TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said Thursday that the female-heavy line-up of speakers at the Republican National Convention was merely “shiny packaging” to distract voters.
“I think we believe that women can see through that nice shiny packaging that the Republicans have been putting out there, through to what’s inside, which is really a disaster for women’s future, extreme policies,” said Wasserman Schultz at a press conference at the Democratic National Committee war room, nestled in the heart of enemy territory just blocks from where the RNC is being held.
Wasserman Schultz was flanked by Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, contraception activist Sandra Fluke and Massachusetts state Sen. Karen Spilka.
“I think that they have every reason to be worried about the women’s vote,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Mitt Romney is dramatically and drastically behind in the women’s vote, and he deserves every bit of that gender gap.”
Wasserman Schultz dismissed the female speakers this week as in it for themselves, rather than genuinely supporting Mitt Romney. (EARLIER: Wasserman Schultz, Sandra Fluke stroll through the RNC)
“I think they spent the week in infomercials for their candidates for 2016,” she said. “I mean I think the thing that I noticed the most about Tuesday and Wednesday night, was the parade of future leaders of their party who spent a tremendous amount of time promoting themselves, and took a very long time, if they ever did get to promoting their candidate, Mitt Romney.”
Notable female speakers at the RNC include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Ann Romney, Mitt Romney’s wife.