NARAL backs Obama

by Jim Tankersley

The nation's foremost abortion-rights advocacy group has all-but declared Barack Obama the winner of the Democratic presidential primaries.

NARAL Pro-Choice America's political action committee endorsed the Illinois senator today with a press release that praises both him and rival Hillary Clinton, but says the group is going with Obama because it believes he will be the Democratic nominee.

"Pro-choice Americans have been fortunate to have two strong pro-choice candidates in Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, both of whom have inspired millions of new voters to participate in this historic presidential race," NARAL president Nancy Keenan said in the release, which was circulated by Obama's campaign. "Today, we are proud to put our organization's grassroots and political support behind the pro-choice candidate whom we believe will secure the Democratic nomination and advance to the general election. That candidate is Sen. Obama."

The release also says Obama's contrast with Republican presumptive nominee John McCain, an abortion opponent, will unify abortion-rights supporters around Obama in the fall.

Ironically enough, the endorsement comes a day after a Democrat who opposes abortion won a special House race in Mississippi.

Read on for the full press release.

From the release: Washington, D.C. - NARAL Pro-Choice America, the political leader of the pro-choice movement with more than one million member activists in all 50 states, today announced that its political action committee is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president.

"There are few more tireless defenders of women's rights in this country than NARAL Pro-Choice America and I'm proud to accept their support," Sen. Obama said. "For decades, they have worked in the courthouse, in the legislature, and in the streets to make sure that women have the right to choose. This is a fundamental civil right that I've fought to protect in Illinois and in Washington, that's being threatened by Senator McCain, and that I'll be fighting in the months ahead to make secure today, tomorrow, and always."

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, praised both Sen. Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton for their leadership in standing up for women's reproductive rights throughout this campaign, but only one of these dynamic candidates can advance to the general election.

"Pro-choice Americans have been fortunate to have two strong pro-choice candidates in Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton, both of whom have inspired millions of new voters to participate in this historic presidential race," Keenan said. "Today, we are proud to put our organization's grassroots and political support behind the pro-choice candidate whom we believe will secure the Democratic nomination and advance to the general election. That candidate is Sen. Obama."

Keenan said the stark contrast between Sen. Obama's pro-choice record and John McCain's 25 years of anti-choice votes in Washington will be a major reason many voters, especially pro-choice Independent and Republican women, will cross party lines to support Sen. Obama in the fall.

"While Sen. Obama has consistently and passionately stood up for and articulated his support for the values of freedom and privacy, John McCain has said that he wants Roe v. Wade to be overturned," Keenan said. "Sen. Obama is the leader who can unify Americans on both sides of this issue behind commonsense, common-ground ways to prevent unintended pregnancy. In contrast, McCain wants to continue George W. Bush's failed abstinence-only policy, eliminate funding for low-income women's access to birth control, and stack the Supreme Court with even more right-wing judges who don't believe in the right to privacy. Without a doubt, the clear differences between these candidates on the critical issue of a woman's right to choose will unify America's pro-choice majority behind Sen. Obama's campaign."