March 20 (Bloomberg) — With support from women critical to Democrats running in the November congressional elections, President Barack Obama is showcasing his administration's efforts to improve their economic opportunities.
"There are some particular challenges women face," Obama said, citing his late grandmother who raised him in Hawaii and worked in banking. She "hit a glass ceiling. She trained men to eventually be her boss even though she knew a lot more than they did."
Obama discussed enhancing educational prospects for women and steps he's taken to promote equal pay for equal work today at a college in Orlando, Florida. It is the first in a series of similar events around the country leading up to a White House summit on families on June 23.
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"The point of this summit is to figure out what the government can and should do," to advance women in the economy, Betsey Stevenson, a member of the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, told reporters before Obama's speech.
The president met with a group of female community college students and faculty, hearing their personal stories of working and raising families.
Support from women has been crucial to Obama's presidential wins. Exit polls showed that 56 percent of women voters supported him in the 2008 election, and in his 2012 re-election the figure was 55 percent.
Obama's job approval among women was 50 percent compared with 45 percent among men, according to a Bloomberg National Poll released last week. His approval among women under 45 years old was 53 percent.
Eye on November
Obama is seeking to capitalize on such backing by highlighting his administration's effort to help women's economic status as a domestic policy issue this year leading up to November's congressional elections.
"The president has a range of tools and he wants to figure out which are the right ones to use that can actually improve our competitiveness," Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama adviser told reporters on a conference call yesterday.
Obama didn't announce any new policies at Valencia College, where he focused on education and job training.
"We've got to build an economy that works for everybody, not just a few," Obama said today in Orlando.
Wage Gap
A report last week by the president's Council of Economic Advisers found that women working full-time earn only 77 cents for each dollar paid to men in comparable jobs. Women are more likely to work in low-wage jobs and to be paid the minimum wage.
This year's midterm elections will decide control of Congress, and as a result determine whether Obama is able to advance his legislative agenda.
Democrats are trying to hold their majority in the 100- member Senate, where they control 55 votes, and make gains in the House, where Republicans have a 233-199 edge.
Obama's other stop today will be in Miami for fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, his seventh fundraising venture this month. He maintained his travel plans for today as he also was announcing new sanctions on Russian individuals and a Russian bank for their roles in the Ukraine crisis.
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