As a Democratic voter deeply concerned with women’s issues, I was astounded and offended by Bob Schieffer’s final question in the Oct. 13 presidential debate about what the candidates have learned from the “strong women” in their lives.

Aside from the obviously sexist image he suggested – the three important men surrounded by their adoring, though less important, wives and daughters – I was thinking: This is a presidential debate for the most important U.S. election of my lifetime … not a talk show interview!

The question to the candidates should have been, “What are you going to do to advance and resolve the issues of women’s health care, reproductive rights and pay equity that concern the ‘strong women’ comprising more than 50 percent of this country who will be voting for you on Nov. 2?”

Unfortunately, it was late in the debate and Kerry was fatigued, but he missed a significant opportunity to impress women constituents with a reference to Betty Castor or Ann Richards, for example, who are also “strong women” out there working for him.

I’m relieved that I wasn’t the only one outraged by Schieffer’s “strong women” question. Read Mary Schmich’s Oct. 15 column in the Chicago Tribune. The following is a comment from Schmich’s column:

“They used the question as a way to lighten things up, but in a way I found really trivialized the seriousness of women, not just of wives,” said Rebecca West, director of the Center for Gender Studies at the University of Chicago, in the column. “It’s one of the few times in the entire debate when women are specifically mentioned. And then it turns into a laugh- fest.”

If you prefer serious images of women, see the film “Iron Jawed Angels” – you will never look at that little canvas voting booth in the same way again, ladies.

Shelly Hamlin-Rodrick

NIU operating staff