SPEAKING OF DEMEANING TO WOMEN: White House: The ’77 cents’ wage gap figure isn’t accurate, but they’ll use it anyway.

A White House adviser had to walk back the oft-repeated myth that women make 77 cents on the dollar that men make after being questioned about the figure during a conference call Monday. . . . Except, as soon as Stevenson was actually questioned about the statistic by McClatchy reporter Lindsay Wise, the White House adviser crumbled, admitting her earlier comments were inaccurate.

“If I said 77 cents was equal pay for equal work, then I completely misspoke,” Stevenson said. “So let me just apologize and say that I certainly wouldn’t have meant to say that.”

Well, not if she knew she was going to be called on it. Good for Lindsay Wise for doing something that doesn’t happen often enough in the White House — asking a tough question.