April 17, 2012--Gender Gap

Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen was justifiably excoriated last week when she sniped--"Ann Romney hasn't worked a day in her life." Forget the context and the Romney's affluence, it was stupid and anti-feminist.

Let's try to move on from that since she was speaking--or misspeaking--for herself and not Barack Obama. What really is significant are Mitt Romney's views about issues of particular importance to women.

Among other things, when asked about federal funding for Planned Parenthood, he matter-of-factly said that if he were to become president, "Sure. I'd get rid of it."

Since Planned Parenthood does not receive any taxpayer money to perform abortions this would mean the end of basic health services for millions of women.

Since Romney is trying to close the gender gap between himself and Obama, he and his staff, very much including his wife, are attempting to show that Obama, and not he, is waging a war on women. Thus his distorted claim that Obama's polices are responsible for a disproportionate number of women losing their jobs during the past three years.

But, in spite of his political problem with women, Romney is not backtracking on his pledge to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.

Top Mitt Romney adviser Ed Gillespie was on "FOX News Sunday." When asked if Romney really meant it when he said he'd get rid of Planned Parenthood, Gillepsie said he would, but "getting rid of Planned Parenthood" wasn't really "getting rid of it." Because "defunding" isn't the same as "not having funding."

Here is the actual double-speak:

WALLACE: He also says that he would get rid of Planned Parenthood--federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

GILLESPIE: My point--look, people can disagree with that, but it's not fair to say not having federal funding for Planned Parenthood is defunding Planned Parenthood.

Only in Romney's universe does "not having federal funding" not mean "defunding."

Good for Chris Wallace for reminding Gillespie that no federal money for abortions goes to any women's health program. There is the Hyde Amendment that forbids this and even Democrats abide by it.

Beating up on Hilary Rosen won't get the gender gap closed. Women are too smart to fall for this diversion. But defunding women's health programs will only widen it.

As evidence, see this from the latest, post-Hilary Rosen CNN/ORC polling:

Thinking about the following characteristics and qualities, please say whether you think each one applies more to Barack Obama or more to Mitt Romney: Is in touch with the problems facing women today?

Obama 55
Romney 27

The gap two weeks ago was 18 percentage points. Now it is much wider. The Romneys are clearly trending in the wrong direction.