NARAL Chooses Obama — Why Now?

The state NARAL affiliates were NOT consulted regarding this endorsement. They just found out about it today about noon.
No representative of the state affiliates was consulted or a part of the PAC that decided on this endorsement.

The state NARAL affiliates were NOT consulted regarding this endorsement. They just found out about it today about noon.
No representative of the state affiliates was consulted or a part of the PAC that decided on this endorsement.

A response from the Texas NARAL office:
Thanks so much for sharing your concern with us. NARAL Pro-Choice Texas had
no role in the endorsement of Sen. Obama; NARAL Pro-Choice America made
their endorsement without consulting the state affiliates, and currently
they are the only NARAL office endorsing a presidential candidate. Please
feel free to contact them directly at (202) 530-4179 if you wish to discuss
this endorsement with them. We understand your concerns, and we know that
there are many others who feel the same way. Please be assured that NARAL
Pro-Choice Texas has not – and will not, because we do not have a federal
PAC – endorsed a presidential candidate, and was not part of the national
office’s decision to endorse Sen. Obama. Please do not hesitate to contact
me with any further questions about this issue.

NARAL will get no more from me.
sweetie.

Who cares about NARAL? This reminds me of the endorsement of Michael Moore before the Pennsylvania primary. It had no effect, why? because every moron who would care about what Moore says was already in the tank for Obama. A lot of people do not seem to get the fact that Obama’s appeal is very limited.

Maybe, Rick, you should check out the fact that no state NARAL organizations have anything to do with this endorsement.
That seems to be the kind of thing a reporter should do, and update his story.

I dunno, after he called that reporter, “sweetie,” I said to myself, no way obama, no way will i ever vote for you. And I’m a life long dem.

No Surprise, since one of the few Bills that Obama took a stand on he voted to allow viable infants to die if the mother chooses Abortion! That is if a woman goes in for an abortion right before or at time of birth the doctors can perform the abortion and if the baby comes out alive they can just put the infant on a cart and wait for him/her to die! Obama voted to allow this!!

let me rephrase that:
I’m pro-choice>
THAT’S pro-murder!

This is still not going to get Barack Hussein Obama, the women votes he’s going to need.
How much money did Obama, shell out for this endorsement. Every thing Obama does, starts with bribes, and back room dealings.
Obama, will keep continuing losing here on out. He’s UNELECTABLE, AND AS SOON AS THE DNC, REALIZES THIS THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE IN THE FALL WITH HILLARY AS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE. If the DNC, want to keep losing keep proping up Obama, and thinking everybody is going to drink the kool-ade. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

Al,
Thanks for the phone number. I just called and left a lengthy message. This is an outrage!! I am more furious about this than any endorsement of Obama. I informed NARAL of Obama’s previous statements of his true feelings about abortion and his voting “present” on so many choice issues while he was in the IL senate.
Am I furious?? I CANNOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS IN A POST!!

Well, Hamas endorsed Obama, Rev. Wright endorsed Obama, Farrakhan endorsed Obama, and WV sent the DNC and Obama a big message – we want Hillary! So NARAL, say good bye to future contributions. For some reason, the womens’ vote doesn’t seem to matter, to the DNC, and even to an alleged womens’ organization. We won’t be voting for Obama in the fall, for sure!

SCOOP ON NARAL!! THEY BACKED JOE LIEBERMAN AND JUST ABOUT SUPPORTED THE APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICE ALITO!! SEE FOLLOWING EXCERPT:
And what did they do with all that cash? They sat on it and didn’t do a damn thing, didn’t lift a finger to fight Samuel Alito. Worse yet, when the Gang of 14 decided to vote in favor of cloture, they said that they did not consider cloture votes “significant” and would not be considering them in their scorecard. They then went on to add insult to injury by asking their membership to thank Lincoln Chafee and Joe Lieberman for the beatings they delivered with their “aye” cloture vote by pretending that their “nay” floor votes were significant. They then poured salt into the wound by endorsing both “short ride” Lieberman and Chafee over their opponents who made it clear that they would not have voted for cloture for Alito, which gave us the 5-4 decision we have today.
Don’t reward failure. Tell your friends. Don’t give money to NARAL when they come knocking on your door to tell you that choice is going down the crapper unless you give them a lot of money, because what you’ll be giving money for is Nancy Keenan’s ability to point her little pinky over tea at Washington cocktail parties and tut-tut over the state of choice in this country at the hands of the fundamentalists. She’ll take no responsibility for the fact that NARAL will not fight, will not back those that fight, and worse yet, that NARAL sucks up all the pro-choice money so nobody else can mount a meaningful fight, either.
May I humbly suggest that if you’re looking for a place to put your fighting dollars today, you consider the Blue America PAC. All the money goes to support candidates who are carefully scrutinized by Howie Klein for their pro-choice stance. We were really successful last November in backing a slate of progressive pro-choice, anti-war candidates and will continue to do so, because politicians are not going to back choice unless they think there is support for doing so, and danger if they don’t.

