mitt romney still can't say whether he would sign the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. i find this interesting. he said i'm not going to go back and look at all the prior laws and say had i been there which ones i would have supported and signed. i certainly support equal pay for women and have no intention of changing that law. don't think there's a reason to. wait a minute. what about health care. he's been running around the country tellingen everybody he will repeal obama care is what he calls it. he's not going to do anything to lilly ledbetter but he doesn't think he would have signed it. now i'm dazed and confused on exactly where mitt romney stands on women's rights in this country. his campaign couldn't give a straight answer last week when they were asked about the lilly ledbetter law. they said we'll get back to you. joan, we're seeing more of the same, aren't we? >> why is it so hard?

sam stein of "the huffington post" asked about the lilly ledbetter fair pay act, the first bill president obama signed into law. it allows women to seek restitution for pay discrimination. >> yeah, does governor romney support the lilly ledbetter act? [ silence ] >> sam, we'll get back to you on that. >> oh, "we'll get back to you on that"! well, hours later, team romney offered up this statement, because they didn't know what the heck he was talking about. "he supports pay equity and is not looking to change current law." the campaign also enlisted the help of republican congresswoman mary bono mack and also cathy mcmorris rodgers. both women defended romney by hitting back at the obama administration. both women, of course, voted against the lilly ledbetter fair pay act along with a vast majority of republicans in congress. the silence was deafening, wasn't it? joining me tonight is lilly ledbetter, the namesake of the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. the law helps women fight back against pay discrimination. she is also the author of "grace and grit," and we want to thank you, lilly, for

interview with diane sawyer airing tonight romney refused to say whether he would sign the lilly ledbetter fair pay act of one thousand of two thousand on his opposition to the lead better ads as the latest chapter in the republicans war on women a new report by people for the american way outlines the all out assault on women's rights and discusses ways that progressives can fight back joining me now to discuss more of the report and the republican war on women is marge baker executive vice president for policy and programs at people for the american way marge welcome thank you for having me great to have you here with us so how did the war on women start. or is this something that has been going the american revolution it's been going on for a while it's been going for quite a while but what we wanted to do in this report is really catalog the systematic assault on women's rights by the right wing in their republican allies it is absolutely devastating in scope and them across the board. from from reproductive health to equal pay to. the ability to get contraception to. violence against women

the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. he brags about it all the time.e courts to sue if they are paid less than men for doing the same work. the romney campaign holds a press event about policy effecting women and they have not thought of an answer on that one? eventually the campaign did figure out something to say on this issue. they said that mr. romney would not repeal that law if he becomes president. they didn't say if he actually supports it, though, or if he would have signed that law if it had come to his desk. and that is a touchy subject, after all. republicans overwhelmingly voted against the lilly ledbetter fair pay bill when it was in congress. and this whole thing became an even touchier subject today when the romney campaign tried to damage control this thing this afternoon by roll ought two republican members of congress ç to stand up for mr. romney, to back up mitt romney's bona fides on supporting women getting equal pay for their work. the problem is that both of those members of congress that the romney campaign rolled out today vot

he was asked about the lilly ledbetter fair pay act.aw that gets women equal pay for equal work. here is what he had to say about the fair pay act at a campaign event this week. >> i voted against it. that thing is a nuisance. it shouldn't be the law. >> that thing is a nuisance. he called it a nuisance. again, it's a law that says women must be access to the courts to sue if they are being paid less than a man for doing the same work. that's a nuisance. it was not a secret that pete along with most of his republican colleagues voted against the fair pay act in congress. this is a bad time for republicans making headlines for trashing the fair pay for women law. the republicans likely presidential nominee has been falling all over himself this week on this issue. president obama signed the lilly ledbetter act nine days after he was sworn in. when the romney call talked about the economy, they had trouble answering an easy straightforward question about women and the economy. >> our next question will come from sam stein. go ahead. >> do

back to washington and i testified before the house and later i was called and they named it lilly ledbetter fair pay restoration act and that's been such an honor for me. it's really humbling to to know that. >> the law makes it easier for people to challenge unequal pay. it became the first bill signed by president obama and gave ledbetter the final piece to her puzzle. but as ledbetter traveled the country sharing her story, she learned millions of women experience pay discrimination every day. >> i wondered in 2008 why i was touring the country speaking about equal pay for equal work, when equal pay law went on the books in 1963. this is not right and now what i have learned in touring the country that there are so many people not paid and compensated what they were rightly entitled to. >> now, paycheck fairness legislation sits in limbo in a divided congress. the new bill would update the 1963 equal pay act by closing loopholes, strengthening incentives to prevent pay discrimination and barring retaliation against workers. ledbetter's story continues to resonate with women and men across the

campaign has asked a campaign on a conference call about whether or not romney supported the lilly ledbetter fair pay act which basically says that women if they're doing the exact same job as a man in the exact same company in the same circumstances have to get an equivalent pay and here's the here's the question. i still come from starting with how to give but i had you know do governor romney support those who like it or are family get back. would get back to you that this is a two thousand and nine law and you know how does somebody who wants to be president have to think long and hard maybe for days about whether they support equal pay for women for the same job you know it's two thousand and twelve and it's funny that we even have to have this conversation about something sad actually you know are you a liberal a libertarian but aside from that you know so you think the government should mandate the pay levels that no i don't think the government should be in the it that i think that people should be paid for what they're for what they do but you think the government should mandate that peo

