John McCain has an alarming history of disrespecting women and their contributions to society. He's violently opposed to womens' reproductive freedom, has voted against women's access to health care, and has repeatedly opposed women receiving equal pay for equal work. None of us can afford to vote for a person like John McCain, who shows such utter disrespect for women.
John McCain Opposes A Woman's Right to Choose
John McCain clearly opposes a woman's right to choose. John McCain would appoint Supreme Court Justices who would overturn Roe vs. Wade, and support radical religious extremists' efforts to ban birth control. Meanwhile, Barack Obama strongly supports a woman's right to choose, a position shared by a majority of Americans.
John McCain's Record on Denying A Woman's Right To Choose:
John McCain has received a 0% rating from Naral Pro-Choice America over his past eight years in the Senate. In his career in the House and Senate, John McCain has cast 130 votes on womens' choice, 125 of which oppose women's choice.
Source: NARAL
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/mccain.html
His website states, "John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench."
Source: JohnMcCain.com
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm
John McCain's views are out-of-touch with the majority of Americans, 62% of which support Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose.
Source: Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/campaigns/know-john-mccain-122.htm
John McCain has weakened his support for abortion rights for women who are the victims of rape or incest, or in the case of risk to the mother's life.
Source: ABC News, May 9, 2008
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4824779&page=1
John McCain has voted against family planning, against access to women's clinics, and even against funding for teen-pregnancy prevention. He supports abstinence-only education, even though studies show that it only increases pregnancy and puts teens at greater risk for disease.
Source: NPR, February 2, 2008
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18632802
According to Planned Parenthood, John McCain is even more conservative than George W. Bush on women's reproductive rights.
Source: Express Milwaukee, April 28, 2008
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-1803-think-you-know-john-mccain.html
John McCain voted against a bill that strengthened laws against violence at women's clinics and against gynecologists. This bill was an act against domestic terrorism designed to help prosecute attacks on women's clinics.
Source: Jed Report
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/04/john-mccains-do.html
Barack Obama's Record on Supporting A Woman's Right To Choose:
Barack Obama has received a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America for each year he served in the Senate, indicating his absolute support for women to make their own reproductive decisions. NARAL endorsed Obama for President because of his strong support for womens' reproductive rights.
Source: NARAL
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/obama.html
Obama's website states, "he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
John McCain Opposes Access to Contraception and Women's Health Care
John McCain not only opposes a woman's right to choose, he has also consistently voted against funding family planning clinics and sex education, which actually reduce unwanted pregnancy. His record in the Senate suggests that he is extremely hostile to women's health issues.
John McCain's Record on Opposing Women's Health Care:
John McCain's health care plan will leave 47 million Americans uninsured. His plan would largely force families to buy their own insurance through a private insurer, and decrease insurance offerings through employment.
Source: CBS News, April 30, 2008
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/30/politics/fromtheroad/entry4057951.shtml
John McCain voted to shut down the Title X family-planning program, which provide millions of women with breast cancer screenings and birth control.
Source: Huffington Post, May 26, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/unmasking-mccain-his-reac_b_103580.html
John McCain supported George W. Bush's veto of children's health insurance. McCain opposes expanding the plan that will provide health care for millions of uninsured children.
Source: CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/index.html#cnnSTCVideo
John McCain voted against a bill that funded sex education, provided access to emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy, increased funding to family planning services, and expanded teen-pregnancy-prevention programs.
Source: OnTheIssues.org
http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-75.htm
John McCain voted against requiring health insurance companies to cover the cost of prescription birth control. When asked if health insurance plans that covered Viagra should also cover prescription birth control, McCain had no answer.
Source: Katha Pollitt; CNN
http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/92281/mccain_opposes_contraception_--_pass_it_on/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IlGXhCUHo
John McCain strongly supports abstinence-only education in schools, despite extensive research demonstrating that it increases teen pregnancy and sexually-transmitted disease rates.
Source: San Francisco Gate, February 16, 2007
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2007/02/16/politics/p144216S42.DTL&type=printable
John McCain doesn't know if condoms work to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. When asked at a rally in 2007 if condoms helped stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, McCain said he didn't know. Importantly, research by amFAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, released a report demonstrating that when used correctly, condoms are 80-95% effective< in reducing the risk of HIV infection.
