McCain dismisses equal pay legislation, says women need more ‘training and education.’
McCain dismisses equal pay legislation, says women need more ‘training and education.’
Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) skipped the vote on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which “restores the longstanding interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,” overturned last year by a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling. In New Orleans today, McCain explained his opposition to the bill by claiming it “opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems.” Later in New Orleans, he added that instead of legislation allowing women to fight for equal pay, they simply need “education and training“:
“They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else,” McCain said. “And it’s hard for them to leave their families when they don’t have somebody to take care of them.
“It’s a vicious cycle that’s affecting women, particularly in a part of the country like this, where mining is the mainstay; traditionally, women have not gone into that line of work, to say the least,” he said.
The issue is not “education and training.” When denied equal pay by her supervisor, Lilly Ledbetter was doing the exact same job as her male counterparts and received numerous performance-based awards. McCain has a long record of failure on women’s issues, earning him a 0 percent rating from NARAL ProChoice America six years in a row, from 2001-2007. (HT: TortDeform)
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The sad thing is, any woman who would consider voting for McCain probably believes this drivel.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:55 pmMcCain has a long record of failure on women’s issues, earning him a 0 percent rating from NARAL ProChoice America six years in a row, from 2001-2007.
My guess is that, at this rate, McPander Bear will rate a “zero” from everyone but chickenhawks, the energy industry, and the Religious Right, by election day.
Maybe, after the voters of Arizona kick his flip-flopping butt out of the Senate, he can have a lucrative career cutting commercials for Democrats? He’s become so eloquent at demonstrating the failings of the GOP that it would be a shame to waste such a talent.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 pmBay Buchanan, Cokie Roberts, and James Carville’s wife will say they’ll vote for McCain–but behind the curtain they’ll vote “OBAMA” because the thought of propping up another fellow GOP idiot is just too painful for them to ponder. Besides, it’s easier dissing the Dems than carrying the banner of a dolt like Bush.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:06 pmZooey Says:
The sad thing is, any woman who would consider voting for McCain probably believes this drivel.
Funny projection, sounds like an apt description for you and your support of Obama…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 pmThe really pathetic part, is it’s obvious McCain is so out of touch, that he doesn’t realize that women doing the same job with the same training are not paid the same! Talk about out of touch with the issues! Well to be fair, when he was young, Eve really wasn’t arguing with Adam about who should clean the fig leaves, they just plucked another one…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
Funny projection, sounds like an apt description for you and your support of Obama…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Back at ya, dingleberry.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 pmThis really pisses me off.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:20 pmI married a 6′ woman 35 years ago. I am lying when I say that I am 5′ 10″.
We are equal in everything. (Except size.)
How can he say this? This is everything against equality.
My wife is no better than me as I am no better than her.
What is he doing to the average person that doesn’t understand his lack of judgment.
Please let a Democrat win the election.
#1 Zooey Says:
The sad thing is, any woman who would consider voting for McCain probably believes this drivel.
I couldn’t agree more. What I find even more insulting is that we (women)need more education and training. This coming from a guy who graduated 5th from the bottom of his class. God does his hypocrisy never end.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 pmOh Jeezutz forking Kreist, get ready to make an ad out of this for continuous play for the next seven months. Put it on continuous loop everywhere. People really need to hear this.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:23 pmFreedom Rebel
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
McCain is the kind of guy who will spout off that women ought to be in the home, raising the children, and taking care of her man. Then, when the guy dumps her for a newer model — like he did — he’ll blame her for not having up to date skills and education.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:28 pmMcCain is making a utterly ridiculous statement. From personal experience, I know women get paid less -even if their level of responsibilities and experience is greater than those of their male counterparts.
My wife used to work for a multinational corporation. She was the most senior person in her team, with more, better knowledge of the details in her job, and was put in charge of setting procedures.
Even with all her years of experience, and her good knowledge of her company’s product, she was still paid less than her teammates with less time in the job (she was the only woman) and was repeatedly denied time off.
Women need more training and education? Puh-leeze. What McCain needs is a little window into reality.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:31 pmMcCain explained his opposition to the bill by claiming it “opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems.”
