The White House suggested that Twitter followers tweet about the forum on the hashtag #WomenEconForum. Conservative hijacking of Democratic hashtags has been a bit of a trend lately, and right-wing talk radio host Jenn Taylor proposed giving #WomenEconForum the same treatment:
The White House #womeneconforum kicks off in 30 mins. That's a nice hashtag. Be a shame if something happened to it.
— Jenn Taylor (@JennQPublic) April 6, 2012
Many women were mad that the forum didn't appear to be bipartisan:
#WomenEconForum wont' release invite list? What happened to most transparent WH evah? Huh? #sgp
— Karen Townsend (@penguinponders) April 6, 2012
#WomenEconForum: Valerie Jarrett is up. Talks about variety of women present. Yeah, NO conservatives invited. Cowards.
— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) April 6, 2012
Obama never did want to reach across the aisle...conservative women black-listed at #WomenEconForum....Obama can't TAKE the truth...
— Doug Angstrom (@champa911) April 6, 2012
The speakers' list does look primarily left-wing, though it's worth noting that Mika Brezinski, moderator of the first panel, is reportedly anti-abortion (and anti-gun-control). Reproductive rights, incidentally, were an issue for conservatives on the hashtag:
#WomenEconForumMy Obamajoy will be complete when he forces the Catholic Church to pay for abortions. #LifeIsGood
— The Morning Spew (@TheMorningSpew) April 6, 2012
#womeneconforum How does giving wealthy, insured women "free" birth control help struggling, uninsured women?
— Jenn Taylor (@JennQPublic) April 6, 2012
#womeneconforum We came for the free Plan B pills.
— Kevin Corrigan (@kcluva) April 6, 2012
So was the economy:
In households headed by women with children the poverty rate is a stunning 40.7 percent #womeneconforum
— ComfyPaws™ (@ComfyPaws) April 6, 2012
Barack im a woman and need a loan for my business. Just a quarter of what you gaveSolandra. #demwaronwomen #WomenEconForum
— Butterfly catcher (@Butterflytruth1) April 6, 2012
our debit is so high my daughters children will be burdened by the bad decisions of barack. How is that helping women? #WomenEconForum
— Butterfly catcher (@Butterflytruth1) April 6, 2012
Gas $4 per gal. Just paid $5 for a gal of milk 4 grandkids. Power bill $299 for 1 month.Who's really waging a "war on women" #WomenEconForum
— Flora Duh (@FloraDuh1) April 6, 2012
Since Obama became president the size of the U.S. national debt has increased by 44 percent #womeneconforum econ not his forte
— ComfyPaws™ (@ComfyPaws) April 6, 2012
Is the WH covering up the jobs numbers by hosting this fake #WomenEconForum ?
— Formerly RightGirl (@SalaciousSully) April 6, 2012
The part about the debt is true. However, "Time'"s Bryan Walsh argues convincingly that high gas prices aren't Obama's fault. And Brezinski asked a pointed question about the disappointing jobs report at 9:30 AM; that issue was hardly ignored at the forum.
Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett's participation was also at issue:
@TeriChristoph Valerie Jarrett made her money on the backs of the poor and disadvantaged in Chicago. #WomenEconForum
— Sheryl (@sav01) April 6, 2012
@kimberlyhaney I'm sure many of the poor and disadvantaged were women #WomenEconForum #ValerieJarrett
— Sheryl (@sav01) April 6, 2012
#WomenEconForum: Valerie Jarrett's own adult daughter glommed on to her parents' health care policy. SHOCKER.
— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) April 6, 2012
The claims that Jarrett exploited the poor probably stem from her work at real-estate firm Habitat Co, which has been criticized for mismanagement and safety problems in its properties. Jarrett's never tried to hide her daughter's use of her health insurance — she told a Selma, Alabama audience in March that "her family benefitted from the Affordable Care Act when she was able to provide health insurance for her daughter when she graduated from college."
The hashtag also included comments on patriotism:
#WomenEconForum: What, no Pledge of Allegiance?
— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) April 6, 2012
Golf:
I support #Augusta's right to be male only club, but would be great to have a #womeneconforum for conservatives & then play a little golf.
— Amy Kremer (@AmyKremer) April 5, 2012
And, of course, porn:
Pornbots have hit the #WomenEconForum stream! lol
— Teri Christoph (@TeriChristoph) April 6, 2012
