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NOW president: Obama’s Warren critique sexist

by Kevin Cirilli - 05/12/15 7:04 PM ET

National Organization for Women (NOW) president Terry O’Neill on Wednesday called President Obama’s critique of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sexist.

O’Neill told The Hill she took issue with Obama calling Warren by her first name during an interview with Yahoo News published Saturday.

{mosads}”Yes, I think it is sexist,” O’Neill said. “I think the president was trying to build up his own trustworthiness on this issue by convincing us that Senator Warren’s concerns are not to be taken seriously. But he did it in a sexist way.”

Obama told Yahoo that Warren was opposing his trade agenda to further her own political brand.

“The truth of the matter is that Elizabeth is, you know, a politician like everybody else. And you know, she’s got a voice that she wants to get out there. And I understand that,” Obama told Yahoo.

O’Neill said Obama’s “clear subtext is that the little lady just doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“I think it was disrespectful,” O’Neill said.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) suggested Obama’s remarks were sexist earlier Tuesday, according to reports.

Tags Elizabeth Warren National Organization for Women