Campaign '12: Obama Engages in the War on Women

The focus of the White House forum might have been women and the economy, and the wire photos that circulated might have been warmer, fuzzier and more populated than the photo above, but this photo by Getty’s Mandel Ngan (and touché on the flag pin) offers a laser-cut of the underlying politics. With Romney and the GOP waging a cultural war not just on reproductive rights but even access to contraception, the message of the photo is that Obama is not only standing up for women, but clearly pushing the point.

If there is any doubt about the political agenda of the meeting (and Obama’s awkwardly patronizingly participation), check out the text that accompanies the White House video of the event. Underneath the title: “President Obama Speaks at the White House Forum on Women and the Economy,” the text reads:

President Obama speaks about the women who have shaped his life, and explains why his Administration has worked to consider the needs of women in girls in every decision it makes.

If you don’t see an economic reference in the caption, it’s no surprise. That’s campaign rhetoric. Just like the picture.

(photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images caption: A woman on stage watches as US President Barack Obama speaks during the White House Forum on Women and the Economy April 6, 2012 in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House in Washington, DC. .)