WHO REALLY IS NARAL AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH ALL YOUR MONEY? THEY ARE SUPPORTING THE APPOINTMENTS OF JUSTICES LIKE ALITO! THEY ARE WOLVES IN SHEEPS CLOTHING. FOLLOW THIS LINK:
http://firedoglake.com/2007/04/18/donating-to-naral-is-not-going-to-help-protect-a-womans-right-to-choice/

This is the multiplication by division strategy aimed at moving women voters away from Hillary by adding faux credibility to Obama. It provides a surrogate response to questions on abortion and keeps Obama from having to answer so he can appear to be above it all.
Both parties are loose coalitions each made up of groups that can’t stand each other but united in that they hate the coalitions on the other side of the aisle even more. Recognizing and taking advantage of that was Karl Rove’s genius and a big part of several comedy viral videos.

Look Women.This isn’t how this works.
The person who runs the better campaign wins the nomination. Its unfortunate that Hillary finally found her voice so late into this process. But it doesn’t look good for her, and its not Senator Obama fault. He hasn’t mislead you, He hasn’t lied to you.(Unlike Hillary) He just ran a better campaign.
But regardless we all know that this country will be in better shape if a democrat is in office. Even if that person is Mr..Obama. Deep down you people know that. Don’t let unjustified hatred keep you from making the right decision come November. You will only hurt yourself and your children.

Debra, his speeches remind me of Fidel Castro’s. He sounds like Castro, speaks like Castro, and has the same message. I don’t know how anyone can brand his style as new politics. It may be new in the USA but in Cuba it is more than fifty years old.

NARAL makes me proud to be a supporter of womens’ rights and gives my daughter the best chance of her rights being protected. Your check from me is on the way, NARAL. BRAVO!!

Hey MY AMERICA: I don’t have any children and I’m too old to be drafted or need an abortion. Thus, I have the luxury of taking a stand for women. Hillary is the better candidate, but has been vilified by a biased media and a country full of misogynists. If she is not on the ballot in November, I absolutely will sit it out. If we get McCain and thus more war and perhaps a reinstatement of the draft and repeal of Roe v. Wade, then I’ll be happy to watch some of our apathetic citizens be forced to action.

Ah, SMS, where to begin? Let me start off by saying that I graduated summa c u m laude from the #1 school of journalism in the U.S. Many of Hillary’s supporters are educated women. The fact is, Obama’s coalition of affluent, educated whites, and African-Americans, is the same coalition McGovern had, and we know where that got McGovern. And with all due respect to Kansas, Hawaii, et al, the states you cite really don’t mean much in terms of electoral votes.

Debra – -
I Know exactly what you mean. Everytime Hillary talks, my teeth hurt (guess it’s that dentist drill quality intensity that goes right through me). . .

That’s what they want us to think – “the party is lining up behind obama” PLEASE, this is so funny. You all can pretend all you want – Hillary has this race won and it’s over for Obama. She’s won, despite the cheating, voter fraud, FL&MI disenfranchisement, etc. She’s got the swing states and large states. She’s ahead in popular vote, which is what you need to win.
As far as this NARAL endorsement – it doesn’t make a difference to me at all – I’m a prochoice and ‘Independent’ voter. I care about Roe v Wade . The state NARAL’s are telling us that they did not endorse obama. It doesn’t matter though, this endorsement is not going to change anyone’s mind about obama or make us switch our support to him. We know that he gave money to NARAL for this endorsement. It smells funny, like all the other paid endorsements by obama. Keep trying, obama – WV saw right through you as will the next states voting.

