Over in the UK the pro-abstinence lobby appears to be suffering a set-back. Or perhaps pulling off a very successful publicity stunt.

I'm actually really happy with what Obama said here, even if it's not as close to the textbook feminist position as Elizabeth Edwards's statement. If you go to the blog's main page, you'll find a followup entry (http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=07&year=2007&base_name=post_4260) that explains how Obama's position on families and reproductive rights reflects the longtime work of his policy director Karen Kornbluh.

I couldn't help but laugh when I read the comment about Margaret Sanger. For a guy who can see such connections between race, class and gender he seems to not realize that early reproductive rights movements catered to the rich, white women's priority of contraception while ignoring the eugenics being practiced on poor women and women of color.

Yes and no. While Sanger was certainly racist, the early reproductive rights movement stressed contraception and appealed to the working-class, poor, immigrant women--at least Sanger's did. Her clinics were opened in working-class areas of NYC and flyers were written in Italian, Yiddish, and English. She developed her ideas about contraception while working as a visiting nurse in the tenements and seeing the misery poor women suffered as the result of an inability to control their pregnancies and the combination of poverty with ever-growing families. Emma Goldman, a hard leftist champion of working-class and immigrant women (she was one) mentored Sanger (you can read about Goldman's work with the birth control movement here) and noted that "nothing brought out the crowds" like her talks on birth control. Poor women were quite desperate for contraceptive help.

It's not an issue of catering to rich white women's priorities. The priority of contraception crossed at least class lines. Sanger did espouse eugenicist policies later in life, as I understand it, and so did ignore the issues of forced sterilization often practiced on women of color. I do get sick of seeing every single thing she did painted as evil because of that, however. The early history of the contraception movement is not so starkly about good and evil.

Can I vote for Elizabeth Edwards?

I gotta say I'm still not an Obama fan. Then again, preaching morality and religion in political matters is always a huge turn off for me.

EG- Good post- its nice to see Red Emma- and Sanger too for that matter, despite her issues later in life- being spoken about here. Sad also,given that almost 100 years later women still have to fight for their reproductive autonomy- and yes it very definitely IS a class issue.

Aw, thanks! Red Emma has always been a heroine of mine (in fact...well...let's just say that my initials aren't "EG"). I'm always happy to work her into any conversation possible!

I was at both Obama and Hillary's speeches - but not Elizabeth Edwards'. My immediate reaction was that Obama blew me away, while Hillary seemed too slick and political. And I do not profess to know much about either of them, this was one of my first times watching both of them speak. I wish Clinton could back off of her apparent disgust at abortions. Yes, we all want them to be rare, we get it. Now what are you going to do about making that happen, and keeping them accessible for those that so choose? She also completely neglected to mention the Freedom of Choice Act . . .

I have to admit, having been a die-hard Obama supporter from the first time I saw him speak at the DNC, that he's been disappointing me.

But then it's hard to top what Elizabeth Edwards said. It's just perfect:

"I know the art and theater of politics. There are times when you have to position yourself just to be heard. But there are also issues that are so important... that to try and position yourself out of it is to lay down the mantle of leadership. Women’s lives are at stake, and our lives are not fodder for compromise.�

Perfect.

Elizabeth Edwards continues to astound me. :D

Still, I think in response to John Edwards sending Elizabeth, Hillary Clinton should send Bill. It would be fair. And besides, he's Bill Clinton. Like Elizabeth Edwards, he's more popular than his spouse.

"I know the art and theater of politics. There are times when you have to position yourself just to be heard. But there are also issues that are so important... that to try and position yourself out of it is to lay down the mantle of leadership."

But... is that not what her husband's doing by sending her to speak in his stead?

(Disclaimer: I'm not American, so I don't know as much about the candidates as others might.)

"Then again, preaching morality and religion in political matters is always a huge turn off for me."

I can totally understand that. Thanks to a lot of the crazed right wingers any talk about morals or family values immediately makes one think of anti choice, babies babies babies, homophobic candidates. However I agree with Obama's mention that family values are important. He just recently spoke in Chicago on the issue of violence against children. 34 school age kids were killed during this past school year in Chicago. He talked about how after school programs and tighter gun control and all that is helpful but he also talked about family values as well and it's true. You can have as many programs as possible but if parents aren't enrolling their children in them or if parents are involved in the violence as well they will not do much good.

In my opinion Obama's idea of morals and family values are providing a safe and healthy environment for everyone, without violence or drug use or gang activity. This may be a high hope but I think it's a good one to have as opposed to one where women have babies and gays can't marry to perserve the sanctity of family life

But... is that not what her husband's doing by sending her to speak in his stead?

Actually, Elizabeth Edwards appeared at this event because John Edwards is in the middle of a tour to highlight the impact of poverty on Americans. Since the two of them are known for working as a team, I don't see why this is a failing.