Is McCain’s Senate Office a More Lucrative Workplace for Women Than Obama’s?
EmailConservative columnist Deroy Murdock has an interesting piece today that takes a look at what Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., pay their Senate staffers.
Using the public information compiled on the Web site of the non-partisan group Legistorm, Murdock concludes that, on average, women in McCain’s office are paid more than the men in McCain’s office — $1.04 for every dollar a man makes. Men in Obama’s office make more than women do; female employees make 83 cents for every dollar made by male employees.
Murdock frames this as an issue of pay equity, but it’s not really — if anything, it’s more a matter of a "glass ceiling."
(Or, at least, that’s what feminist groups would likely be saying if the situations were reversed.)
Only one of Obama’s five best-paid Senate staffers is a woman. Of McCain’s five best-paid Senate staffers, three are women.
Of Obama’s top 20 salaried Senate staffers, seven are women. Of McCain’s top 20 salaried Senate staffers, 13 are women.
The Obama campaign does not dispute Murdock’s figures (and neither does the McCain campaign), but Obama campaign spox Ben LaBolt argues that it’s a much different situation on Obama’s presidential campaign.
Obama’s campaign is jam-packed with high-ranking women, LaBolt says, citing Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor Michelle Obama, Chief of Staff Stephanie Cutter, Senior Advisor Linda Douglass, VP Chief of Staff Patti Solis Doyle, VP Communications Director Ricki Seidman, National Finance Chair Penny Pritzker, Policy Director Heather Higginbottom, Domestic Policy Director Neera Tanden, Director of Rapid Response Christina Reynolds, Senior Adviser Anita Dunn, Senior Speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, Battleground States Director Jen O’Malley, Research Director Devorah Adler, Director of Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco, Chief Financial Officer Marianne Markowitz, Chief Operations Officer Betsy Myers, and the woman whom LaBolt says is the campaign’s highest-paid official, Finance Director Julianna Smoot. (Nice work, Jules.)
How many employees total does Obama consider "senior staffers"? How do the numbers of high-ranking women on the Obama campaign — and their salaries — stack up?
These questions are as yet unanswered.
- jpt
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Its called equal pay for equal work.
Not equal pay no matter what job you do.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 12, 2008, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
please note that the numbers were only broken down in such a way to make McCain look good, the salaries by position are not affected by gender. Unless you look a little closer at the McCain camp.
Posted by: Jason | September 12, 2008, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
I’ve heard this beforea nd it has been debunked. Waiting for you to post the update.
Posted by: Liz | September 12, 2008, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
In light of John McCain’s decision to follow the same swiftboating path that he so fervidly denounced in 2004, it is now apparent that the Obama campaign has been too kind by simply suggesting that a McCain-Palin administration would be a continuation of Bush-Cheney.
After the scurrilous McCain approved ads lying about Obama’s record, it is clear that John McCain believes that the best way to win the presidency is to lie to the American people and that a McCain-Palin administration would be much worse than the current Bush-Cheney administration.
Posted by: politicjock | September 12, 2008, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
How could anyone lie about Obama’s record? What record?
Posted by: Obama-Yah-Wright | September 12, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Nothing new here. All but the kool-aid-blind know by now that Obama hates “sweeties”.
Posted by: marylou | September 12, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
I love it! Obama, the far Left liberal who loves to say that McCain does not support equal pay for equal work, does not pay his female staff as much as he pays his male staff. McCain actually pays his female staff more than his male staff. He also has more females in positions of authority than Obama does. Guess Obama is once again all talk and no action!!! Obama is a joke….
Posted by: Sarah | September 12, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
I love it! Obama, the far Left liberal who loves to say that McCain does not support equal pay for equal work, does not pay his female staff as much as he pays his male staff. McCain actually pays his female staff more than his male staff. He also has more females in positions of authority than Obama does. Guess Obama is once again all talk and no action!!! Obama is a joke….