. >> does governor romney support the lilly ledbetter fair act? >> the president understands the devastation it has caused women and families. the president has made so many strides in the last three years to upgrade women's treatment and their jobs and their livelihood. >> michael, there was a little mary woods action going on there. this has become a curfuffle. >> it was dumb. you have to raise money, so you put the kermudgeon. romney itself had you'lly been on -- on the other issue, i think you're blowing it out of proportion on the other one. it's just crazy. >> i think it's a legitimate issue and i think it's pathetic that a. they could sign into law a bill weakening. so it's very important that we get the romney campaign, i'm very happy about that. but that is a real issue. what hilary of these. . how, if you were advising mitt romney, would you be telling him to bridge that. ignore the silly noise eye. come up very strongly and talk to mem and all of america. . >> merp women are doing it all. they're going to night school, they're raising k

lilly ledbetter act? >> we'll get back to you on that. >> well, the lilly ledbetter fair pay act makes it easier for womenchallenge unequal pay in court. it was the first bill president obama signed into law. the romney campaign did come back and say mitt romney supports pay equity and does not want to change the current law. joining me now, evan thomas, co-author of "inside the circus" and former editor at large of "newsweek." and jackie kucinich, who covers politics for "usa today." good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> so it took just a little bit of time before the obama campaign put out a web video featuring lilly ledbetter. so evan, you know how washington works. how do you decide that you're going to sort of shift your campaign into this war on women mode and not seem to know where your candidate stands on an issue like this? >> it's not great staff work. i mean, the romney campaign's actually got good staff work. they ran a good camp versus their opponents, pretty well run. but with a pace so quick now, you're going to make these mistakes. i think this one's going to pass. but it was an

and romney also won't even really come out and say that he supports the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. it. >> karen finney, you wrote a piece today saying that recently some democrats have backtracked on the phrase, "war on women." why have they backtracked and should they backtrack? >> you know, mar the u.tin -- i lawrence, so sorry. i'm not sure exactly why they're backtracking. i surmise in my piece for the hill that there's perhaps some polling that suggests that flaz is too harsh for voters in the same way that some thought that culture of corruption was too harsh at the time. they definitely shouldn't. and i think it's very important they pay close attention to the fact that this is how a lot of women feel, under siege and disrespected. and to the point that michelle was just making, it's not just because of the economic conversation that we've been having, it's because of these measures at the state level that are just very disrespectful. suggestions that women will use rape as a loophole in order to get abortion care. on and on and on. having men tell us what medicines we can t

yesterday you had a question asked about whether or not mitt romney supports the lilly ledbetter fairhey come out with -- they're in a tight spot. >> they're in a tight spot, at the same time, look, that's a breakdown on the staff, not necessarily a reflection of the candidate himself in that moment. should they have been prepared -- >> i think he is sending a good signal with all of this, that we may be down on the polls, but we're going to fight this until the last second on every last issue. >> yeah. >> hillary rosen, this thing that swept through the country right now, i want to play what patrick gaspard said earlier on our show really quick. >> hillary rosen, smart, decent democratic strategist. but she is not an adviser to the dnc or to the campaign. what she said was absolutely out of bounds. ann romney is someone who has obviously worked hard to raise five good boys. and she has made some tough choices in her life, i'm certain. and family should be absolutely out of bounds in this discussion. >> this caused ann romney to send her first tweet ever, signing up, saying, yes, she

the issue of whether women ought to get in the augusta national golf club or whether the lilly ledbetter law in fair pay was a good idea. romney has to set the agenda and talk about freedom and economic growth. on the freedom question, which he has a lot of room to run there with women, independent women don't love obamacare. they don't necessarily like the federal government dictating more of their healthcare choices. there's a lot of material here, but romney has to play offense, raise the issues. >> kim, you're in d.c. i've got to put this question to you. it doesn't seem to be looking over this past week it was mitt romney that carried forward the attack, i thought it was ann romney, very classy in defense of the attack on her. she seems to be leading that campaign. >> well, she is. and part of this, this all happened, democratic political operative hilary rosen stepped into the middle of mommy wars. big mistake why anyone would ever do that. you cannot win in that. ann romney has been a very effective advocate for mitt romney, both in softening his image. the attack on her just teed her up to g

and i mine mitt romney has had an opportunity to talk about this because we passed lilly ledbetter fairme equity into this picture. romney was asked on the interview with diane sawyer doesn't feel that in the moral fiber of his being. >> she was asking: would you sign, have signed the lily ledbetter? >> i am nothing go to go back and talk about trough... it's not an issue. your study proves it. it's an issue today. >> right. >> right? >> he won't take a stand on. faiz shakir think progress in studio with us. your call is welcome at 866-55-press. we are just getting started. ♪ >> this is the bill press show. because we will not settle for the easy answers. we're here because we're independent. network. >>this show will be unique because we will not settle for the easy answers. we're here because we're independent. >>this is outrageous! [[vo]]cenk uygur calls out the mainstream media. >>the rest of the media seems like, "ho-hum, no big deal." we've have no choice, we've lost our democracy here. just refreshing to hear. no other television show does that. we're keeping it real. ♪ >> this i

