NOW's political PAC says no to Sarah Palin (while avoiding broaching her name)

On the one hand, it is an endorsement that comes as no surprise.

On the other hand, the decision by NOW's political arm to officially embrace the Democratic presidential ticket is a step out of the ordinary -- traditionally, the group does not announce a pick in the fight for the White House.

Kim Gandy, the president of the 42-year-old National Organization for Women, in a statement released Tuesday, called it "very unusual" for the group's political action committee "to endorse in a presidential election." But referring to Barack Obama, she added, "this is an unprecedented candidate and an unprecedented time for our country."

The statement, after detailing specific policy areas in which Obama's record squares with NOW's agenda, offers this summary:

For more than a decade, Barack Obama has said "yes" to women's rights, while John McCain has consistently said "no" -– NO to pay equity, NO to contraceptive access and reproductive rights, NO to appointing Supreme Court judges who will uphold women's rights and civil rights, NO to funding shelters and other anti-violence programs, and NO to supporting working moms and dads with policies that support work/life balance.

In the statement that supports the ticket that does not include a women while turning its back on the one that does, no mention is made of Sarah Palin.

On a similar note, Obama running mate Joe Biden gets an approving nod in a lengthy New Republic article reviewing his record on women's issues.

Writer Fred Strebeigh notes that since Biden got tapped for the vice presidential slot, he "has been pitted against women, first taking the job that many Hillary Clinton supporters felt was her due, then facing off against another historic woman, Sarah Palin, who could become the first female vice president of the United States. ... But the irony of this assessment is that Biden has some of the best feminist bona fides around."

-- Don Frederick 

Comments

[Terri]

This woman is nothing but trouble. Who in their right mind would pick a candidate under investigation. That is only a sign of things to come if they are elected.

What a mess.

[merge divide]

People wondered whether the Clintons would feel snubbed because Hillary was not tagged as Obama's running mate. Conventional wisdom suggested that she was likely considered, before being rejected in favor of Joe Biden. The McCain campaign exploited the situation by picking an unknown female politician from a remote state as his Vice Presidential nominee. Since then Sarah Palin has energized the base and inspired an avalanche of charges and countercharges among the media, her fans and detractors. In the meantime she has been vocal in praising the Clinton candidacy, claiming to have been inspired by Hillary's example. She has also tried to claim the support of "disenchanted" Clinton voters.

That latest charge is, at its core, essentially irrational. How any reasonable supporter of a Clinton candidacy could transfer his/her loyalties to Palin simply because of gender boggles my mind, and makes me a bit contemptuous of their mental capabilities. Their positions on all of the major issues are virtually dichotomous. Still we are told by Right Wing pundits and the McCain/Palin campaign that women voters who had formerly backed Clinton are flocking to the other side. I suspect that many of these folks are the so-called "PUMAs" that only voted for Hillary at the behest of hack radio host Rush Limbaugh. His calculated attempt to stop the Obama candidacy by having Republicans register to vote in the Democratic primaries fell flat on its face (see Operation Chaos).

But the lip service that disingenuous "conservatives" paid Clinton only betrayed their fears of an Obama victory. The same thing holds true post-convention. The idea that Sarah Palin would represent the core values of women drawn to Hillary Clinton is patently ridiculous. This is a politician who believes that abortion should be illegal even in cases of rape and incest. This is a governor who knowingly replaced the fired public safety commissioner (who had refused to sack her ex-brother-in-law) with someone with an alleged history of sexual harassment*. Meanwhile the executive director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault reports that the high rates of domestic violence and rape in Palin's state "haven't been on her radar as a priority".

McCain's record on "women's issues" is even worse. He has been vocal in his opposition to the Equal Pay Bill for Women, and has suggested that what they need instead is more "education and training"**. In an attempt to kill existing legislation, he voted to suspend the Family and Medical Leave Act, "unless the federal government certified that compliance would not increase business expenses or provide financial assistance to businesses to cover any related costs." And like his running mate, McCain supports the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

*As a result of the public disclosure of these complaints, Chuck Kopp resigned two weeks after Sarah Palin appointed him. Palin admits having been aware of these reports when she offered him the position.

**Maybe the training he has in mind is the VP position?

[formidablyuselesspoet]

Women’s Rights Groups Support Obama

Today my womanhood demands
That I conform to their commands
That I uphold the public heist
To elevate Hawaii’s Christ.

