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| Romney's 'binder full of women' debate claim called into question | Romney's 'binder full of women' debate claim called into question |
| (9 days later) | |
| It was the moment that women's issues finally took centre stage in a presidential debate, although probably not in the way Mitt Romney would have wanted. | It was the moment that women's issues finally took centre stage in a presidential debate, although probably not in the way Mitt Romney would have wanted. |
| Within minutes of the Republican presidential candidate uttering his now-infamous line about "binders full of women", the phrase had unleashed its own hashtag, Twitter and Facebook account, and a binder full of bile from critics furious at its perceived patronising tone. | Within minutes of the Republican presidential candidate uttering his now-infamous line about "binders full of women", the phrase had unleashed its own hashtag, Twitter and Facebook account, and a binder full of bile from critics furious at its perceived patronising tone. |
| Romney used the line to demonstrate his track record on pay equality for women, claiming that when he was governor of Massachusetts he was told the only applicants for positions in his state cabinet were men. | Romney used the line to demonstrate his track record on pay equality for women, claiming that when he was governor of Massachusetts he was told the only applicants for positions in his state cabinet were men. |
| "And I said: "Well, gosh, can't we – can't we find some – some women that are also qualified?" Romney told the debate audience. "And – and so we – we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. I went to a number of women's groups and said: 'Can you help us find folks,' and they brought us whole binders full of women." | "And I said: "Well, gosh, can't we – can't we find some – some women that are also qualified?" Romney told the debate audience. "And – and so we – we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. I went to a number of women's groups and said: 'Can you help us find folks,' and they brought us whole binders full of women." |
| Within minutes the phrase was trending on Twitter. But as well as being ripped apart on social media Romney also found the veracity of his claim being called into question. According to David Bernstein of the Phoenix, a Boston newspaper, the story Romney told an estimated 50-60 million viewers was untrue. | Within minutes the phrase was trending on Twitter. But as well as being ripped apart on social media Romney also found the veracity of his claim being called into question. According to David Bernstein of the Phoenix, a Boston newspaper, the story Romney told an estimated 50-60 million viewers was untrue. |
| Bernstein reported that there was indeed an effort in Massachusetts to find qualified women for cabinet positions. | Bernstein reported that there was indeed an effort in Massachusetts to find qualified women for cabinet positions. |
| But Romney nor his staff, nor even his party, had anything to do with it, he said. | But Romney nor his staff, nor even his party, had anything to do with it, he said. |
| "What actually happened was that in 2002 – prior to the election, not even knowing yet whether it would be a Republican or Democratic administration – a bipartisan group of women in Massachusetts formed MassGap to address the problem of few women in senior leadership positions in state government," he wrote. "There were more than 40 organizations involved with the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus (also bipartisan) as the lead sponsor. | "What actually happened was that in 2002 – prior to the election, not even knowing yet whether it would be a Republican or Democratic administration – a bipartisan group of women in Massachusetts formed MassGap to address the problem of few women in senior leadership positions in state government," he wrote. "There were more than 40 organizations involved with the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus (also bipartisan) as the lead sponsor. |
| "They did the research and put together the binder full of women qualified for all the different cabinet positions, agency heads, and authorities and commissions. They presented this binder to Governor Romney when he was elected." | "They did the research and put together the binder full of women qualified for all the different cabinet positions, agency heads, and authorities and commissions. They presented this binder to Governor Romney when he was elected." |
| Not only was Romney not involved in the effort to find qualified women, he did not pay much attention to the results, Bernstein said, debunking another of Romney's claims on the hot button topic of equality in the workplace. | Not only was Romney not involved in the effort to find qualified women, he did not pay much attention to the results, Bernstein said, debunking another of Romney's claims on the hot button topic of equality in the workplace. |
| Romney told Candy Crowley, the moderator of Tuesday night's debate, of his pride at his achievements. | Romney told Candy Crowley, the moderator of Tuesday night's debate, of his pride at his achievements. |
| "I was proud of the fact that after I staffed my Cabinet and my senior staff, that the University of New York in Albany did a survey of all 50 states, and concluded that mine had more women in senior leadership positions than any other state in America. | "I was proud of the fact that after I staffed my Cabinet and my senior staff, that the University of New York in Albany did a survey of all 50 states, and concluded that mine had more women in senior leadership positions than any other state in America. |
| Now, one of the reasons I was able to get so many good women to be part of that team was because of our recruiting effort." | Now, one of the reasons I was able to get so many good women to be part of that team was because of our recruiting effort." |
| Bernstein, who checked with several people involved in MassGap, who confirmed the reporters take on events, said: | Bernstein, who checked with several people involved in MassGap, who confirmed the reporters take on events, said: |
| First of all, according to MassGAP and MWPC, Romney did appoint 14 women out of his first 33 senior-level appointments, which is a reasonably impressive 42%. However, as I have reported before, those were almost all to head departments and agencies that he didn't care about – and in some cases, that he quite specifically wanted to not really do anything. None of the senior positions Romney cared about – budget, business development, etc – went to women. | First of all, according to MassGAP and MWPC, Romney did appoint 14 women out of his first 33 senior-level appointments, which is a reasonably impressive 42%. However, as I have reported before, those were almost all to head departments and agencies that he didn't care about – and in some cases, that he quite specifically wanted to not really do anything. None of the senior positions Romney cared about – budget, business development, etc – went to women. |
| Secondly, a UMass-Boston study found that the percentage of senior-level appointed positions held by women actually declined throughout the Romney administration, from 30.0% prior to his taking office, to 29.7% in July 2004, to 27.6% near the end of his term in November 2006. | Secondly, a UMass-Boston study found that the percentage of senior-level appointed positions held by women actually declined throughout the Romney administration, from 30.0% prior to his taking office, to 29.7% in July 2004, to 27.6% near the end of his term in November 2006. |
| A fact check in the Boston Globe on Romney's hiring of women in the private sector also found his record there to be wanting. Romney did not have any women partners as CEO of Bain Capital during the 1980s and 1990s, it found. | A fact check in the Boston Globe on Romney's hiring of women in the private sector also found his record there to be wanting. Romney did not have any women partners as CEO of Bain Capital during the 1980s and 1990s, it found. |
| Romney has gained ground in opinion polls among women voters, a position Obama has traditionally held, since the first presidential debate. | Romney has gained ground in opinion polls among women voters, a position Obama has traditionally held, since the first presidential debate. |
| But his latest comments, which are unlikely to be forgotten if social media is anything to go by, will do him few favours. | But his latest comments, which are unlikely to be forgotten if social media is anything to go by, will do him few favours. |
| Women in a snap poll by the Democratic Lake Research Partners picked Obama as the debate winner by 56-34%. Men also gave Obama the victory, but by a narrower 49-43 percent, according to Reuters. | Women in a snap poll by the Democratic Lake Research Partners picked Obama as the debate winner by 56-34%. Men also gave Obama the victory, but by a narrower 49-43 percent, according to Reuters. |
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