joining me is susan author of the book the nine phases of marriage who teaches gender studies at marymount manhattan college. among the issues that we have not heard from either candidate from that debate, contraception, abortion, both big issues that have been leading up through the primaries certainly, why do you think they were omitted? i don t know. i can only tell you it was so unfortunate because nothing is more important than the female vote and also, equal pay for equal work and education and scholarship. these are big issues for women today. was this a moment of missed opportunity because there is a gender gap, certainly for mitt romney, with the president leading in the women s vote, the women s voter block. the president is leading there. let s see what happens next. i thought it was unfortunate. i mean there are more women in graduate schools and undergraduate programs today in america and women s have more, women of all ages. it s important for these two candidates