What We're Reading - Last night's debate women's issues were major topic and Romney is out with a new, misleading ad.
Spread the word
|
|
Last night was a busy night for women at the debate—as the two candidates discussed everything from equal pay to health care choices. We’ll have all that and more this morning, but make sure to check out what we’re reading…
Women’s health and Planned Parenthood was a major topic of discussion at last night’s debate.
“Obama brought up Planned Parenthood four times in debate”—“President Obama brought up federal funding for Planned Parenthood four times in Tuesday's debate, perhaps in a sign that he believes the issue can help him with female voters. Mitt Romney has been gaining ground with that crucial demographic since his much-touted performance in the first presidential debate on Oct 3. The GOP nominee has argued that federal funds need not go to Planned Parenthood to provide healthcare for low-income women. The group also provides abortions, making it a major target for conservatives. No questions on Tuesday addressed Planned Parenthood, but Obama raised the issue several times, calling the group's federally supported mammograms and cancer screenings ‘a pocketbook issue for women and families across the country.’… In another case, Obama used the topic of Planned Parenthood funding to highlight differences between Romney and former President George W. Bush. ‘George Bush never suggested that we eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, so there are differences between Governor Romney and George Bush, but they’re not on economic policy,’ Obama said.”
Wooing the women voters.
“Obama zeroes in on female voters”—“President Obama zeroed in on undecided female voters during Tuesday's debate, keying off a question on workplace fairness to tout his passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Act, contraception coverage and Mitt Romney's plans to cut funding for Planned Parenthood. The effort was notable given Obama's recent slip in the polls, something largely attributable to a drop in female support for the president. At Tuesday's debate, it appeared Obama was determined to reverse that trajectory. The president attacked Romney for his campaign initially having no position on the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which made it easier for women to sue if they'd faced workplace payment discrimination, and explained why his administration has required insurance companies to cover contraception. ‘Women are increasingly the bread winners of the family,’ he said. ‘It's not just a women's issue, it's a family issue.’ Obama also harped repeatedly on Romney's opposition to funding Planned Parenthood. ‘When they said they're going to cut Planned Parenthood funding, he said 'me too,' Obama later said as he attacked Romney for his primary stances.”
Mitt Romney continues to mislead voters on his women’s health positions.
“Romney bids for women's support with new abortion ad”—“Mitt Romney's campaign is appealing to female voters with a new ad that seeks to counter criticism of the GOP nominee's stance on abortion. The ad comes in the closing weeks of the presidential campaign as some polls show Romney gaining ground with swing-state women. Romney opposes abortions, except in the case of rape, incest or threats to the mother's life. He has vowed to govern as a ‘pro-life president,’ but recently downplayed his interest in pushing bills to limit abortion rights. The campaign's new TV spot features a woman, identified as Sarah Minto, who says she voted for President Obama in 2008. ‘Those ads saying Mitt Romney would ban all abortions and contraception seemed a bit extreme, so I looked into it,’ Minto tells the camera. ‘Turns out Romney doesn’t oppose contraception at all,’ she continues. ‘In fact, he thinks abortion should be an option in cases of rape, incest or to save a mother’s life.’ Planned Parenthood's political arm immediately seized on the ad, saying it is ‘designed to deceive women’ about Romney's positions. ‘The Romney team knows that Mitt Romney’s real agenda for women’s health is deeply unpopular – ending safe and legal abortion, ending Planned Parenthood’s preventive care that millions of people rely on, and repealing the Affordable Care Act and the coverage of birth control with no co-pay,’ said Planned Parenthood Action Fund Vice President Dawn Laguens in a statement.”