[applause] because of the lilly ledbetter fair pay act -- no. [applause] the very first bill my husband signed into law, it's now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work. [applause] and of course with those two brilliant supreme court justices that barack appointed for the first time in history, our sons and daughters watched three women take their seats on our nation's highest court. [applause] but all of this is at stake next november. it's all on the line. and in the end, it all boils down to one simple question, will we continue to change what we have begun and the progress we have made, or will be allow everything we fought for to just slip away? we know what we need to do, right? we cannot turn back now. we need to keep moving forward. yes, indeed because while we have come a long way, these past few years we have so much more to do, so much more. and more than anything else, that is what we are working for, the chance to finish what we started, the chance to keep on fighting for the values we believe in and the vision we share. a

we are already seeing with the lilly ledbetter fair pay act, which was the first big legislation obamaoming out. just yesterday or the day before, the head of the new hampshire republican party came out and said i wouldn't have supported the legally ledbetter fair pay act because it's a handout to trial lawyers and allows women to make unnecessary claims in court as if being paid the same as men is unnecessary at all. and, of course mitt romney said i am not going to repeal it but he wouldn't answer the question of whether he would have signed it. i think this is going to be a similarly devisive issue. >> when you add all of this up and you have first of all, the house republicans tried to overturn the new obama rule saying every woman in america will have access to contraception as part of her insurance policy without co-pay if she chooses to take advantage of that. >> uh-huh. >> not forced on her. you have that. then you have roy blount in the senate introducing legislation every republican voted for i believe, saying employers can decide which health procedures are covered by a woma

[cheers and applause] because of the weather that matter -- and lilly ledbetter fair pay act come in the very first build my husband signed into law, it is not easy or women to get equal pay for equal work. and for the two brilliant supreme court justices barack appointed for the first time in history, our son and doctors watched 31 and take their seats on our nation's highest court. [cheers and applause] but all of this is at stake next november. it's all on the line. and in the end, it all boils down to one simple question. will we continue to change that we've begun and the progress we've made? or will we allow everything we fought for to just slip away? we know what we've got to do, right? we cannot turn back now. we've got to keep moving forward. yes indeed because while we have come a long way, these past few years, we've got so much more to do. and more than anything else, that is what we're working for. the chance to finish what we started. the chance to keep on writing for the values we believe in and the vision we share. that is what my husband husband doing every single da

because they were talking about the lilly ledbetter act, the fair pay act which romney had not supported obama campaign was on the offensive but now they're on the defensive. >> ann romney joining twitter last night saying, quat i made a choice to stay at home and raise five boys. believe me. it's hard work." absolutely. any parent out there that has one boy is going to know it's hard work. so imagine times that times five. but when we say hilary's remarks, i think what she could have said more effectively instead of saying -- using ann as the conduit to speak to conservative women and women across this country mitt needs to put it in the first person, mitt romney saying, when i hear from women, when i hear from women their concerns about the economy. do you think that's what she was trying to say? or do you think that she was trying to just demean ann romney's place in the conversation? >> well, i think she was in fact trying to belittle her, especially and bring up her economic status and try to imply that she was wealthy. which we all know. but the bigger thing is the way the romney p

also about the fact that the very first legislation that he signed into law was the lilly ledbetter equal pay act or fairributions, but the fact is he is being best served by his opponents. it's really the republicans' positions in this primary that are providing an opportunity for president obama to appear to be really the choice for american women. >> reince priebus, as i'm sure you've heard this week, called the gop war on women fiction. saying this this is just made up by the media. so according to the gutmacher institute 90 abortions were signed into law and this was after republicans took over the house saying that we needed to get america back to work. we need jobs. we need jobs. so abortion restrictions are under consideration now in nine states. can you call it fiction when you look at the numbers and legal records of what has been done since republicans kind of swept back in 2010? >> i think the nature -- the part of it that i would agree is fiction is as the president said today, there is no single position on abortion on american women and there is no single position on political parties amon

which is why the first bill i signed into law was the lilly ledbetter act, the fair pay act.egislation to give women more tools to pay -- to fight pay discrimination. and we've encouraged companies to make workplaces more flexible so women don't have to choose between being a good employee or a good mom. more women are also choosing to strike out on their own. today nearly 30% of small business owners are women. their businesses generate $1.2 trillion last year. >> we're going to step away from the president's speech on women and the economy. we think we've got the gist of that. of course, we'll continue to monitor it if the president says anything else impactful. let's go back to our political buzz panel. i was interested to hear what you especially had to say, boris, about the president talking about women in very personal terms. as you know, republicans are having a woman problem right now. i think that obama leads romney by 20 points in women voters. so the republicans listening to this, what's going through their mind? >> well, first of all, what's going through my mind