Obama vs. McCain: Who’s Your Guy? (Glamour Magazine)

Equal Pay for Women and Men

McCain
‘I'm committed to making sure there is equal pay for equal work.... You can count on it.’

His stand: Opposed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would have made it easier for women to sue their employers for paying them less than men doing similar work; his campaign said the bill would lead to a swarm of new lawsuits.

Expert view: Observers know that McCain opposes big-government solutions. So ‘he is not pursuing the goal of pay equity as a senator,’ says Vicky Lovell, Ph.D., of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Institute for Women's Policy Research.

Obama
‘I don't accept an America where a woman earns less than a man for the same work.’

His stand: Returned to the U.S. Senate from the campaign trail to vote for the Ledbetter Act. He cosponsored another bill that would require employers to disclose their pay scales; his rationale is that doing so would help women more easily determine whether they are being discriminated against.

Expert view: ‘He has sponsored and voted for policies that would enhance pay equity,’ says Lovell. ‘Obama's actions as senator are in line with his pronouncements as a candidate.’