Obama focusing on pay gap between women and men

September 25, 5:38 PMJobs and Careers ExaminerKristina Cowan

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Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign is taking a closer look at the pay gap between men and women, according to a Wall Street Journal article, in hopes of retaining Sen. Hillary Clinton's female backers and offsetting Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's impact.

Last week the Obama campaign announced weekend events reaching out to women voters in all 50 states, the story says. Meanwhile, an ad highlighting how women earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men "has begun airing in battleground states during talk shows, soap operas and cable channels like Lifetime, which have heavy female viewership."

"While the strategy could reinforce support for Sen. Obama among some women, it is unclear whether it will draw the women he has had trouble attracting: blue-collar and older women," the article notes.

The story covers some of the points I raised in a recent column, including how McCain's female staffers earn more than the men, while Obama's women staffers make less than their male counterparts. Economists attribute the gap to several causes, the story says, including women's choices to work in careers that pay less and discrimination.

Readers, can politicians help narrow the pay gap? Or is the issue simply being politicized?