ADVERTISEMENT

Obama: 'I Love You Women!'

AP

President Barack Obama dined with female senators to discuss a budget compromise on Tuesday. The president reportedly praised women for their proactivity in Congress.

Politico reports:

President Obama pushed for the women in the Senate to play a key role in a big budget compromise as he had dinner with them at the White House on Tuesday.

"He was very forthcoming about that, for us to be courageous to get that done," Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told POLITICO shortly after the two-hour dinner ended.

Obama "acknowledged that historically the ones who have been able to get things done" are female lawmakers, including Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Klobuchar said.

The long-awaited meeting comes after observations that the president may need "gender-sensitivity training."

Obama was criticized earlier this month for introducing California Attorney General Kamala Harris as "by far, the best looking attorney general."

The comment was said to reinforce gender inequality and demean the achievements of Harris, as it implied her professional achievements were somehow associated with her physical appearance. The president was criticized for setting a "disgraceful" example.

The head of an administration that pays female staffers less than their male counterparts, this was not the first time Obama has been criticized for sexist behaviors.

Obama notoriously called a female reporter "sweetie" in 2008 sparking widespread debate of a comment that many saw as sexist and "misogynistic."

The White House was once again on the defense after releasing a photo that showed an administration dominated by white males in January. The photo caption noted that Valerie Jarrett’s leg was in the room. It was another problem for the Obama administration, which had previously been accused of being a "hostile workplace" for women.

Reports of Obama’s latest meeting suggest that he is evolving. According to the Politico article, Klobuchar said:

He definitely talked about the common sense caucus, that a lot of women are the ones who are constructive on these issues. I think he genuinely meant it.