Top Pro-Abortion Group Endorses Barack Obama for Democratic Nomination
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 13, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — One of the leading pro-abortion groups issued its endorsement on Wednesday for Barack Obama, apparently believing he will represent the Democratic Party against John McCain. NARAL has supported Hillary Clinton throughout her career but Obama appears more likely to win the nomination.
In a statement LifeNews.com obtained, NARAL president Nancy Keenan said the group will get behind the Illinois senator.
"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," she said. "That candidate is Senator Obama."
Keenan wrote an editorial column that accompanied the endorsement.
"Sen. Obama has been a strong advocate for a woman’s right to choose throughout his career in public service," Keenan said.
She criticized McCain’s pro-life views and votes against taxpayer-funding of abortions and partial-birth abortions.
‘We must show voters how extreme McCain really is and contrast his record with that of Sen. Obama," she said. "Sen. McCain has been getting a free ride for far too long."
According to an AP report, NARAL officials said the political action committee board was split between Clinton and Obama and there was a struggle over which candidate to support. Ultimately, on Friday, the board got behind Obama.
Political observers say Obama is more likely to win the nomination because he has an overall lead in delegates of 1885-1718, a lead in superdelegates of 286-272 and a pledged delegate lead of 1599-1446.
Clinton trails Obama in the number of delegates, superdelegates, popular vote total and the number of states won.
In her column, Keenan noted these advanatages for Obama.
"I believe Sen. Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee. He leads in pledged delegates, superdelegates, the popular vote, and cash-on-hand," she said.
"NARAL Pro-Choice America, as the political leader of the pro-choice movement, felt it was time to take a leadership role," she said about the need to endorse.
The difference between Obama and McCain on abortion is stark.
McCain has a strongly pro-life voting record and has supported bills to ban partial-birth abortions, respect parental involvement regarding teenagers and prohibit tax-funded abortions in a variety of situations.
The Arizona senator has also repeatedly called for overturning Roe v. Wade, said he would appoint judges who won’t legislate from the bench, and says he will keep the pro-life plank in the Republican Party platform.
Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have 100 percent pro-abortion voting records with the group and have pledged to only appoint federal judges who will keep unlimited legal abortions in place for another 35 years.
Obama has voted against preventing taxpayer funding of abortion and led efforts to defeat a bill in the Illinois legislature to provide appropriate medical care for newborns who survive failed abortions.
Those differences are so significant and will affect so many lives of women and unborn children that National Right to Life and pro-life groups in California and Wisconsin have already endorsed McCain.