Source: The New York Times, March 16, 2007; amFAR Issue Brief, January 2005
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/mccain-stumbles-on-hiv-prevention/
http://www.amfar.org/binary-data/AMFAR_PUBLICATION/download_file/34.pdf
Barack Obama's's Record on Supporting Women's Health Care:
Barack Obama's health insurance plan will provide access to health care for all Americans, women and men alike. Right now, than 19 million women are uninsured in this country. Women are more likely than men to deny themselves medical care because of high costs.
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
Barack Obama is a strong supporter of research into women's health issues. His own mother died of ovarian cancer at age 53. Barack has consistently fought for women's health issues as an Illinois State Senator and in the Senate.
Source: Chicago Tribune, September 20, 2007
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/obamas_mother_in_new_ad.html
Obama supports pre-natal care and maternity leave. With Obama as President, women will be able to receive coverage of prenatal care under the new public health plan. Private insurers will be required to provide the same coverage. Obama has also proposed a $1.5 billion fund to encourage paid leave programs, which would provide women with paid maternity leave.
Source: Obama Campaign via RH Reality Check
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/12/21/sen-barack-obamas-reproductive-health-questionnaire
John McCain Opposes Fair Pay for Women
John McCain's history of votes in the Senate demonstrates that he thinks sex discrimination in the workplace is just fine. He has repeatedly stated that there is no need to make sure that women are paid the same as their male colleagues for equal work. Barack Obama, on the other hand, was raised by a single, working mother, and a grandmother who worked on the World War II assembly lines, and later rose from the position of secretary to vice president of a bank. Barack Obama respects and wants to equally reward the efforts of hard-working women.
John McCain's Record on Opposing Fair Pay for Women:
John McCain opposes fair pay for women. He thinks it is fine for employers to pay women less than men for equal work. In 2008 he refused to vote for the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which allows women to receive equal pay for equal qualifications to a man. John McCain said that instead of fair pay for equal work, women need more "education and training."
Source: Huffington Post, April 23, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/23/mccain-opposes-equal-pay-_n_98342.html
In 1990, John McCain also voted against a bill that would have strengthened civil rights in the workplace and banned discrimination on the base of sex.
Source: Senate.gov
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=101&session=2&vote=00304
Barack Obama's Record on Supporting Pay Equality for Women:
Barack Obama voted in favor of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and wants women to earn an equal wage for equal work. He also supports requiring employers to provide seven days of paid sick-leave per year. 40% of women currently have no paid sick days per year.
Source: obama.senate.gov
http://obama.senate.gov/press/080423-statement_of_se_18/
Barack Obama has a history of supporting fair pay for women. In the Illinois State Senate, he passed a law that helped 330,000 women prevent paycheck discrimination.
Source: Real Clear Politics
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/obamas_remarks_to_working_wome.html
Obama's website states that he "believes the government needs to take steps to better enforce the Equal Pay Act, fight job discrimination, and improve child care options and family medical leave to give women equal footing in the workplace."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
Barack Obama wants to invest in women-owned businesses. He supports investing in women-owned businesses and reducing discrimination in business lending against female business owners.
Source: BarackObama.com
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
John McCain Makes Offensive and Derogatory Comments About Women
John McCain has a history of making offensive comments about women. He even thinks jokes about rape are funny, and spends time with other men who think the same way. On the other hand, Barack Obama praises the women in his life and credits them with enabling and empowering him to achieve what he is capable of.
John McCain's History of Derogatory Comments About Women:
John McCain told the following "joke" on the campaign trail in 1986: "Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, 'Where is that marvelous ape?'"
Source: Tucson Citizen, via Jed Report
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/07/john-mccains-ra.html
At a Republican Senate fundraiser in 1998, McCain told following "joke": "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."
Source: Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html
One of McCain's fundraisers, Clayton Williams, once told the following "joke" comparing rape to the weather: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."
Source: The Independent (UK)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/rape-joke-returns-to-torment-mccain-campaign-848499.html
After returning from Vietnam, John McCain cheated on his wife, Carol, who had been horribly disfigured in an accident. He eventually divorced her and one month later married his second wife, Cindy, the heir to an Arizona brewing fortune.