There should be lawsuits if discrimination is happening. Corporate America has to start paying women what they are worth.
His logic is so ridiculous on this issue. There is no excuse in this day and age to have such a neanderthal running for office. It is the year 2008 not the 1960’s. The Cleaver Family doesn’t exist anymore. The Republicans have made it almost impossible for a woman to stay home and raise children. Which brings me to a remark by his good buddy George “How American to have 3 jobs” that’s wonderful. Some days it’s hard to not want to just smack the both of them upside the head.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 pm“opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems.”
Yeah, all kinds of problems.
Like women wanting to be at the same pay level as men.
Them uppity women!
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm#9 RUCerious Says:
That is true about pretty much everything that comes out of his mouth. The democratic candidate will not have to do one negative ad. John is his own worst enemy; he provides great material on a daily basis.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:40 pmSorry about the off topic, but, the Republicriminals have far worse in their ranks. I’m gonna go be sick and then to bed.
G’night good people.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2008/ 04/ 23/ gop-candidate-tony-zirkle-wishes-adolph-a-happy-birthday/
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:41 pmThe only training and education some women might need is to tell Neanderthals like McCain to go Cheney themselves.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:44 pmI CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE LETTING ALL THIS JUICY STUFF GET BY THEM
THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL!
THANK YOU MKKKAIN….THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING YOU.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 pmThat goes to show how old and dated MacCocaine is…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 pmDoes McCain think it’s some stroke of political brilliance to respond to a completely different issue other than the one that’s at hand? If so, he underestimates his audience.
On the other hand, he could truly be this dim, and doesn’t understand the issue.
Can’t John get a clue? We’re not talking about a lot of women who want to become miners and can’t because they haven’t had sufficient training. We’re talking about equally qualified men and women doing the exact same job and getting paid different amounts. This should be a no-brainer, even for him.
On the other hand, maybe McCain is just afraid. He’s afraid to vote for the new G.I. Bill because it might cause soldiers to have something to come home to instead of re-upping. And he’s afraid to vote for the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act because it might allow women to demand what’s rightfully theirs.
Geez — this is a man so afraid that he probably would have voted against emancipation for the slaves because it might result in former slaves wanting to leave the plantation.
Changes — especially those that make things better for Americans and/or make wrongs right — shouldn’t make McCain afraid. If this scares the crap out of him, do we really want him as president?
April 24th, 2008 at 12:02 am(McCain)Arizona Republican not only favors overturning the Roe v. Wade decision and curtailing abortion rights but is also opposed to requiring contraceptive coverage by health plans and favors abstinence-only sex education.
With all of these archaic opinions; I can’t imagine any woman ever voting for this man.
Expecting teenagers to not have sex–don’t hold your breath.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:09 amFreedom Rebel, my sister will vote for him. She’s a truly gifted NICU nurse, and a Navy veteran — but she’s also a born again Christian, and voted for Bush twice. I’ll never understand it.
I don’t talk politics with her — she’s the one sister who likes me. :-)
April 24th, 2008 at 12:18 amI hope the Republican woman voters are listening to their candidate. Yes with so many woman holding upper management positions this should prove interesting. I guess McCain forgot Hillary is running for President. If McCain did get to be President by accident I wonder what he would say to the female Presidents of the World. No wonder Cindy is now living in San Diego with her daughter. The Media is doing it’s best to lie and spread propaganda to support Teflon John McCain, while every time he opens his mouth something stupid comes out. At lease with the stupid comment we know he never read the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and Senator Lieberman wasn’t there to correct him. Andrea Mitchell uses her NBC air time to continue to attack and belittle Hillary Clinton and praise Teflon John McCain. Andrea lost her top job to a much much younger Richard Engel because he’s doing her job and doing it great. If Andrea Mitchell had stuck to doing the job she had as Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and not campaigning on TV for McCain she’d still have the job.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:20 amYou guys are missing the money quote. “particularly in a part of the country like this, where mining is the mainstay…” He was speaking in New Orleans! Mining? MINING!??? His stance on the equal pay issue is bad enough, but he’s delusional, borderline mental problems, about the industries in this part of the country! Mining? That’s scary…
April 24th, 2008 at 12:52 amWell, the BS Express is giving more of his BS.
