National media are reporting about how West Chester’s favorite son is avoiding taking a stand on whether women should be admitted into the Augusta National Golf Club.
As poll after poll shows the Republican Party lagging in support among female voters, various GOP politicians have spoken in favor of admitting women into the club, seeing it as an easy way to restore some goodwill with women. The all-male institution has been roundly criticized because it typically extends membership to the CEOs of IBM Corp., but hasn’t done so to its current leader, Ginni Rometty.
Among those who’ve recently said Augusta should admit female members are Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and John McCain. But not timid House Speaker John Boehner (R-West Chester).
Politico tried to ascertain Boehner’s stance on the issue last week, to no avail. The website reported:
Asked if Boehner thinks women should be permitted into Augusta, his spokesman Michael Steel said he has "never heard him discuss it." Pressed again, he demurred.
The Masters Golf Tournament is held annually at Augusta, Ga. This year’s event ended Sunday, with Bubba Watson emerging as the winner.
It seems like a fairly simple question to us. Either you think Augusta should open its membership or you don’t. What are you so afraid of, Mr. Boehner?
Romney has said, "If I were a member and if I could run Augusta, which isn't likely to happen, but of course I'd have women in Augusta."
Also, McCain tweeted last week, “Don't you think it's time Augusta National joined the 21st Century — or the 20th — and allowed women members?”
Another website, Talking Points Memo, gave a possible reason for Boehner’s reticence. It stated:
"That could be because Boehner — an avid golfer — is himself a member of an all-male golf club. The AP reported last year that Boehner has ‘been chided for his membership at Burning Tree, an all-male golf club in Maryland.”
Located in Bethesda, Md., Burning Tree has even more restrictive policies than Augusta. “Beyond the no-women membership policy, women are not even allowed on the grounds as guests,” ESPN reports.