When will elected officials stop being cowed by these pressure groups– on both sides of the idealogical spectrum? It’s time to stand up to them and tell them to pound salt.
Today’s decision by NARAL to take a way proves that to them, lifelong support is a one-way street.
So be it.
Let this be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Once and for all, be done with them– they are ruining both parties anyway.

It really makes me sad to see how self serving many people are in their politics. Most business people are Republican. Most labor union members Democratic. It is a breath of fresh air when someone votes or speaks out for what they no is fair and right rather than what’s best for them. The fact that Hillary may or may not be best for women should not be the basis upon which we vote for/against her. If we base our vote on what’s best for us personally we lose the best that is America.
For decades now the political system has been run by people with big money. The result of this system has been an America that is best for a very few, very wealthy people. Do we want to exchange America for the wealthy for America for women or America for Christians, or America for white men. I am quite sure that Obama, Clinton and McCain want what’s best for their version of America. McCain wants more war. Hillary wants health care for all. Obama wants an America that doesn’t marginalize whole portions of society. They all seem to want to win, almost more than anything else. As voters we have to decide if their vision is actually what we no is right and fair, not what’s best for us personally.

Maybe if pro choice were around when Hillary was concived we wouldn’t have to worry about her, her mother might have saved us from her

Ellen Malcolm, in this article, makes it seem like organizations OWE Sen. Clinton the right to drag this process out after it’s so clearly over, which might give McCain enough time to organize to win in the fall. That’s disrespectful to the millions of women and children, and citizens, who will have to face a third Bush term if McCain wins. To all those who won’t vote for Obama, you are selfish. This election should be about the people who are affected, and the millions of women, children and citizens who need a Democratic president who will help grow the economy, promote health, protect the environment, create jobs, work for peace and end our involvement in Iraq. Whether that’s Obama or Hillary, I would hope that you would put the good of others first and work for the nominee to end the Bush era. Congrats to NARAL for being the first major nonpartisan organization out of the gate to focus on the fall election. I hope Sierra Club and others are right behind you.

Actually, the NARAL endorsement certainly epitomizes the Obama campaign 100%. Friends for life, until you are not politically expedient to keep around. Welcome to Obama’s “Politics of Change”. This is Obama’s “New Washington”! (Isn’t he doing great bringing people together)?

Quite the contrary, Carolyn P. who said “On the other hand, if so many are really willing to throw our daughters, grandaughters, nieces and friends under the bus for Hillary… go ahead.
We do care about the future of our children and are strongly pro-choice. That is why we believe that Hillary is the best candidate to win against John McCain. There was no reason for NARAL to make this endorsement now, knowing full well that either candidate would support pro-choice endeavors. It reeks of disrespect for Hillary, someone who has a longer and stronger record of support than Obama.

EMILY’s List president Ellen R. Malcolm says in a press release:
“I think it is tremendously disrespectful to Sen. Clinton – who held
up the nomination of a FDA commissioner in order to force approval of
Plan B and who spoke so eloquently during the Supreme Court nomination
about the importance of protecting Roe vs. Wade – to not give her the
courtesy to finish the final three weeks of the primary process. It
certainly must be disconcerting for elected leaders who stand up for
reproductive rights and expect the choice community will stand with
them.”

So it was fine for Emily’s List to endorse Hillary in January after only a couple of primaries had been done, yet it’s not alright for NARAL to endorse Obama with just 3 weeks left? Hmm…

NARAL has made a mistake but it probably does not matter.
Many women who fight for progressive causes find themselves on mushy moral ground being pro-abortion. Still the need for safe abortion is understood for many reasons.
This brings me to the topic of sexism. In this primary battle, racism has a lot of press. Sexism is also alive and well but at the current time in our history, it lives underground. The older women know the hurt it caused. The younger women benefit from their fight against sexism but deny its existence.
Most older women feel a sisterhood with Clinton who also experienced the days of blatant sexism. These women stick with Clinton because they see Obama as not having much empathy for them. Many also see him as having an immature arrogance. Alot, not all, black women believe that he speaks for them because he is part black.
I have said before, that I do believe at a time of urgency for a new party to take office, it is a mistake for the Democratic party to have any type of controversial candidate–such as one that breaks the race/gender norm. It is way too risky now. And as such, I think the Republicans will get very close to winning, but hopefully not win.