Posted by: Sarah | September 12, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
“Nothing new here. All but the kool-aid-blind know by now that Obama hates “sweeties”.”
He’s projecting the dislike of his own mother on all women.
Posted by: Mack | September 12, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
“They’re only regurgitating the liberal media’s talking points. They are no longer are able to think for themselves.”
Coming from a guy who has carried every right wing meme here, that is quite funny.
Especially when you are blindly repeating a misleading item from a right wing columnist.
Obama is for equal pay for equal work.
Comparing gender without job title is working from a faulty premise.
And the right wing LOVES that.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 12, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
“Senior Advisor/Michelle Obama” I wonder how much she makes and how many other family members are on the payroll? Gosh- I wonder if she is getting paid at hospital and campaign for the same day?
Posted by: IDJK | September 12, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
The numbers don’t mean anything without knowing the experience of the women and men. Just because someone is female does not mean they should automatically get the top spot or equal pay. Equal pay is if the experience and job is the same, the pay should be the same. If there were women who had the same experience and were not being paid the same, then there would be a problem.
Posted by: Mack | September 12, 2008, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
McCain has some fortunate women working for him in his senate office and he is paying them the way he wants. But his voting record has shown that he is against equal pay for equal work, that is what is the most important marker. Obama wants equal pay for equal work and that is the real change to be brought to Washington and the whole America. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA/BIDEN08
Posted by: BKMC | September 12, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Lipstick on a pig:
The day Obama lost women.
Posted by: cindy in nc | September 12, 2008, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
One of the problems of just looking at the numbers is that, in the Senate (and the House), salaries are also based on how much experience/education one has. In other words, one legislative aid that has six years Hill experience and a JD is going to make more than another legislative aid that has only one of those qualifications. In order to know whether Obama is unfairly paying women less (which is what Murdock and others want to insinuate), you’d have to compare the experience and education of all of the staffers.
Posted by: Gretchen | September 12, 2008, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm
There is proof of Obama paying women more.
He gave thousands in earmarks to his wife’s employer—and she got a huge raise.
But the MSM only reports Palin’s earmarks.
Posted by: cindy in nc | September 12, 2008, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
For me, an ardent Hillary Clinton supporter, actions speak louder than words.
I was totally heart broken when Obama didn’t choose Hillary as his VP.
When McCain introduced Palin as his VP, I teared-up. When I saw Sarah walked out and took the stage, I wept. It’s McCain/Palin for me now because action speaks louder than words. Obama makes me, a woman, feel like a second class citizen. I’m supposed to sit at the back of the bus. I, a woman, is the new black. The choice of Palin, in an instant, removed that feeling. I no longer feel like a second class citizen. That is a major reason why I will be voting for McCain/Palin in November.
The more Obama campaign and MSM attack Sarah, the more I want to vote for McCain/Palin. I was planning to vote for the downticket democrats, but I’m not sure anymore.
The smearing and sexism hurled upon Sarah by Dem leaders, DNC and Obama campaign have turned me off against the Democratic Party. I’m now leaning on voting straight Republican in November. I can no longer support the Democratic Party. I believe I’m not alone in feeling this way. Today’s gallup poll shows a shift toward GOP in the congressional race as well. Methinks many democrats are feeling like me — digusted with the Democratic Party. We will be voting Republican for downticket candidates as well.
Posted by: bebe | September 12, 2008, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
This is silly season now to start comparing one Senate and Campaign staff as a preview of Ones White House staff and what it means for Women across this country? The question isn’t how well Senator McCain’s staff is paid because McCain isn’t going to paid the America workers wages. If one looks at the contrasts of both parties we know that the Democrats clearly favor the rights of workers and woman. But Obama also wants to work with corporations and small business. Some where in this mix is a solution. Some where in Washington DC is a solution. Its who can bring all parties together to find it. Obama the messenger of change for the past 19 months or McCain who just discovered the change message less then two weeks ago.
