So NARAL Pro-Choice America endorsed Obama today.
And, wow, serious recriminations ensue. The comments on the NARAL web site -- both in terms of quantity and vehemence -- strongly suggest that a nerve was struck among core supporters of the organization. They are, I think, well worth a look -- they are at least ninety percent negative, many, if not most, threaten to drop financial support from NARAL, and some are extremely negative towards Obama. The feeling that seems to leap from the pages is a palpable sense of betrayal.
My sense is that there may be a generational component to this phenomenon. Many women who are Hillary Clinton's contemporaries cannot fathom how what they perceive to be a women's organization could turn its back on one of their own before the nomination has been decided. Evidently major Clinton (and NARAL) financial backers have threatened to withhold support in the future.
I am not sure what the institutional imperatives were that made NARAL make its - ahem - choice. It will be interesting to see whether this blows over once the primaries end or if this is going to undermine one of the leading reproductive rights organizations in the country.
