffe a day routine.

        Apparently he’s position is not the same as the GOP either.  The Blunt Amendment was pretty blunt about denying women a chance in court to prove discrimination.  How’s that going to play now in Conservaville?  He’s flipped in less than a day.

  3. That’s an eternity in air time. “Do you support the Ledbetter Act?” (Cue to six seconds of men in suits pantomiming “Huh? WTF?”) Then the forceful, confident “We’ll get back to you on that.”

    It’s like Palin’s response to Katie Couric when asked to name one financial reform McCain had been responsible for. “I’ll try to find some and get them to you.” But even worse, because here all Romney’s sycophants had to say was something like “Gov. Romney strongly supports equal opportunities for women! blah blah blah.” I guess they couldn’t cue up even that answer because they’re not really sure if he does…  

  5. They got it right.

    So what it took awhile- eqaulity for women is a new thing for them.  They’re conservative I think that be definition makes them resistant to change.

    I say- give it a rest. At least until the next time when the Romney campaign says they are against the Ledbetter Act.

    And besides, we all know money is more important to men.

  6. What we are watching is a polished campaign. This has been going on for years. And before that when he ran for and won the governor’s seat in Massachusetts. To have stupid keep showing up says much about where the R’s are today for campaign staff.  

  7. I just don’t recall Republicans generally speaking out against anything that represents the common good, the environment (you know, things like water, air and soil), a minority (I suppose the 1% does represent a minority-my bad), a war, a hate crime, etc.

    I remember them naming post offices.

    They don’t like breaking ranks and condemning behaviors in their party regardless the level of the crime, or its impact on the society as a whole.

    Have I missed something?

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