Barack Obama wins the nod from NARAL

Amid minor movement today among Democratic superdelegates -- so far, Barack Obama has picked up 2 1/2 votes [UPDATE: make that 3 1/2] and Hillary Clinton, one -- Obama scored a coup with an endorsement from the nation's foremost abortion rights advocacy group.

In a news release, the political action committee for NARAL Pro-Choice America had kind words for Clinton but annoounded its backing for Obama, citing its reading of the status of the Democratic presidential race.

"Today, we are proud to put our organization's grass-roots and political support behind the pro-choice candidate whom we believe will secure the Democratic nomination and advance to the general election," NARAL's president said in the release. "That candidate is Sen. Obama.

Clinton's chief spokesman, Howard Wolfson, expressed "surprise" over the endorsement during a conference call with reporters (including The Times' Noam N. Levey).

But Wolfson and campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe stressed that Clinton remained full steam ahead as a candidate, particularly in light of her thumping of Obama in Tuesday's West Virginia primary.

McAuliffe mentioned that Clinton was meeting with 45 to 50 donors in Washington today and that she would keep making her case -- significantly buttressed, she believes, by the West Virginia results -- that she would be the more competitive Democratic contender in the general election.

And although she may have lost the NARAL nod, her cause will be touted Thursday in a full-page ad in USA Today paid for by the WomenCount political action committee. The ad is headlined, "Not so fast ... Hillary is OUR voice, and she's speaking for all of us."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[John Rykamp]

This shows how uninformed NARAL is. Obama is about to be indicted in the Rezko scandal:

Hi,

I am linking the Forms G28 and I765 for your EAD extension. Please print out, sign and date 1 copy of each form.

Then return them to me along with two passport photos and the checks listed in the attached check request.

[Sam]

Why no mention of the part of the statement that said this race was causing problems between female activists and baclk voters?

[Shirley]

Well this is great! Obama will take all! what's your opinion? http://www.obamarocks08.com

[Sam]

Why no mention of the part of the statement that said this race was causing problems between female activists and baclk voters?

[Sam]

Why no mention of the part of the statement that said this race was causing problems between female activists and baclk voters?

[john dahodi]

Hillary should accept the fact that Obama is a front runner and winner of the Democractic Primary and he will be the nominee and HE WILL WIN THE ELECTION AND BECOME OUR FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT, WHO WILL CHANGE OUR IMAGE AS A WAR MONGER, BRUTAL KILLER, IN-HUMANE SUPER POWER AND BARBARIC JAILER AND ABOVE ALL UNJUST AND UNFAIR NATION ON THIS GLOBE.
Obama should know that he is winning majority voters not because he is black or young and Republicans have lost their soul and brain but only because he is a man of principles, honest, just, fair and above all he will change the dirty blind politics of the WASHINGTON d.c..
Many phony groups will stand up to demenad many promises from him but he has to be firmed and keep on smiling on such power hungry groups. Obama has not to accept any deal from the groups or race, who wants special favor and rights to suppress other's human rights, ignore the U. N. Security Council Resolutions and grab the lives and properties of the oppressed people.

[Jason Sullivan]

That's really not a big deal. Anybody can be indicted.

[Core democrat]

HALF of Democrats and the Majority to all Republicans are NOT voting for Obama. You just cut off your chin to spite your face.
SMART MOVE!

Whay were you thinking?

[Willie]

Rezko? Who cares? The last time I studied US Government in High School, I was taught that people in America are entitled to do process, no matter how despicable the defendant may be. Mr. Rezco is entitled to do process and the law firm where Barack worked happened to take his case. Furthermore, ethical lawyers like Obama believe that we're all entitled to do process, and this process is not a get out of jail free card. It is a law expert to ensure the rights of the defedant are not overlooked or violated. When you deny due process you end up with Bush and Guantanamo. If the nut that was held in Guantanamo would have been judge by a jury he would be in jail, not set free by the Bush bureaucracy, just to blow himself up later. Hillary, the gas tax think, well that is clearly lying, so was the case for the Iraq war. So, if you want a lying President why not keep Bush in charge? Oh, Hillary lies to us too. I guess that makes her fit to send our boys and girls to dodge bullets, step on EIDs, and come back metally bent. This election is not about Hillary, McCain or Obama. It is about us, and what we want our nation to be. I'm voting for Obama and yes went his time for re-election come he will too have to answer to us happy faith beilieving, bitter gun totting, and clinging to my hope that people will wake up and make a wise choice based on facts, and not propaganda.

[Danny Cardova]

Hicks for Hillary!!!

[Reynolds]

Why is it that no one can come to a correct conclusion that does not add up to Hillary? Get over yourself. Nobody likes a sore loser. Those darned Scorpios! Oy.