Posted by: Cooday | September 12, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
This is silly!
First we MUST DETERMINE if the males and females are DOING THE SAME WORK?
Then and only then will the ‘equal pay’ relevant!
If McCaint supports ‘equal pay for equal work’, THEN WHY NOT SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION?
Posted by: Patriot | September 12, 2008, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
Another example with Obama being more words than action. And it’s clear he places very little value on the contributions of the women on his staff. Or perhaps he just doesn’t know any qualified women…
Posted by: A3k | September 12, 2008, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
Ahh… so I think I get it. If you look at the actual facts Obama pays women 83% of men, disses a very qualified and well-liked woman VP candidate while McCain pays women roughly the same as men and selected a woman VP candidate.
However if “one looks at the contrasts of both parties we know that the Democrats clearly favor the rights of workers and woman.”
So instead of “facts” we need to look at “contrasts” to figure out what really goes on. I guess I’ve never heard that brilliant explanation before. Thanks for that!
Posted by: JR Ewing | September 12, 2008, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
So once again we see that Obama is all about empty words. The guy talks about equal pay for women while he pays them less money than the men in his campaign. Obama is the ultimate hypocrite.
Posted by: EyeDoc | September 12, 2008, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
OUCH! This is going to leave a mark.
Posted by: Don | September 12, 2008, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
“So much for Obama’s equal pay for equal work slogan.
BO is all talk.”
Is he ever. He’s the ultimate poseur. How about a post on his meagre charitable donations before his presidential election campaign.
Posted by: Terry Gain | September 12, 2008, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm
He doesn’t pay them and calls them sweetie. But he is their executive and they will do as he tells them to.
Posted by: Karen | September 12, 2008, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
Forget “Hope” and “Change” and “Enough” as campaign slogans. How about “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Posted by: rockhead | September 12, 2008, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
Unless you are comparing apples to apples, this doesn’t fly.
That is…equal pay for equal work. Considering McCain doesn’t support such legislation, and has a history of adultery, I’m not sure this is really an issue that McCain is very strong on.
Then again, looking at his supporters and their policy requirements for a candidate (lipstick and librarian glasses), maybe it is a good argument for them.
Posted by: Robot Pirate Ninja | September 12, 2008, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
@ Patriot Sep 12, 2008 5:38:27 PM
“First we MUST DETERMINE if the males and females are DOING THE SAME WORK? Then and only then will the ‘equal pay’ relevant!”
It’s pretty easy to scan the Legistorm database and compare similar job titles/positions between the two senate offices. Obama’s top-paid employee is a male Legislative Director. McCain’s top-paid employee is a female Legislative Director (and paid more than Obama’s Director). I would assume they are doing very similar work.
Actions do speak louder than words.
Posted by: slaatch | September 12, 2008, 6:06 pm 6:06 pm
Equal pay for Equal work. Not Equal pay for everyone no matter what they do.
Until I see a list that shows them comparing actual jobs and pay, I refuse to jump on this bandwagon.
Posted by: sarty | September 12, 2008, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
From here in England, the democrats scare me, i’ve seen what their sort do to a country, I live there! Obama is clearly anti republic, and clearly, to me, has total disregard of the constitution. Your founding fathers tried to set up a free and fair country, as against the Kingdom that used to rule from across the ocean. It was set up to make it very difficult for a silver tongued devil to seduce enough of the population that power can be assumed. Obama is the snake oil salesman, Mrs Palin looks to be a real conservative, socialism is a failure from the start, it has never succeeded and never can.
Posted by: Chris Edwards | September 12, 2008, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
The other interesting statistic is that Obama’s staff is more than twice as large as McCain’s and don’t tell it’s because IL is more populous than AZ. Why does he need a big staff, he hasn’t done anything but campaign for president since entering the Senate. Oh yeah, it’s to administer the earmarks to all of his campaign donors – got it.
