A new word is entering the political lexicon: binders.
Mitt Romney’s citation of “binders” in Tuesday’s debate — during a discussion of efforts to hire more women when he was governor of Massachusetts — prompted a frenzy on Twitter, and has now found its way into President Obama’s stump speech.
“We don’t have to order up some binders to find qualified, talented, driven young women to learn and teach and thrive and start businesses,” Obama told backers Wednesday night at Ohio University in Athens.
During the debate, Romney said that after his 2002 election as governor, “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 and aides are adding the “binders” quote to their argument that they are better on women’s issues than Romney.
Republicans said the new “binder” political meme reflects a lack of substance from Obama.
“The campaign of hope and change is now resorting to Big Bird and senseless political attacks such as criticizing Governor Mitt Romney for increasing the number of women in Massachusetts state government,” said Republican Party spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski.
Presidential campaigns have long enriched the language: “There you go again … You’re no Jack Kennedy … Giant sucking sound … Social Security lock box …”
Will “binders full of women” join the list?
(USA Today)