Obama will make a great President.

[dog days]

Obviously you are the most uniformed as the Rezko has gone to the jury with nary a word about Obama. That is one of the non stories tha repubs are hoping for. The Govenor of Ill. on the other hand has serious problems.

[TJ Weldy]

Oh yes, all the members of NARAL and the team of people that did the research on each candidate required for them to make a decision - they are all uninformed, but YOU somehow possess this great knowledge about some trial that happens to involved somebody that was a minor acquaintance of Barack Obama. Talk about Egyptian rivers...

[Jeremy Bryant-Berg]

Why is everyone trying to hold up W.V. as some kind of trophy for the primary season? While I would love to think every state's decision matters, I am a realist, and in the real world, the 12 delegates that Hillary picked up from W.V are insignificant to the overall numbers.

And I would like to add to all you Democrats that say you will be supporting John McCain if your candidate doesn't earn the nomination, I call BS! You, the Democratic base, would switch your vote in true temper-tantrum fashion, to support 4 more years of the same failed policies? I DON'T THINK SO. Stop attempting to sway the the superdelegates with your useless bluffs.

[Keisha4Obama]

ThClintons are delusional and so are her supporters. Bless their hearts. This will be over in a week or two.

[american me]

Obama may win the Democratic nomination but he will not the Presidential race. I am no fan of Hillary Clinton at all but she is unfortuanately, the best qualified candidate of the three. IF I even vote this time I will most likely vote Libertarian which I wish would become a major player in Presidential races. BOth the Democrats and Republicans are selling out our country and have proved to be incompentent to lead this great nation.

[captbilly]

How would Obama get indicted for the Rezco case, it has nothing to do with him? It may even be true that Obama shouldn't hang with guys like Rezco (of course what politiician can truely stay away from guys like Rezco) but it has never even been suggested that he had any connection with Rezco's bussiness dealings.

I would guess that NARAL decided that now is the time to pick a pro-choice candidate. They are probably afraid that if something doesn't end this nightmare of a primary that McCain could win. It is virtually inconcievable that Clinton can take the nomination without doing something that would destroy the Democratic party. I would guess that NARAL is trying to do what little it can to push Obama over the top before things get so ugly that no Democrate can win.

[Lee]

Please explained to me the meaning of "citing its reading of the status of the Democratic presidential race."

Are they backing Obama on principles, on the fact of his full birth abortion or are they afraid that the platform of the Democratic pary will not represent them if the NARAL does not play with the GOP?

The status of the Democratic race is that it is being railroaded by media and Democratic heads. Everyone declared this race over months ago. Clinton is still here.
I am a Republican who may even vote for this woman simple because of her "True Grit". I have seen move out of Hilary Clinton in the last 3 months, than I have seen out of the whole Democratic party in the last 16 years.

Fools to the right of me - Jokers to the left

[Jerry]

Naral Support! Good enough reason for me to vote for someone else.

[Billary Blab]

Yes, Right John Rykamp. The attorneys working the Rezko case are feeding you insider information that Obama will be indicted, is that right? Right John. Best if you refrain from surfing the net on company time on Billary's behalf. She would make a good Vice President for McCain, I grant you. She shares many of his positions and is proud of her friendly relations with him - and HEY, THEY"RE BOTH WHITE! Not sure how Bill feels about Hillary and McCain's famous friendship though. Obama has not been found at fault for any Rezko dealings, despite the herculean effort to find fault on Billary's behalf. The likelihood of an indictment is about the same as that Billary's old pal and partner Vincent Foster will come back from the dead to confess Billary's guilt in the Whitewater case. He died to save her from her sins.

[Elizabeth Gilmore]

This " John Rykamp" has been posting his/her garbage all over the internet. It won't work "John." Please return immediately to your swiftboat. It is sinking into the sunset rapidly. You need to get a life.

Try looking at the Keating Five or googling Frank Giustra/Bill Clinton or Ron Burkle/Clinton. You will find that billionaires do much better at influence peddling then a home town real estate investor.

Not this time.

[Pavel]

Hmm. I see where polar bear made it onto the endangered species list today. It's sad that unborn human children now have less protection than freaking polar bears, and that some folks think that keeping it that way is politically desirable. Amazing times we're living in.

[bill]

For John Rykamp: please provide your link to something current that confirms your statement. I don't find anything online at this time, unless you go back to at least March. I think it is May now.

[captainkona]

"Obama is about to be indicted in the Rezko scandal"

Another Clintonian lie. LOL!!!

[MARIA]

hi you guys are dreaming already mabye? cliton will win. i dont know why you are making a big think over preacher boy and gang members hes celecrating aleady what a looser. clinton dont need to celebrate she knows shes tstron and dont give up thats says it all maria