On Friday, President Barack Obama said he would stand up for women on issues of equal pay and health care. He offered a contrast to his likely opponent to the White House, Mitt Romney.

At the Forum on Women and the Economy, President Obama said, “Women are not a member of an interest group, and in no way should be treated like they are.”

He also took advantage of the event to boast about his record on issues involving women and his continual commitment to helping improve their lives. He said he was proud of the White House’s accomplishments, but he warned that the policies that are in place now must remain because we cannot return to old outdated policies regarding women and their rights.

The Obama reelection campaign considers women to be a key group for him to win a second term in November. He has increased his focus on women and what appeals to them as voters. Romney has not had the same success, as he has struggled to gain support from the female voters. A poll released by the USA Today/Gallup this week says that over 60% of women less than 50 support Obama in 12 very important states. In those key states, Obama is ahead of Romney overall among women 54% to 36%.

Democrats have used the weakness of the GOP to win female voters, including the comment by Romney that he was going to eliminate Planned Parenthood. Without directly naming Romney, Obama on Friday said that the health care law’s fate, the funding of Planned Parenthood and the federal laws protecting women against violence are at risk, if the GOP were to have control.