McInSane:”women need more ‘training and education.’” Did it tell that to Cindy, his daughters, or granddaughters?
April 24th, 2008 at 12:57 amZooey Says:
republicans hate facts Says:
Funny projection, sounds like an apt description for you and your support of Obama…
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Back at ya, dingleberry.
No see, I KNOW that Hillary’s for women’s rights, but a stinky dingleberry like yourself supports Obama despite him repeatedly saying that “Abortion is NEVER a good thing”…
More projection, poor little ObamaTard! Wow, you’re really a dumb b**ch for being someone that CLAIMS to be educated!
April 24th, 2008 at 1:20 amTuckgraph,
I believe he mentioned mining while campaigning in Kentucky, where mining is the mainstay.
The news piece mentions that “McCain stated his opposition to the bill as he campaigned in rural eastern Kentucky, where poverty is worse among women than men.”
So, yes, McCain says rather dumb things sometimes but not that dumb. Yet.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:22 amJohn Cheney McSame urps up the right-wing view of humanity.
Surprise, surprise.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:26 amGregor,
I try to look closely at how news reports are depicted. TP does say the quote was made in N’awlins. Maybe the words “like this” could give him some cover, but not in my book! And he’s made a couple of stops in central Alabama, where my grandpa worked in the steel mills. But these mishmashes of issues and local concerns, trying to make them relevant, Johnny’s got to do better!
April 24th, 2008 at 1:38 am“My friends, women just trowel on makeup like trollops, because, like my wife, they are c**ts.”
April 24th, 2008 at 1:47 amTuckgraph,
Yes, ThinkProgress does say he made that statement in New Orleans. But the news piece seems to put McCain in the town of Inez, Ky when he made a reference to mining.
I guess I am trying to say that the report from the AP is written in such a circuitous way, it’s rather difficult to know where McCain was at the time of that speech -assuming it was part of a speech.
As for making local concerns relevant at the national level, I agree. McCain was just giving a non-answer. The question was not about women going into mining, but about them getting equal pay for equal work. Statements like McCain’s get under my skin so very quickly.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:48 amMcCain explained his opposition to the bill by claiming it “opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems.”
You sure McCain said that ?
April 24th, 2008 at 2:24 am‘Cause it sounds just like something junior bush would say . .
misshusseinmolly Says:
Changes — especially those that make things better for Americans and/or make wrongs right — shouldn’t make McCain afraid. If this scares the crap out of him, do we really want him as president?
April 24th, 2008 at 12:02 am
McBush is NOT afraid. You give him too much leeway! He is not a maverick. He is a solid corporatist and neocon. Everything he says and does is with malice aforethought. He spews the corporatist line, as does the sock puppet Bush. He is no more afraid, than Bush is stupid.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:58 amWhy should he worry?
April 24th, 2008 at 3:09 amHis wife has at least a $100 Million more than he does?
How could any woman vote this old fart? Maybe by November the GOP will decide not to count votes by women.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:55 amI think he’s just bitter he wasn’t born a woman.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:40 amPlayboys don’t make good presidents as Dubya has so clearly demonstrated. McCain has repeatedly shown his elitist, racist, and sexist arrogance through his voting record and private behavior. His sexist attitudes should be one of the drum beats of the general election campaign.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:04 amTraining and constitutional rights are not related here. This is McCain’s pattern, to disagree and subtley change the subject. Someone is coaching him.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:37 amIf McBush had taken time to read the bill perhaps he could have given an intelligent response. As well, his pathetic remark about education belies the realities of the workplace. Men are paid more than women for the same work despite equal education (sometimes greater education than men).
McLame believes if you give women equal pay they won’t have an incentive to stay home and make babies. Kind of like his moronic statement regarding the G.I. Bill that he thinks might make soldiers leave the service.
