As if to underscore GOP efforts at outreach to female voters, a breakout session of the Republican National Committee's latest "rising stars" at the group's winter meeting Thursday in Washington, D.C., entirely comprised young women.
There were Alex Smith, a law school student who is the first woman elected national chair of the College Republicans in its 120-year history; Chelsi P. Henry, an African-American conservative activist who grew up on welfare; Kimberly Yee, an Asian-American state senator from Arizona; Monica Youngblood, a Latina New Mexico state representative; and Alison Howard, communications director of the Concerned Women for America.
The GOP's own officials have increasingly faulted its leadership for lacking the kind of diversity and positive message that would attract women, younger voters and minorities. And almost as though he was there to prove the need for such new voices, Thursday's RNC luncheon speaker — radio host, 2008 presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee — caused an Internet ruckus with this controversial comment:
"If the Democrats want to insult the women of America by making them believe that they are helpless without Uncle Sugar coming in and providing for them a prescription each month for birth control, because they cannot control their libido or their reproductive system without the help of the government, then so be it."