Reply #4: It's already happened. They've been swamped with emails, and donors walking. [View All]

[MADem]

It wasn't the choice so much as they didn't NEED to say shit.

Endorsements may not make a difference, but I am not talking about the campaigns. I'm talking about NARAL. People with deep pockets are telling them to go fuck themselves.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=F2B1FB64-3048-5C12-003C3C2F90B30DCF

Here, don't believe ME, listen to "them:"

NARAL reeling from Obama endorsement
By: Beth Frerking
May 17, 2008 08:44 AM EST

With the clock running down on a long-fought primary, NARAL Pro-Choice America leaders sent state affiliates reeling this week by endorsing Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. It was seen as a gratuitous slap in the face to a longtime ally, and it sparked a fear even closer to home: that the move will alienate donors loyal to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

Many on this week’s conference call were stunned on learning the news, making urgent pleas for the group to remain neutral until after the June 3 Democratic primaries.

“It’s created a firestorm,” said NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin, who was on the conference call. “Everyone was mystified ... saying, ‘What is the upside for the organization? And, frankly, a lot of concern about the donor base. ... There was real concern there would be a backlash.”
There was a backlash, and it was swift, starting with NARAL’s own website. At last count, there were more than 3,300 comments in an electronic chat about the endorsement, the overwhelming majority of them negative. “Shame shame shame!” read one, with many correspondents threatening never to support NARAL financially again. “No more donations from me!!!” wrote another.

In Washington, two dozen women members of Congress who support Clinton held a quickly organized press conference to tout her abortion-rights record Wednesday night. Ellen Malcolm, founder of the abortion-rights women’s fundraising group EMILY’s List, sharply rebuked NARAL for its endorsement. Two former members of Congress (and Clinton supporters) — Geraldine Ferraro and Pat Schroeder — jabbed at NARAL for endorsing before the general election. “Looks like some higher ups at NARAL are trying to get jobs in the new administration ... nothing else makes sense to us,” they wrote in a joint letter.

A number of feminist donors — including several Obama supporters — were shaking their heads at the timing, said a source who has worked on women’s health and reproductive rights issues for 25 years and meets routinely with top contributors to the cause.

“Without exception, the response was, 'It’s a really stupid thing to do,'” said the source....