Obama targets female support

With polls suggesting women voters were shifting their support to Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama made an aggressive pitch to them yesterday that yielded awkward moments for the Republican and a new catchphrase on social media.

Obama hit hard on issues such as equal pay for women and contraception and abortion rights in the second debate ahead of the Nov 6 presidential election. The topics did not come up in the first debate on Oct 3, when Romney outshone the Democratic president.

Romney has gained ground on Obama in opinion polls since the first head-to-head, and even took the lead in many surveys. Reuters/Ipsos polling data showed the Democrat’s support slipping among women, particularly married women.