Posted by: Jim | September 12, 2008, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
Haven’t seen any good defense of this…hmmm…ironic isn’t it!
Posted by: Wade | September 12, 2008, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
Do as I Say… Not as I do…. OBAMA 08!
Posted by: Mike | September 12, 2008, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm
Obama uses his ‘executive experience’ as being how he has run his campaign, so I guess we can realize the fact that, if President, Obama will run this country the way he has run his campaign.
Just words — that’s Obama’s empty promises. His actions are shriekingly loud, though, and women better beward putting this misogynist in office.
Posted by: Sami | September 12, 2008, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm
Interesting that there is no link to this story on ABCNews’s home page???
Posted by: Mike | September 12, 2008, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
Considering that as the Chair of Sub-committee on Europe since 2006 he never called for a meeting even once, Obama has a lot staff. What do they actually do? After all, for the past two years (that counts as his executive experience) he’s busy campaigning with a different set of staff members (also a lot of them). Is it a window of what will happen if he win?
Posted by: Amartya | September 12, 2008, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
“Its called equal pay for equal work.
Not equal pay no matter what job you do.”
Ok fine. But it seems to me that while Barry O! may be in favour of equal pay for equal work, he just is not willing to give women equal work. Why doesn’t that make me feel better?
Posted by: Jon | September 12, 2008, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
“Considering that as the Chair of Sub-committee on Europe since 2006 he never called for a meeting even once”
He began that chair in 2007. You guys can’t even get your smears right without lying.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 12, 2008, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
Obama-Biden want equal pay for equal work bills for women, but are unwilling to pay equal unless forced to do so.
McCain freely pays women more than men, and doesn’t try to legislate it.
McCain-Palin: Actions over Rhetoric.
Posted by: JA | September 12, 2008, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
A liberal not practicing what he preaches? Is that a newsflash to anyone?
Posted by: Al | September 12, 2008, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm
He is going to have a inverted pyramid organization. Yep that is “Change”. Too many senior folks and very few people who actually work and I assume that the ratio of senior people to people who actually work may be 10:1. ( And, senior staff will go and give lecture in universities and tell the kid how they reached there and how Obama is a great guy and mark Present or Not voted)
Posted by: Tim | September 12, 2008, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
Better yet, how much does Michelle Obama make? Do campaign contributions pay for this? Is she still getting her salary from her “day job?” Can you find out, Jake?
Posted by: RL in Illinois | September 12, 2008, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Ve-ry in-ter-esting. McCain pays his female staffers well and has plenty of them. He’s obviously comfortable working with strong women. I like that in a man. *G*
Oh, and I’m waiting for Jake to post something about that lovely new Obama ad mocking McCain for not sending emails. As magazine and newspaper articles going back for several years make clear, the man CAN NOT TYPE because of his disabilities from his POW years. He communicates through email at times, with Cindy or someone else doing the actual typing for him. Everyone has been so quick to jump on Mcain ads of late, let’s see if they are equally condemnatory of this offensive ad.
(For the record, I’m tired of the McCain Palin ads that fuss about the rude treatment Palin has been getting– suck it up, gang. She can handle it, and we don’t need to play the victim. The american public can see what’s going on without any help from weak ads like that.)
Posted by: moderate | September 12, 2008, 9:52 pm 9:52 pm
McCAIN/PALIN ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!
Posted by: Debra | September 12, 2008, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
Two points -
As others have said, the point is equal pay for equal work. There is nothing in the article that says this hasn’t occurred on Obama’s staff.
This workplace inequality DOES OCCUR today throughout the country. Which of the two candidates has talked about it being an issue that needs fixing? Obama. Which of the two candidates do I trust more to improve this inequality? Obama.
Posted by: Chris | September 13, 2008, 1:47 am 1:47 am
The truth here is the opposite of what it seems.
When a senator runs for president, s/he takes the BEST staff from the Senate office and puts them on the campaign, leaving the more mediocre staff to run the Senate office.