My duty as a democrat
Requires that I should vote like that
To disobey would cause a schism
In the domain of feminism!

But there’s one thing I’d like to know
Before off to the polls I go:
Where were these admirable dames
When Hillary was called bad names?

When women’s rights were under test,
When she was smeared, did they protest?
When media sexism became obscene,
How come they didn’t intervene?

While Sarah is torn up to shreds
They lie calmly in their Obama beds
From which they seek to rule my mind -
Please tell me, are they deaf and blind?

http://formidablyuselesspoet.blogspot.com/

[gaypastor]

If Obama and Biden are truly just as good as any Democratic woman why do we bother trying to get women in politics at all? Why not just let the men continue to have dominance and greater numbers?

[VirginiaHarris]

Senator Clinton and Governor Palin are proof that women can and do diverge on important issues.

Even on the question of whether women should vote!

Most people are totally in the dark about HOW the suffragettes won votes for women, and what life was REALLY like for women before they did.

Suffragettes were opposed by many women who were what was known as 'anti.'

The most influential 'anti' lived in the White House -- First Lady Edith Wilson.

The First Lady's role in Wilson's decision to jail and torture Alice Paul and hundreds of other suffragettes will never be fully known, but she was outraged that these women picketed her husband's White House.

I'd like to share a women's history learning opportunity...

"The Privilege of Voting" is a new free e-mail series that follows eight great women from 1912 - 1920 to reveal ALL that happened to set the stage for women to win the vote.

It's a real-life soap opera about the suffragettes! And it's ALL true!

Powerful suffragettes Alice Paul and Emmeline Pankhurst are featured, along with TWO gorgeous presidential mistresses, First Lady Edith Wilson, Edith Wharton, Isadora Duncan and Alice Roosevelt.

There are tons of heartache on the rocky road to the ballot box, but in the end, women WIN!

Thanks to the success of the suffragettes, women have voices and choices!

Exciting, sequential episodes with lots of historical photos are great to read on coffeebreaks, or anytime.

Subscribe free at

www.CoffeebreakReaders.com/subscribe.html

[Pamela]

They should not endorse any candidate! And they do not speak for me. Sarah Palin is a beautiful do everything woman. She is to be admired. In America, women can do it all, and Todd Palin is a good man-helper to her. I applaud their marriage and their future. I resent women who talk about rights, and criticize those who use them. Hypocrites!

[keith]

NOW is a liberal Democrat front more so than ever. Sarah Palin's only shortcoming really is being a Republican.

[Gail]

NOW should update the organization's name to
N.O.L.W. National Organization of Liberal Women. NOW is right there with Emily's List: Neither group is for the advancement of women: only liberal women.

[mn]

MCCAIN PUT A WOMAN ON THE TICKET!!!!!
how more equal is that>>>>

actions speak louder than empty words.

hillraiser now voting for mccain
as well as all the PUMA's
noone wants to board the obama titanic

[Cathy]

Kim Gandy and her gangs are stupid.

We will probably see more women than ever particitating in this year's election, and most of them are supporting Palin. Endorsing Obama will certainly make NOW become irrelevant in the future.

[Cronos]

"They should not endorse any candidate! And they do not speak for me. Sarah Palin is a beautiful do everything woman. She is to be admired. In America, women can do it all, and Todd Palin is a good man-helper to her. I applaud their marriage and their future. I resent women who talk about rights, and criticize those who use them. Hypocrites!"

The problem is, Pamela, That Palin may be using those rights, McCain isn't for Women's rights, and votes against women's rights. Yay, you're excited there's a strong independent woman as a VP Candidate, But voting for her will only put McCain in office, making it harder for other Women to become Strong Independent Women...

[BEBE]

Let me get this straight. If I recall, NOW still stands for the National Organization of Women, is that correct. This is the same group that was woefully silent as Clinton was exposed as a philandering scum bag low life while attempting to slander Monica as both a stalker and unstable and didn't say a word. NOW they ENDORSE the most bigoted, misogynistic pig I have EVER seen in national politics.

Women are no longer just a stay at home mom OR a working Mom. Most of us do both. We have varying view points on many issues. If you are so naive to think abortion is the only issue (in reality - it affects such a small number of women, you are sadly mistaken) dream on honey.

Give me a party that will put their money and the opportunities where their mouths are. Over the last decade – that has been the Republicans.

