The reporters and anchors of Good Morning America on Thursday
desperately hyped Mitt Romney's assertion that, while governor of
Massachusetts, he had "binders full of women" applicants. David Muir played this as a gaffe, labeling it "the binder blunder." [MP3 audio here.]
Former Democratic operative turned journalist George Stephanopoulos
tried to build the remark into some sort of game changer: "We saw Mitt
Romney make huge gains with women after the first debate. Democrats
believe this will block that gains he's made."
The "huge gains"
Stephanopoulos referred to were first reported in a USA Today
poll showing Romney and Barack Obama dead even with swing state women,
48-48. However, this is the first time the host actually mentioned the
ominous news for the President.
Earlier in the show, Muir openly declared Romney's comments a mistake:
"Now on the binder blunder, Governor Romney tweeting out, 'I understand
the challenges women face and want to make it easier for them in the
workplace.'"
He played up mockery of the Republican, reminding, "...Overnight, the late night comics with a binder full of jokes."
This latest attack from the liberal media comes as Romney has pulled into a tie in Wisconsin and has taken an electoral college lead.
A transcript of the October 18 segment, which aired a 7:05am EDT, follows:
STEPHANOPOULOS: And the race for the White House, now. It's your
voice, your vote with just 19 days to go. And things are heating up even
more after that ferocious second debate. One of Mitt Romney's sons
letting loose on how he really feels about President Obama overnight.
And David Muir is here with the details. Good morning, David.
DAVID
MUIR: Hey, George. Good morning to you. The campaign telling me this
morning that Romney's son, Tagg, was only joking about how frustrating
this whole process can be for the family when he told a radio host that
while watching that debate, he wanted to go down and take a swing at
the President. Overnight, a new sign of just how contentious this race
has become. One of Mitt Romney's sons and trusted campaign advisers Tagg
Romney, telling a radio host, watching that debate, wanted to make him
take a swing at the president.
BILL LUMAYE (Radio host)What is it like for you, to hear the president of the United States call your dad a liar?
TAGG ROMNEY: Jump out of your seat and you want to rush down the
debate stage and take a swing at him. But you know you can't do that
because, well, first, there's a lot of Secret Service between you and
him. But also because this is the nature of the process.
MUIR: The comments come after a duel of sorts in that town hall
debate, at times the President and Mitt Romney standing just feet apart,
talking over each other. Each dismissing the other.
BARACK OBAMA: Not true, Governor Romney.
MITT ROMNEY: So, how much did you cut it?
OBAMA: It's not true.
MUIR:
The President never called Romney a, quote, "liar." But overnight, the
President did take aim at something Mitt Romney said at the debate, an
answer that's taken a life of its own. When talking about hiring women
as governor--
MITT ROMNEY: 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.
OBAMA: We don't have to order up some binders to find qualified, talented, driven young women.
MUIR: The romney campaign arguing it's a distraction from the real
issue most important to women, the economy, arguing 3.6 million more
women in poverty.
MITT ROMNEY: This President has failed America's women.
MUIR: Still, overnight, the late night comics with a binder full of jokes.
JIMMY KIMMEL: He said he had, quote, "binders full of women." His
policy towards women is clear: "We have to alphabetize them."
MUIR: Now on the binder blunder, Governor Romney tweeting out, "I
understand the challenges women face and want to make it easier for them
in the workplace," actually tweeting a link to testimonials to women
who worked with him as governor. Both sides, George, with an intense
focus on women that could be the factor come election day.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay. No question about that. Let's talk about that
now. Nicolle Wallace, our political analyst, top strategist for
Republican candidates like George Bush and Sarah Palin. Let's pick up
where David dropped off right there, on this binders full of women
comment. We saw Mitt Romney make huge gains with women after the first
debate. Democrats believe this will block that gains he's made.
NICOLLE WALLACE: I don't know if that's the case. I mean, I think we
women are complicated and forgiving creatures. And as voters, I think
all women are making trade-offs with both of these guys. I don't think
anyone, men, but particularly women, were attracted to the nastiness
that they saw in that debate. And while people came off and said, "Oh,
you know, Obama's back. He's back." I don't know where he thinks he made
gains if he's trying to specifically appeal to women. Women, more than
men, are turned off when it gets below the belt.
-- Scott Whitlock is the senior news analyst for the Media Research Center. Click here to follow him on Twitter.
