'Women are NOT Flocking to Your Campaign Senator - Sarah Palin or Not!'
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Eleanor Smeal:
"Senator McCain, this week you lashed out against the 'Feminist Left.' I understand that you're frustrated. You see that women are not flocking to your ticket and you don't understand why. Allow me to illuminate.
"The truth is your candidacy is the worst for women in recent history. You thought that women would vote for you once you put a woman on your ticket. But women aren't fooled. We vote on issues important to us, not on whether or not the candidate wears a skirt.
"The problem is your record. You have consistently voted wrong on issues that directly effect American women, their bank accounts, their personal liberties and their health.
"You voted 19 times against increasing the minimum wage (the majority of minimum wage earners are women) - before you finally voted for it because it included business tax cuts. You voted to gut the Family and Medical Leave act - and you oppose expanding its coverage.
"You oppose the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would restore women's ability to fight wage discrimination in the courts - telling women our problem was that we needed to get more education and training.
"You voted NO on the Violence Against Women Act and NO on funding for the Office of Violence Against Women.
"You voted NO on starting the Army's Breast Cancer Research Program which has funded hundreds of millions in breast cancer research. You vote NO on reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program and supported Bush's veto.
"You oppose a woman's right to choose, and you voted to terminate federal funds for family planning.
"Comparing the votes and platforms of Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin on women's issues the records are clear. No matter how you look at it - Obama/Biden score close to 100% helpful to women and McCain/Palin are more like a zero on women's rights and issues.
"If credit should be given for consistency, you deserve credit for voting consistently against women's interests. Twenty-six years of voting against women's rights and issues and you think women, when given a clear choice, won't notice?"
Eleanor Smeal is the President of The Feminist Majority. Her analysis of the candidates records on women's issues can be found at http://www.feministsforobama.org/.
CONTACT:
Emily Pudalov
310-556-2500
emilypudalov@feministmajority.org
SOURCE The Feminist Majority
