DENVER President Barack Obama left little doubt Wednesday how he plans to win Colorado in November.
About 100 women filled the bleachers behind the president as he spoke from a podium that said Womens Health Security.
The campaign rally was part of the presidents renewed embrace of his health care law, especially its effects on women. He even has embraced his opponents label of Obamacare.
The decisions that affect a womans health theyre not up to politicians. Theyre not up to insurance companies. Theyre up to you, and you deserve a president who will fight to keep it that way, Obama said.
Republican Mitt Romneys campaign responded quickly, sending out emails titled The Obama Economy: Hostile to Women and announcing a national Women for Mitt coalition.
Women made up half of Romneys cabinet when he was governor of Massachusetts, said that states former lieutenant governor, Kerry Healey.
Looking at Mitts extraordinary track record supporting women in the workforce, its clear that whether women choose to work at home, in government or the private sector, Mitt understands and respects the value of each womans contribution to American prosperity, Healey said in a news release.
Romney also dispatched one of his possible vice presidential picks, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, on a bus tour of the Front Range.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., helped introduce Obama on Wednesday.
Women made the difference to Bennets election in 2010, when he beat Ken Buck by tagging the Republican as hostile to womens rights. Bennet said Republicans goal of undoing Obamas health insurance law would take the country back to a time that being a woman was a pre-existing condition.
Obama pointed out that as of last week, insurance companies have to provide coverage for eight womens health services, including breastfeeding support and contraception.
Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown graduate student who was at the center of a national debate on contraception last winter, also spoke for Obama.
Never again will we pay more for our insurance policies simply because we are women, Fluke said.
Obama dove right in to the debate over whether companies should have to provide womens health services, including contraception, even if it runs counter to the owners religious beliefs.
I dont think your boss should get to control the health care you get, Obama said. I dont think politicians should control the care you get. I think there is one person who should make decisions on health care, and that is you.
The president is scheduled to speak today in Pueblo and Colorado Springs.
joeh@cortezjournal.com