SYRACUSE -- Governor Romney's remark about "binders full of women" is one of the most memorable phrases from the 2nd Presidential Debate on Tuesday night. The remark was part of Romney's answer to a question about income inequality, particularly as it applies to women in America.
Women in Central New York are reacting to the question and the popular catch phrase associated with it. While relaxing in Armory Square, Wendy Merritt expressed her disappointment in both candidate's answers.
"Neither Mr. Romney nor President Obama answered the question. I think they skirted around the issues. And I was very disappointed in both of them," says Merritt.
Onondaga Community College Political Science Professor, Nina Tamowski, watched the debate with her students. She says she was satisfied with the President's answer to the question.
"Obama did a real nice job with it because he related it to a personal story about his mom being a single mom and his grandmother working her way up from a teller to a trainer of the bosses over the years," says Tamowski.
She thought Governor Romney avoided the topic of pay equity for women and addressed another issue in the process.
"The students we were watching the debate with confirmed the same thought that, wow it sounds like Romney was endorsing affirmative action," says Tamowski.
2010 labor statistics show New York women who were working full time had median weekly earnings of $747 compared to their male counterparts who earned $861.
The statistics seem to reflect the feelings of women in Central New York. Pam Levine says she experienced a glass ceiling in her first job.
"I don't think I ever would have made Vice President no matter what I did because I was a woman," says Levine.
Syracuse University senior, Jackie Dresch says the statistics are not only discouraging, but surprising.
"Even today in 2012 women still don't make as much as men do. Even if women are equally or more qualified. It's discouraging to see. I'm about to graduate college and I would like to think I have the same opportunities as the guy next to me," says Dresch.
Whether the candidate's answers satisfied undecided voters remains to be seen. But the phrase "binder full of women" is making its mark. The phrase now has its own twitter account with more than 12,000 followers.
