Romney lied about 'binders full of women'
Yael T. AbouhalkahProgressive women across America were insulted by Mitt Romney’s gaffe during Tuesday night’s debate:
“They brought me binders full of women,” Romney said at one point, explaining that he had, as Massachusetts governor, asked for the resumes of more women he could appoint to top positions.
Progressive women everywhere today, of course, are laughing also at the remark (see the viral Tumblr account) because it was so clumsily said, especially by someone who wants to control the reproductive rights of women.
And while the “binders” comment went viral, here’s the most essential point.
It’s a lie.
In fact, as opponents easily could have predicted, Romney didn’t ask for the binders and - after his appointments were over - he hadn’t appointed many women to important positions.
To be clear, Romney’s remarks likely will be inconsequential in the long run: The women (and men!) who weren’t going to vote for him before the remark aren’t going to vote for him now.
Still, it’s all worth a good laugh - even while the serious point remains that Romney would be no friend of women when it comes to top government positions if he becomes president.
Phil Cardarella
7 months agoActually, no one thinks that Mitt is so stupid that in Massachusetts he would appoint all men to his Administration — although he did tend to apoint only men to the more important posts.
The point is that he lied about ordering the “binders”. The resumes had been gathered BEFORE the election by a non-partisan group.
You will note that he did NOT say that he had appointed any women to the board of Bain Capital. He’s not the type to trust a “girl” with that kind of money.
Other than his press contact, there do not seem to be any women (other than his wife) in his inner campaign circle.
And, while paying a lot of lip service to elected women GOPers at the convention — his choice for VP is a male Congressman with less foreign policy experience than a 14 year old kid who has gone on a People to People trip and who thinks that a single-celled fertilized egg is a “person” with more rights than any mere woman.
Women do not trust Romney because he clearly does not trust women.
Mark Hastert
7 months agoWhat’s really important about this funny gaff is that, intended or not, it’s support for affirmative action.
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months agoWomen have a choice to make: 4 more years of despair and decling living standards(the big 0’s approach), or the OPPORTUNITY for a better life(Romney approach).
Seems pretty simple to me, but I am not a smart lib…..
Matt Henry
7 months agoWhy has “lie” become the word dujour with everything this political season? Even the slightest difference in interpretation of the smallest of data points leads to histrionic whine-screams of “you lie!”
YTA says Romney hadn’t appointed “many” women to “important” positions, both arbitrary, subjective standards. That he had appointed women to 42% of department head positions is declared “reasonably impressive” by the LGF guy, another subjective standard. This third-party study was done BEFORE Romney was even Governor, so not in reaction to some misogynistic Romney policy. Plus, while the LGF writer can state that THIS STUDY was done without the request of Romney he has NO IDEA what Romney wanted or didn’t want when presented with this folder while setting up his leadership team. He is a smart politician; you think he wasn’t looking into the most qualified women as well as men? The idea is dumb on its face.
In other words, it’s a non-story but we have one of the world-class editorial team at the star whine-screaming about lies.
I’d laugh and/or cry if it wasn’t all so serious.
Where is YTA’s story about Obama “lying” about the 5 trillion dollar tax cut?
Where is YTA’s story about Obama “lying” about Benghazi?
Where is YTA’s story about Biden “lying” about voting for Iraq and Afghanistan?
The list could go on and on….
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months agoOver to you YT….. I vote for Biden LYING about voting for A&I as the one you tackle first…….
Johnathon Busby
7 months agoWell, yes Willard lied about his “binders of women”. Choice of words aside, he’s demonstrated time and again his administration’s opposition to equal pay for women, or women’s reproductive rights, why did we expect he’d give them equal consideration in anything else?
That said, that’s not even the biggest lie he told that night; on the consulate raid, he lied so flatly that the moderator pointed out the flat inaccuracy of his lie.
Willard’s just an etch a sketch, and last night it happened not to land in the picture he’d intended it to.
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months agoI would also like the facts presented on the number of permits in the big 0’s first 3 years vs. W for oil and gas drilling on Federal land… the big 0 said there were NOT fewer issued, an obvious LIE.
Mark Hastert
7 months agoThe louder they whine the more it confirms Romney’s debate loss. In fact there were fewer women in positions of authority at the end of Romney’s tenure as governor that at the beginning. Note that in all this he never answered the question asked; do you support equal pay for equal work for women? Since last night the campaign has posted two conflicting answers. Notably no mention of Paul Ryan voting against the Lilly Ledbetter act.
Mark Robertson
7 months agoYael,is this the best you can do? Smacks of desperation. Thank you. Mark Robertson Independence
Phil Cardarella
7 months agoI am still waiting to see the list of women on Bain’s board. You know, where it counts…
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months agoWomen could have a lot worse role model then this lady….
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82586.html
As contrasted to Ms. 0’s 400K community rep. job for the Chicago hospital that was strangely left unfilled after ms. 0 left the position… I am “sure” they just couldn’t find someone as well qualified to fill the job. LOL!
George Hunsucker
Northland
7 months agoLet’s see philly…. Is Bain a private corporation? Does a private corporation have to release the name of its BOD? I would think they do on some state incorporation filing—do they?
I have seen cases of women being given token jobs just so the entity can say, “see, we are diverse”… People that take these affirmitive action type jobs are just prostituting themselves IMO…. Give me a competent person, such as Sec. Clinton, over an affirmitive action slot filler, such as ms. 0, anytime!!!!