They support him because he will win, and they are opportunist who want to advance their agenda. It is akin to the pro-life lobby backing Fred Thompson when they thought he would stand a good chance over on the republican side. Fred had been pro-choice until recently and instead of supporting someone on principle, they voted for who they thought would benefit their power reach. Of course they should have backed Dr. Ron Paul who had delivered 4000 babies, has always been pro-life, and has the backing of Jane Roe, but since when can we expect people or these groups to vote on principle.

Those Hillary supporters who are threatening to vote for McCain out of spite, need to consider what he has promised for the Supreme Court: Think You Know John McCain? He promises to appoint ultraconservative Supreme Court justices!

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS – TAKE NOTICE
———–ROE v. WADE———–
Two of the current justices of the United States Supreme Court will probably retire within the next four years. One is 75 and the other is 84. This will give the new president the ability to nominate two new justices. If McCain is elected you can be sure the new justices will be just like Roberts, Scalia and Thomas: willing to overturn ROE v. WADE. So think when you vote!!!

JOHN EDWARDS ENDORSES OBAMA MAKING A GRAND TOTAL OF FOUR SUPER DELEGATE ENDORSEMENTS TODAY – SO FAR.

Yeah great job NARAL- you don’t speak for me or millions of other Hillary Clinton supporters. How could you endorse Obama?
He’s the guy who said that young people should pratice abstinence. Yeah, we know how well that works.
He’s the guy who ducked out of many votes on womens reproductive rights in the Illinois Senate by voting “present.”
Prepare to see Roe v. Wade overturned if Obama is the Democratic nominee. He can’t beat McCain in November . Only Clinton can and we know how McCain feels about abortion.
You really screwed up with this endorsemant.

How did you come up with this decision.
Did you flip a coin. You have put woman at the back of the bus with this decision.
What a slap in the face for Hillary.
I will never support Obama. If he the nominee McCain will get my vote, and I know alot of other woman that feel the same way.

So far NARAL has received over 1600 comments in response to their endorsement. They are overwhelmingly negative. Most are requesting to sever all ties to the organization.
Hillary Clinton has been a remarkable advocate for a women’s right to choice….for 30 years she has been clear and vocal and true to this cause. NARAL in this endorsement has proven that they do not need advocates or supporters. They are political panderers who could not wait 3 weeks to support a guy who has been a careful “present” poiticain as usual on womens issues.
I wrote them a comment that was simple enough it said>>>>”What did Mr Obama promise you for this endorsement?”

This is the end of my support for NARAL and any of its activities – when American women can’t support the first presidential candidacy of what is a VIABLE woman candidate, I finally understand how and why it is that we consistently lag behind more advanced societies in terms of women’s equality. What is it? You don’t want to find out what it would be like to have a woman lead this country? Or is it because of the uniquely American penchant for falling in line with whoever is the media-appointed winner of a given election? We all lose a chance to take the biggest stride towards real equality that this country has had since the civil rights movement.

Good Bye NARAL. Never again will I support you. What a slap in the face to all women in this world. I will now try to convince people never to support you. You have become a Judas to women, and that is coming from an Agnostic.

I support pro-choice but do think woman should be more responsible about family planning. Far too many, young single girls get into trouble considering sex as a social activity like having a glass of wine instead of creating a child. Society should be more intolerate about single moms. A baby needs two parents old enough to care for them financially, physically and emotionally. Abortion should not be a birth control method.
Wonder what bogus promises were made for this endorsement?

when American women can’t support the first presidential candidacy of what is a VIABLE woman candidate, I finally understand how and why it is that we consistently lag behind”
___________
Why do some women think it’s their duty to vote for Hillary just because she is a female?

Why in the world is NARAL making an endorsement in a Democratic Primary, especially when that endorsement will alienate an overwhelming majority of NARAL supporters? I have just sent in my annual dues, but never again will I donate money. Please remove my name from your mail and phone lists.

