Speaking in Rhode Island, President Barack Obama said that women should not have to choose between leaving the workplace to take care of their child and earning a earning a lower wage when she returns to work.
Sometimes, someone, usually mom, leaves the workplace to stay home with the kids, which then leaves her earning a lower wage for the rest of her life as a result. And that’s not a choice we want Americans to make.
The remarks come after Obama quickly backtracked earlier in the week when he implied that Michelle Obama doesn’t work. “I mean, I should point out, she is working really hard now as first lady and doesn’t get paid, but that’s a whole other thing. But — because I didn’t want her to think, like, what, I’m not working? Michelle works. I promise you.”
[h/t Weekly Standard]
This story has been updated.