Pro-abortion rights group backs Obama over Clinton

NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) Wednesday in what is another blow to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) nomination hopes despite her landslide victory in the West Virginia primary Tuesday night.

NARAL officials said Wednesday that Clinton’s “viability” was an issue, but the group will not help Obama compete against her in the remaining primaries.

{mosads}“We are going to be focusing all of our efforts on the Obama-McCain race,” Elisabeth Shipp, NARAL’s political director, said.

Shipp said the decision should not come as a surprise because the group is not like some of the other pro-abortion rights groups in Washington.

“We are not EMILY’s List,” Shipp said. “We endorse Republicans and Democrats. We are not solely wedded to just endorsing women candidates. We endorse men.”

In a statement, Nancy Keenan, the group’s president, praised Clinton and Obama.

“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.”

Shipp said the group could now start mobilizing to paint presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) as an anti-abortion candidate.

Ellen Malcolm, the president of EMILY’s List, which has endorsed Clinton, said NARAL’s endorsement overlooked Clinton’s contributions to their efforts. Malcolm expressed anger at NARAL for endorsing before the end of the nominating contests.

“I think it is tremendously disrespectful to Sen. Clinton — who held up the nomination of a FDA commissioner in order to force approval of Plan B and who spoke so eloquently during the Supreme Court nomination about the importance of protecting Roe vs. Wade — to not give her the courtesy to finish the final three weeks of the primary process," Malcolm said. "It certainly must be disconcerting for elected leaders who stand up for reproductive rights and expect the choice community will stand with them.”