Ellen Malcolm has done wonderful things for women candidates around the country and has repeatedly worked to get women elected who have made valuable social change happen. Do not mistake this as we dissect this.
But this is a misstep, a mistake, a blunder, and a bad call. Are you kidding? Look at Obama’s record here.
He’s one of us. Pro-choice, pro-woman, and right on the issues.
Hillary Clinton, who I would ABSOLUTELY vote for if she were the candidate, mischaracterized his voting record in Illinois on abortion and other key topics when Obama’s team had agreed upon the strategy with pro-choice leaders. She and groups like NOW either didn’t do their homework on this, or chose to ignore it and go anti-Obama. Wrong place, wrong time.
And less we forget that Clinton supported this war. Even after we all knew what a debacle it was. What about Iraqi women? The women in our military who have died needlessly?
I was on the fence for so long and finally chose Obama after watching this play out and after thinking long and hard about the war vote Hillary cast. She is no friend to these women.
All that said, she is better than McCain who will stay at war, overturn Roe v. Wade and more.
Oh, And how incredibly crass and ridiculous to slam NARAL in a public comment. Talk about “tremendously disrespectful.” EMILY’s List is important and can do better than such low-lying play.

I never heard so much bitterness over an election process in my whole life. I am a 54 year old male and I understand what it like when you have daughter who became pregnant at 16 years old. My daughter had to endure hardship at school among her friends and other family members. She could have went someplace to have an abortion without telling her mother and I, but she choose to come to me and her mother about her pregnancy I told her that it was her choice to make whether she wanted to have an abortion or not, that we will support her in her decision. If Roe vs. Wade is any indication of choosing, I rather have a candidate that will back up me and wife actions for our daughter. I think Obama or Hillary would get my support as democratic candidates whoever is nominated, because I believe in both of them making a clear path for American to choose for their daughters and granddaughters. I Obama is the clear nominee I will support him to the fullest. I’ve followed this whole campaign and I am convince that he will do the right thing for this country in so many ways of change and that the Republican will continue to keep giving Americans the same ole same. Don’t be fooled America, look forward to the future and stop looking backward.

I have been a NARAL supporter for years and I am stunned at the gall of these board members. Hooray for you – you’ve jumped on the bandwagon of this year’s “American Idol” and betrayed a steadfast ally at a time when she should have been able to count on you. Now you’ve put all of us in the pro-choice community in the crappy position of having to decide whether YOU are worthy of support.
To paraphrase a former president, “Better to have kept your organizational mouth shut and be thought fools than to speak as you did and remove all doubt.”

They should have waiting until Obama is thoroughly vetted first. In fact why hasn’t this been done by the mainstream media No need to bet the ranch on someone so unknown.

Hillary Clinton assisted George Bush in bringing us the Iraq war resulting in the death of over 4000 American personnel.
Hillary Clinton voted to adopt the resolution to declare
Iran a “terrorist organization” thereby enabling Bush to invade Iran.
Hillary spoke of “obliterating” Iran.
Hillary always speaks of herself as being a fighter, when what we need is a statesman. We need someone who will want to negotiate, compromise. Hillary is not the person with the judgment necessary to take take the office of commander in chief – “from day one,” or from any other time.

I was a supporter of NARAL in the past and alway found their e-mails informative. I have removed myself from their e-mail list and will not be giving any money to them again for this endorsement of Obama. They should have waited until there was a clear nominee. They should have also consulted with the state NARAL offices. They made a very bad mistake.

I am a woman, and I find it disheartening that so many women appear to support Senator Clinton simply because she is a woman to the point that they will vote for McCain, writer Clinton’s name in, or sit out the election if Obama is the nominee. What lunacy. If you do not vote for Obama, McCain will win, and if your concern is women’s rights, then you should know that McCain is ardently pro-life and will fill the Supreme Court with justices who will happily overturn Roe vs. Wade.
Not voting for Obama because he beat a female candidate makes as little sense as not voting for Senator Clinton because she is a woman. Please, I beg you, do not let your frustration over this issue lead you to vote in a way that will allow McCain to become president.
Also, just as a note: Obama voted to support the bill that would deny medical care to fetuses who survive abortions because the bill described the fetus as a “child.” As he correctly pointed out, it is illegal to kill a child, so such language is really dangerous if made into law because it could be used to undermine other abortion-related rights.
Basically, my fellow women, please use your vast resources of intelligence and recognize the fact that if Obama does not win this presidency (assuming that he is the nominee), then McCain will work to set back women’s rights every day for the next 4-8 years.

