Women's rights groups make important announcement on the presidential electionTuesday, September 16, 2008, 12:30pm, at the National Press Club; 529 14th Street NW; Washington, DC; Holeman Lounge.
On Tuesday, September 16, the National Organization for Women PAC, Feminist Majority PAC, Business and Professional Women/PAC, National Association of Social Workers PACE, National Congress of Black Women, and the Women's Information Network will make a decisive announcement regarding the 2008 presidential election.
Kim Gandy, National Organization for Women PAC Chair, was just interviewed on NPR, stating that they are going to officially endorse the Obama/Biden ticket.
She went on to say that NOW rarely endorses, but the importance of this year's election, and the stark differences with the Sarah Palin actions and statements, make this announcement imperative.
NOW website
And the Wikipedia copy/paste:
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest American feminist organization. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Not Every Woman Supports Women's Rights, by Kim Gandy
August 29, 2008
(Statement of NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy on the Selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's Vice Presidential Pick)
Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is a cynical effort to appeal to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against their own self-interest.
Gov. Palin may be the second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just like John McCain.
The fact that Palin is a mother of five who has a 4-month-old baby, a woman who is juggling work and family responsibilities, will speak to many women. But will Palin speak FOR women? Based on her record and her stated positions, the answer is clearly No.
In a gubernatorial debate, Palin stated emphatically that her opposition to abortion was so great, so total, that even if her teenage daughter was impregnated by a rapist, she would "choose life" -- meaning apparently that she would not permit her daughter to have an abortion.
Palin also had to withdraw her appointment of a top public safety commissioner who had been reprimanded for sexual harassment, although Palin had been warned about his background through letters by the sexual harassment complainant.
What McCain does not understand is that women supported Hillary Clinton not just because she was a woman, but because she was a champion on their issues. They will surely not find Sarah Palin to be an advocate for women.
Sen. Joe Biden is the VP candidate who appeals to women, with his authorship and championing of landmark domestic violence legislation, support for pay equity, and advocacy for women around the world.
Finally, as the chair of NOW's Political Action Committee, I am frequently asked whether NOW supports women candidates just because they are women. This gives me an opportunity to once again answer that question with an emphatic 'No.' We recognize the importance of having women's rights supporters at every level but, like Sarah Palin, not every woman supports women's rights.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906
UPDATE I- Speakers and honorees from the July 18-20 conference might clue us to the issues they plan to raise:
Speakers and Honorees:
Mónica Alemán, Marie Cocco,
Hon. Donna Edwards, Dr. Erika Falk,
Jehmu Greene, Barbara Hillary,
Patricia Ireland, Carol Jenkins,
Lilly Ledbetter, Hon. Carolyn Maloney,
Irshad Manji, Nancy Redd
And I can't help but think that the recent McCain appearance on The View might just invigorate the potential political advertising !!