Source: The Daily Mail (UK)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html
In 1992, when Cindy McCain teased her husband about his thinning hair, he replied, "At least I don't pile on the makeup like a trollop, you c**t."
Source: Cliff Schechter, The Real McCain, PoliPoint Press 2008
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_temper_boiled_over_in_92_0407.html
Barack Obama's History of Immense Respect For Women:
Barack Obama credits the women in his life with making his achievements possible. He states on his website, "My mother, Ann Dunham, was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and what is best in me, I owe to her. My grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, helped raise me, sacrificed again and again for me, and loves me as much as she loves anything in this world. And the mother of my daughters Sasha and Malia - my wife Michelle - is the rock of the Obama family and a woman who continues to make me a better person."
Source: BarackObama.com
http://www.barackobama.com/2008/05/11/senator_obamas_mothers_day_sta.php
Barack was raised by a single mother who was a teenager when he was born. His mother worked hard to provide Barack with an education and opportunity to succeed.
Source: Chicago Tribune, March 27, 2007
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0703270151mar27,0,1310554.story
Barack's grandmother raised him during his high school years. His grandmother started as a secretary, and worked her way up to vice president of a bank, in an era when women were routinely denied promotions.
Source: USA Today, April 7, 2008
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-07-obamagrandma_N.htm
Barack married a strong working woman, Michelle. Michelle worked as a lawyer, and later a hospital administrator. Michelle says of her husband, "He is incredibly smart, and he is very able to deal with a strong woman, which is one of the reasons why he can be president -- because he can deal with me."
Source: ABC News, August 25, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Vote2008/Story?id=5643969&page=1
Barack repeatedly praises his wife, Michelle, introducing her at speeches as "my rock."
Source: Newsweek, February 25, 2008
http://www.newsweek.com/id/112849/page/1
Barack's two school-aged daughters, Malia and Sasha, motivate him to work hard to give all children a brighter future. He wants all of our daughters to have full equality in society, so that "that they'll be able to dream without limit, achieve without constraint, and be free to seek their own happiness."
Source: National Women's Law Center, obama.senate.gov
http://obama.senate.gov/speech/051110-remarks_of_sena_1/
John McCain Is No Choice for Women.
John McCain has a history of fighting against women's rights, whether it is their right to receive equal pay for equal work, access to health care, or the ability to make their own reproductive decisions. He will continue this anti-woman agenda in the White House. Women cannot afford another President like George W. Bush, who actively tries to hurt.
Barack Obama has a history of strong support for women's issues, from our right to choose to our right to reliable medical care. As President he will work to protect these rights and expand women's equality, not only for his own daughters but for all women in America.
On this anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, we need to remember: women have a choice. This November, our choice is clear: women should vote for the candidate that supports their rights, their issues, and their freedoms. This candidate is Barack Obama.
For more information about Barack Obama on women's issues, please check out the following information:
Links:
Barack Obama's Speech to the National Women's Law Center -- http://obama.senate.gov/speech/051110-remarks_of_sena_1/
Barack Obama's Women's Issues Page -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
Barack Obama's Plans to Help American Families -- http://www.barackobama.com/issues/family/
Women for Obama -- http://www.womenforbarackobama.com/Home_Page.html
BarackTV: Women for Obama Videos -- http://www.barackobama.com/tv/women.php
Downloads:
Barack Obama's Economic Plan and Impact on Working Women -- http://obama.3cdn.net/51f774d367c050dd21_ram6bhdat.pdf
Obama vs. McCain: Their Record on Women's Issues -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/Nikki/Constituency%20Groups/Women%20Compare%20PUBLIC%20FINAL%208-18.pdf
Obama's Blueprint for Women and Families -- http://my.barackobama.com/page/-/Nikki/Constituency%20Groups/Working_Women_Families_Blueprint.pdf
Now, Pass It On! We need to spread the word about John McCain's history of undermining women, and share Barack Obama's history of strong support for women's issues. Please send this in your email to every woman you know. It's critical that all women understand the stakes of this election. This November, John McCain is no choice for women. Vote for Barack Obama!