Obama obviously considered more women to be his BEST advisors and put them on his campaign staff, leaving the more mediocre staff, at lower salaries, in his Senate office.
Posted by: pedestrian | September 13, 2008, 10:24 am 10:24 am
The same pay for the same work at
the same level of performance.
That’s the principle.
Two staffers, one man one woman,
may hold identical job titles and
job descriptions.
If one meets requirements and the
other consistently exceeds
requirements, the better performer
should get more money.
Fair comparisons should include
performance evaluations of the
employees as well.
Posted by: anon | September 13, 2008, 11:28 am 11:28 am
McCain/Palin all the way to defeat. Even The News Hour with Jim Lehrer comment group says it will be a tight race with Obama the winner. After the debates there will be no longer any contest.
Posted by: Ranger Phx | September 13, 2008, 11:49 am 11:49 am
So why doesn’t McCain believe the rest of the countries women deserve to be paided equally?
Posted by: TINAT | September 13, 2008, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
That sexist pig Obama is at it again.
You can give him a Harvard degree through Affirmative Action, but he won’t forget an early lesson his daddy taught him: it’s ok to abandon your women.
_________________________
AND WHAT DID MCCAIN’S DAD TEACH HIM THAT LED HIM TO ABONDON HIS FIRST WIFE FOR CINDY??? HE PROBABLY TOLD HIM TO GO FOR THE MONEY.
Posted by: Gloria P. | September 13, 2008, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
I see Michelle Obama is a Senior Advisor. Is she paid? Also, does this mean that we have another “two for the price of one” administration? We’ve already gone down this road. No more.
Posted by: Mary | September 13, 2008, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
I have always felt the best way to predict what a person will do is to see what that have done in the past. It is easy to talk about how you will change things, but look at what they have really done in the past. Again, Obama is talking the big talk, but what has he done. I hope people look at what he has done and not get caught up in his rhetoric.
Posted by: Maggie | September 14, 2008, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
JB writes, “You can give him a Harvard degree through Affirmative Action, but he won’t forget an early lesson his daddy taught him: it’s ok to abandon your women.”
================================
Well JB…here’s the problem with your post. Obama is a Columbia (NY) graduate. Received academic scholarships to attend. Attended Harvard and graduated with honors.
Posted by: Dems | September 14, 2008, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Interesting. The Democrats have spun their political rhetoric to make us all think they are the party of equality. What a farce!
I also just read an article that talked about the major cities with the highest poverty rates. Guess what? They have all be led by Democrats for more than 30 years. Now that’s change we can believe in. LOL! When will people wake up?
Posted by: ernie | September 14, 2008, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
================================
Well JB…here’s the problem with your post. Obama is a Columbia (NY) graduate. Received academic scholarships to attend. Attended Harvard and graduated with honors.
Posted by: Dems | Sep 14, 2008 12:26:20 PM
Where did Dems get his/her information-NO ONE has seen his Columbia record or his LCAT score to enter Harvard Law.
Posted by: Concerned | October 25, 2008, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
================================
Well JB…here’s the problem with your post. Obama is a Columbia (NY) graduate. Received academic scholarships to attend. Attended Harvard and graduated with honors.
Posted by: Dems | Sep 14, 2008 12:26:20 PM
Where did Dems get his/her information-NO ONE has seen his Columbia record or his LCAT score to enter Harvard Law.
Posted by: Concerned | October 25, 2008, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
My first thought is sarcastic, as in, we know McCain likes pretty young women (Cindy,Sarah) and isn’t above spending a fortune on them, (Wardrobe, make up) but in all fairness, there needs to be a job and location comparison for this to make any sense. McCain’s headquarters is in Alexandria, one of the most expensive places in the country to live or work, so salaries will be much higher. He is also paying his male counter parts more than Obama.
Posted by: SUSIE | October 25, 2008, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
I like this guy.
Posted by: Jools | November 7, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm