NARAL Experiences Criticism From Clinton Supporters After Endorsing Sen. Obama, The Politico Reports

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 20 May 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The Politico on Monday examined some criticism directed toward NARAL Pro-Choice America from supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), as well as some state affiliates, after the group endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.

According to The Politico, many Clinton supporters saw the endorsement as a "gratuitous slap in the face" and urged the group to remain neutral until after the June 3 Democratic primary elections. There have been more than 3,300 comments left on a blog about the endorsement on NARAL Pro-Choice America's Web site, most of them negative, The Politico reports. After the endorsement Wednesday, two dozen female congressional members who support Clinton organized a press conference to applaud her record of supporting abortion rights. In a joint letter, two former congressional members -- Geraldine Ferraro (D) and Pat Schroeder (D) -- who support Clinton wrote a letter accusing NARAL Pro-Choice America of endorsing Obama so that the group's leaders could secure "jobs in the new administration." Ellen Malcolm -- president of EMILY's List, a group that supports female candidates who support abortion rights -- also criticized NARAL for endorsing Obama.

According to The Politico, it is unlikely that Obama's voting record on abortion and reproductive rights contributed to the decision to endorse him because both he and Clinton "solidly support abortion rights." NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin, who objected to the national office's endorsement, said the "real differential" between Clinton and Obama is Clinton's "tremendous work" in helping assure FDA approval of over-the-counter emergency contraception for women ages 18 and older. She added that the EC approval was the "most important advance for reproductive rights in a decade."

NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said that the group's nine-member political action committee decided to endorse Obama rather than Clinton after extensive deliberation that included studying each candidate's delegate counts, the money their campaigns had available and their ability to beat Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the general election. According to Keenan, the group also considered the "mobilization of a new generation of people coming and participating in this democracy" in making the endorsement. "We did not go into this not knowing that there are consequences," Keenan said, adding, "When you're involved in politics, not everybody is happy, and you just have to recognize that."

Former NARAL Pro-Choice America President Kate Michelman, who is working for the Obama campaign, said, "I don't think there's any question that there are strong Obama supporters who are pro-choice who are surprised by the decision, and probably some are upset by the decision, because NARAL's mission is of course to protect women's liberty -- especially reproductive rights, but women's liberty in general."

Affiliate Objections

Eight of NARAL Pro-Choice America's 25 state affiliates -- Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Texas, Oregon and Washington state -- have posted statements on their Web sites rejecting the national endorsement and pledging to remain neutral until the general election.

Laura Taylor, political director of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, said she received inquiries from more than 100 people who did not understand why the national office decided to endorse Obama or why the decision was made "now." She added, "I think people recognize the fact that (the endorsement) was not done in consultation with any of the affiliates, and we were as stunned to hear about it as anyone else." Elizabeth Shipp, NARAL Pro-Choice America's national political director, said that the national office "appreciate[s] why some of the affiliates were upset by the endorsement" but added that "legally [the national office] can't coordinate or consult with them about federal endorsements."

Conlin said that given the "massive healing" necessary to get Clinton's most steadfast women supporters to support Obama should he become the Democratic nominee, the national office's endorsement was like "throwing a flaming spear into a tinderbox of raw emotion." She added that even some Obama supporters thought the endorsement was "ill-timed and ill-advised and really antithetical to people coming together in common purpose to beat" McCain in the presidential race. Keenan said, "At the end of the day, the heart heals and you get on with the business of politics and what's doing right by the country" (Frerking, The Politico, 5/19).

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