Nothing in that article suggests that this endorsement was about anything other than their own self-importance.

Typical NARAL though.  They are about as politically shrewd as a fence post.

The man (of course) was dripping condescension when he asked me for details.

I told him about Joe Lieberman and his despicable endorsement of the idea that rape victims could be turned away by hospitals for religious reasons.

He got more and more annoyed. We both hung up about the same time.

"NARAL officials said the decision wasn't intended to be a snub of Clinton, who is running to be the first female president.

They said the board decided to back Obama over Clinton because he is overwhelmingly favored to win the nomination and to heal what the organization viewed as a growing rift between black voters and white female activists that the protracted Clinton-Obama contest may have caused."

So, today, I called this same person and asked, "uh, wtf?", and she said Obama's the presumptive nominee, he has more delegates, more of the popular vote, and MORE MONEY.  I told her that the popular vote boat was sailing, and what's more that Obama's financial director was encouraging folks not to give money to PACs and 527s, but to funnel it to the campaign.

I then asked why they couldn't have waited at least three weeks until the voting was over, and she said it was important to start doing ads against McCain to define the differenes.  I asked why they couldn't attack McCain without mentioning a dem nominee, and she said that they all felt it was the right thing to do.  That's it.  Ten years donating thousands, many years before that sending in nickles and dimes.  No more.

Heck, Obama lost me on yet another issue when he talked about liberals not always understanding the moral aspects of abortion.  

But, apparently, coming "this" close to voting for John Roberts and talking about abstinence education is all NARAL needs to secure their endorsement.

"Officials said NARAL's political committee board was about evenly divided among Clinton and Obama supporters and that the decision to endorse was hard fought. Ultimately, the board voted unanimously to support the Illinois senator.

NARAL officials said the decision wasn't intended to be a snub of Clinton, who is running to be the first female president.

They said the board decided to back Obama over Clinton because he is overwhelmingly favored to win the nomination and to heal what the organization viewed as a growing rift between black voters and white female activists that the protracted Clinton-Obama contest may have caused.

I won't even get into the shame that is brought on by endorsing a candidate whose record is damn near nonexistant and what there is to report isn't exactly rosy.  I have to think that NARAL is just trying to jump on the big Obama fundraising wagon and for that I am deeply disappointed.

Alito's ship had already sailed. (If you want to pin blame on somebody for Alito, go after the Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee who butchered the hearings.)

Just came online and this piece of news was just about the first thing I heard today.

NARAL back Obama over Clinton because he is favored to get the nom -
BUT how - as NARAL hopes - will this decision at this point in the campaign (esp. right after Hillary's stunning WV victory) heal the growing rift between black voters and white female activists?

What kind of abstract idea is that?

So they think they've beat the b**ch again -- but they already were charter members of the OFB.  I don't see that this will have impact on Clinton supporters.

It will have impact on NARAL.  And that's good.  Once an organization betrays its mission and its base, it's time for it to go.  I feel sad to say that, as it fought good fights in past.

I do not begrudge you a moment for your support of Senator Clinton.  However, in supporting her, I am afraid you have lost much perspective and, in the process, support for the very causes you have championed.  It is one thing to support a candidate.  But to denigrate and subsequently alienate huge swaths of Democrats and invaluable organizations because they deign to have a different point of view...well, that is terribly counter-productive.

NARAL has been a tremendous advocate for women's rights and to dismiss them as you have many others who have supported Obama is, in my opinion, terribly misguided and destructive in the long-term.  This is exacerbated by the anti-Obama atmosphere that is promoted in the comments.

Clinton and Obama are practically identical on policy.  We shouldn't be villifying our own or dismissing their legitimacy because some have made a good-faith choice between Obama and Clinton.  Disagree if you will with NARAL as to their endorsement of Obama over Clinton.  But please think of the long term consequences when you denigrate an organization that has done so much for a woman's right to choose and whose voice will be needed in the future.  

I'm a former member of MoveOn. I quit when they endorsed Obama. That's the kind of endorsement they shouldn't make without letting the membership weigh in.

I've been a longtime supporter of NARAL at all levels because they are one of the few organizations that are on the ground affirmatively protecting women's right not to have the state own our bodies.

The situation is critical. They'll hear from me on why I deeply disagree with their endorsement of Obama, but I'll keep supporting them. If it came down to a CHOICE, they'd see some green before the Dems would (or HRC for that matter.)

(a) supporting Chafee and not supporting Lieberman
(b) supporting Lieberman and not supporting the Dem(s) that Cheetoh Corps hand picked
(c) being the chickly front on Special Interests so everyone could have a pop

NARAL was also at fault for being out front early and often criticizing the scAlito nomination and (lack of vetting) when it was inconvenient to Dry Powder Dems.

Harry Reid conference called the blogs who were pressuring Dems the most to turn their sights on NARAL instead so the Dems' could Keep Their Powder Dry for More Important Fights Around The Corner. (Which the toothless ones didn't even bother to attempt.)

19 Coathanger Dems in the Senate needlessly voted to grease scAlito onto the SCOTUS.