WASHINGTON -- As president, Mitt Romney would not repeal the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which provides women with more legal channels through which to pursue equal pay for equal work, his campaign confirmed on Wednesday.
"Women account for more than 92 percent of jobs lost under Barack Obama," said Amanda Henneberg, a spokeswoman for the former Massachusetts governor's campaign. "Of course Mitt Romney supports pay equity for women. The real question is whether President Obama supports jobs for women."
Andrea Saul, another Romney spokeswoman, added that he "supports pay equity and is not looking to change current law."
The remarks put to rest, for the time being, a brief controversy in the now-escalating fight between Romney's campaign and President Barack Obama's over whose policies have been worse for women. During a conference call held earlier in the morning, a Romney aide was unable to answer a straightforward question about the former governor's position on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which Obama signed into law amid heavy Republican opposition.
"We'll get back to you on that," the aide replied, when asked about the law by The Huffington Post.
Roughly two hours later, Romney's campaign clarified his stance -- but not before the Obama campaign got in a few licks, sending out a statement of disapproval from Ledbetter herself.
I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Mitt Romney is not willing to stand up for women and their families. If he is truly concerned about women in this economy, he wouldn’t have to take time to ‘think’ about whether he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This Act not only ensures women have the tools to get equal pay for equal work, but it means their families will be better served also. Women earn just 77 cents to every dollar that men earn for the same job, which is why President Obama took decisive action and made this the first bill that he signed when he took office. Women should have the ability to take their bosses to court to get the same pay as their male coworkers. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States shouldn’t have to think about whether they support pursuing every possible avenue to ensuring women get the same pay for the same work as men. Our economic security depends on it.
The Romney aide's failure to immediately answer the Ledbetter question was a bit of a head scratcher -- and not just because the law has been around for more than three years. Romney's campaign has spent the past few days arguing that it is the Obama administration, not the Republican Party, that has been bad for women. The argument rested on a much-disputed reading of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, but the campaign has been on the offensive nonetheless. Bungling the natural follow-up question takes some of the air out of that effort.
Lilly M. Ledbetter News - The New York Times
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Ledbetter: 'Shocked And Disappointed' By Romney Silence On Fair Pay Act
Romney Camp Can't Explain How Obama's 'War On Women' Works
As Obama stumps on Buffett Rule, Romney camp swings back
Obama adds politics to women's forum
Female vote crucial for Obama, Romney
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“One of the things I have found in previous elections is that announcing my plans makes people want to vote against me”!_ Etch a Sketch Romney ™
Dear Republicans.
Do you believe him or is he pandering tocaterpillarswomen.
Do you feel you’ve been had yet?
Do you finally get what Mitt stands for and Read More... that’s Mitt and his financial backers?
Do you finally see and hear what people with 2 eyes and ears understand, see and hear of Mitt when he opens his mouth.
If not what will it take for you to come to your senses and realize you’re being played like a cheap violin by a party and propaganda machine that really knows how to play a smoking hot tune on a fiddle?
I’d like to see some justification for all of the pro Johnny come lately posters who have thrown their weight and words behind every little bubble they call a candidate, that has risen to the top one after the other then exploded under the pressure of their own ego’s, inadequacies, histories and litany of lies, until you came around to supporting Mitt after all the non Mitt was sabotaged by his campaign.
Are you still begrudgingly pretending to be enthusiastic even after it transpires that your darling pin up that was forced on you is a real nowhere man and stands for nothing more than the vain glory of being elected president?
What will it take for you to jump ship from the only ship you didn’t want to climb onboard of?
Will a personal visit to all of your front doors by the Mitt Osmond’s and an off key song followed by a hardy laugh in your faces be enough for you to finally realize you’ve been had?
And if you believe a word he says now, a shake or 2 and they’re gone.
“If I tell you what my plans are I’ll lose”…Etch a Sketch™
Sincerely 1 of many who have gone out of their way to etch a sketch a diagram of what Mitt is and isn’t.
Outlandish.
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Posted: 04/11/2012 12:37 pm