I have defended you and your self serving (those serving NOW, not women in general), myopic positions for the LAST time.

Cancel my membership you pack of morons!!!!

[cal]

These anti Paylan folks are the ones that say onething and want something else. This woman is nothing but honest and wholesome. they are so not real.

[John]

Wow! The hypocracy of NOW is quite evident in coming out like this. You would have thought that they would have remained neutral. But, no, you had to make Palin your "Joan of Arc". Looks like NOW doesn't mind the Good ol' Boys network afterall. The organization should change its name to NRW - No Real Women.

[j1858]

Ummm, Since when do womans rights trump the woman herself? Doesn't a womans right extend to believe in what she wants to believe in? Why would you not protect a womans right to have her on political views besides your own? Can't a woman be free from the box you put women in? Democrat pro-choice ..... I think there are other women out there with no one to stand up for them and Palin does just that. And now they don't have to feel afraid to speak up and say what they feel. My wife was standing up and cheering when she heard her speaking. She found her political voice in Palin. Soccer mom, works, tries to balance everything, conservative, country girl. In our town woman have started forming groups to watch Palin. There is an untapped majority out there that doesn't have time for polls and blogs but will have time to vote this time.

[GEAH]

Time to change the name of your group, gals:

NOLW

National Organization for Liberal Women.

[dragonfly777]

It's so sad that the press and Dems dig so hard to find anything on SaraH Palin. NOW does not speak for me either. If they want to back this Reverend Wright, Reztko, Farrakhan, Phleger(I know Now loves this guy),Ayes, Islam friendly jerk, then they will never have my support again. I find this extremely more disturbing than anything. Obama =Islam and the countries plunge. Streisand was wrong..women are stupid!

[Larry Clifton]

There is a sense that liberal Obama women in California will betray their gender for their male Democrat bosses. Under Bill Clinton, so called feminists ran for cover when Clinton’s stain appeared on the dress of a low-level government workers dress. Then there was the media destruction of many women by Clinton and the gals on the left, while other women attempted to to explain to their young daughters what the Democrat president was doing to office workers with his little cigar.
Even when a long-handled woman resurfaced with a rape charge against Clinton, liberal women attcked the victim while Clinton smirked in that hillbilly way of his at all women…. Similarly, with Palin, liberal women are American women’s worst enemy. They are clawing and tearing at Palin like a pack of she-wolves, never questioning the talking points and orders given them by Obama and his operatives. Perhaps the womens’ movement is dead. That would explain how Obama was able to turn Hillary into his reluctant personal cheerleader so easily.
Whatcha think ladies?

http://americanpoliticalblog.wordpress.com/

[Paliban Mom]

As usual, the women's organization abandons the woman who wants to promote Real Christian Values, such as ending baby-killing and teaching Creationism, in favor of someone who promotes turning our backs on God.

Tired of it? So am I!

Check out www.paliban.org and join the grassroots movement to promote Palin's Christian values!

[2T3MzooK]

Those are not anti-woman positions at all--they're pro-individualism, pro-freedom positions. NOW we see the true nature of NOW.

[Paul Smith]

I love great reporting like this. It's about time that people educate themselves about the real Sarah Palin. I found a site that consolidates Palin stories from the LA Times and other credible sources in one easy to read place, www.ThanksButNoThanks.com

[Charles Spiegelman]

What else is there to say about NOW thanks for the memories. You have nothing for the American Women but old ideas. Move over you are done and ready to retire as an organization of importance. Thank you i just love organizations that are unimportant.

[Inkfingers]

Go NOW!

[Angela]

Well... NOW has finally come out of the closet and proven themselves to be just another fake. How dare you. Change your name. I have no intention of changing my gender. And you certainly don't represent WOMEN anymore... if ever. You could be National Organization of Left Wing Liberal Democrats Who Confine Themselves To Our Left Wing Liberal Agenda... although... I'd also be willing to debate your right to consider yourselves... National... by any stretch of the few states that conform to your LACK of standards.

[Jason Alva]

The 100% Full Scope on Palin. This is Palin in her own words, most thorough record on Palin available and it's not bias so if you support her you will want to read and if you don't you should read it also: http://dailysource.org/palin

What really kills me is all the ethics issues and scandals that McCain has been in that the dems and the media arn't bother to remind you about. So I will here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five

I just want everyone to be well informed.