Additionally, he should review college enrollment stats; men now make up only 42 percent of the nation’s college students.
Regarding his worries over litigation: The Congressional Budget Office concluded that it’s unlikely that a greater number of claims of pay discrimination would be filed under the legislation than were filed before the Supreme Court eliminated the paycheck trigger in 2007.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:57 amWhat more can one expect coming from his side of the fence.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:17 am#21 Zooey Says:
Freedom Rebel, my sister will vote for him. She’s a truly gifted NICU nurse, and a Navy veteran — but she’s also a born again Christian, and voted for Bush twice. I’ll never understand it.
I don’t talk politics with her — she’s the one sister who likes me. :-)
I completely understand. Well you are easily likable. She has good taste.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:38 amrepublicans hate facts Says:
Wow, you’re really a dumb b**ch for being someone that CLAIMS to be educated!
Ironically you are attacking a woman or her opinion, insulting her intelligence on the thread about McCain being an a$$hole towards women.
Does calling a woman names make your prick look bigger little man? From here it only makes you look like a wuss.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:55 amFrom now on, I am going to be flagging every one of your rabid posts, because you are as bad as any troll ever was.
>More projection, poor little ObamaTard!
you two.. get a room, will ya? this sorta stuff is going to sink us in november.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:05 amUgh. Men like McCain give me a headache. Must be that overabundance of testosterone. I apparently react to it the same way I react to MSG in food.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:06 amWhy did you highlight this portion of McCains statement?
Nice spin and deception.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:10 amI certainly complain about enough trivial lawsuits. People suing because their iPod is too loud or they can’t change the battery. Or their tips were shared with the shift supervisors who work next to them every day. Etc.
However, lawsuits are the primary means of redress in this country for all sorts of wrongs. We have three branches of government and lawsuits are how the third branch operates. The right to sue is important and the outcomes of lawsuits often change the interpretation of our laws in fundamental ways.
Yes, this law will possibly increase lawsuits. It removes a statute of limitations which has been imposed by the judges. That’s the way the system works. In an ideal world women would simply get equal pay for equal work. But, in our system we’ve been working on this issue for a long time and will continue to work on it for a long time through regulation, lawsuits, and hopefully some common sense.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:48 amCould that “keep ‘em home, barefoot and pregnant” cave man attitude of McCain’s be a reason Jenna Bush told Larry King that she wasn’t sure if whe would vote for him. What a slap in dear old daddy’s Republican face.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:26 amrepublicans hate facts Says:
No see, I KNOW that Hillary’s for women’s rights, but a stinky dingleberry like yourself supports Obama despite him repeatedly saying that “Abortion is NEVER a good thing”…
More projection, poor little ObamaTard! Wow, you’re really a dumb b**ch for being someone that CLAIMS to be educated!
April 24th, 2008 at 1:20 am
I guess we all know your position on women’s rights, after that little tantrum.
Obama is right. Abortion is never a good thing, but he also understands that it is a necessary right for women. He’s just honest enough to tell the truth — while Hillary panders to the right, and betrays her own sex and the fight for equal rights. It’s nice that you support such trash.
Seek help, btruthful. Seriously. Your anger issues are out of control.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:54 amIt’s apparent that mcbush lacks a basic education on most issues he attempts to address. Repressing pay for the equal employment of women just illustrates his stupidity. Women who want to work for less pay, may.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:18 amWhat an amazing insult to women. So the women senators should not be paid as much as McLame, but they should be given some training and education. I think they’d rather have the pay.
Does McCain not have anyone in his campaign to explain what the words “equal work” mean? Can’t he afford someone who can write better lies about why he didn’t vote for this? The truth about his vote is obvious. He is an old white man who has no clue about how pay is determined. In some companies men get a bonus in every pay check for having a pen*s.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:11 pmThis moron is without any moral, social or redeeming qualities. He wants to keep us in Iraq for 100 years, doesn’t even know how to spell “economy” and dismisses women as as uneducated airheads. Sorry, last I heard, equal work for equal pay was a Bill of Rights issue and not open to subjection by this neanderthal wanna-be.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:14 pm