You people are crazy!!!!!!!! How could you possibly be mad NARAL for supporting Obama? Hillary has openly and blatantly lied to her supporters and all of America and the only thing that you can say is that she’s a woman. What ignorance. Go ahead and vote for McCain and the republicans and see where women’s rights, mens rights, animal rights and other rights will get you. Don’t be fools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a feminist and activist I too came to the realization that Obama, by far, is a better candidate than Clinton. Unfortunately, Clinton has sold out to big business, and other shady interest groups. We need new and real CHANGE! Obama has energize the youth, and that is exactly what the democratic party needs, or we will all lose greatly!

Who cares about all ENDORSEMENTS, just go to the polls and vote Obama out of the primary election in November if Hillary gives up this race.
Can we help to buy a one-way ticket to Kenya for Obama and wish that he will stay there for the rest of his life, can’t we???? YES WE CAN!

Vote McCain and watch him appease the right wing of the GOP with his Supreme court selections. Say GOODBYE to Roe v. Wade. Do women really want the Federal government sitting in on their doctor visits, monitoring their medical charts?

Vote for Hillary to have a real change.
Vote for Obama to see his words of hope and dream flushing down to the toilet!

Hello cappamore thanks for quoting me:
“Quite the contrary, Carolyn P. who said: “On the other hand, if so many are really willing to throw our daughters, grandaughters, nieces and friends under the bus for Hillary… go ahead.
______________________
We do care about the future of our children and are strongly pro-choice. That is why we believe that Hillary is the best candidate to win against John McCain. There was no reason for NARAL to make this endorsement now, knowing full well that either candidate would support pro-choice endeavors. It reeks of disrespect for Hillary, someone who has a longer and stronger record of support than Obama.”
_________________________
Cappamore, I think I can agree with you that their timing was poor. I can’t think of a single intelligent woman, who doesn’t want to see a woman in the White House. Unfortunately, mathematically the only way for Hillary to win now is to ask the Superdelegates to deny the clear winner (who won fair and square) and award the nomination to her. Chaos would ensue, the party would be fractured for years to come, if not permanently.
Let’s take Obama out of the equation for a moment.. Let’s say Nancy Pelosi and Hillary were competing, only Clinton has Obama’s #’s and Pelosi has Hillary’s. Would you support Pelosi if she kept spouting that she was the stronger candidate, went to the Superdelegates and took the nomination from Hillary??
It’s time to get real ladies, why aren’t we celebrating how far Hillary has gotten as a formidable stand-alone candidate without being shored up by a man??
Remember this, Geraldine Ferraro’s VP spot on the ticket garnered massive respect for women in office, making it possible for Pelosi to become House Speaker and Hillary to run for President and be taken seriously.
I believe, Hillary has made it possible for the next woman to actually win. Who knows, I might be overly optomistic (and slightly crazy), but there may yet be a Clinton in our very, very near future… CHELSEA CLINTON. It appears that grooming has already begun.
Meanwhile.. we need to vote Democrat in November.

All you obamabots have got to pick up the slack in donations that they will lose over this foolish move.

NARAL will never get another cent from me. They can trust Obama…but I don’t trust them with my money. I’m not alone.

NARAL will never get another cent from me. They can trust Obama…but I don’t trust them with my money. I’m not alone.

Please provide examples of HRC’s “overwhelming support of women”
Six years on Walmart board during period when conditions for largest gender discrimination lawsuit in history?
Attacking victims of sexual harassment?

Jackie said, Once Senator McCain is sworn in in January 2009, let Senator Obama’s young, female former supporters fight for their own reproductive rights.
Ditto Ditto Ditto
Let those young Naral staff members in the video made by the giggly old lady at Naral fight for their rights. Maybe tthey will respect a woman like Hillary wwho has spent years working for women’s rights and wish they had understood how hard the fight was! Nope, Howard Dean, the Democrats will not come together!

Barack Obama and the Culture of Death

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