I support Obama and his attitudes toward Planned Parenthood, but I wonder whether this decision was based on loving Obama or hating McCain.

So happy :)this man must be elected president or I am giving up and moving to Europe.

This makes me smile.

It is about time. =D

I'm not surprised that Obama has rapped up this nomination.
I don't know if Obama loves women--but they seem to love him! First Obama--girl and know this--a video called 2 Girls 1 Obama. If this dosen't prove my point nothing will!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VcEkKtvcEs

Interesting, given his comments about "mental health" and late-term abortion.

hmmm, in spite of what sounded like pretty patronizing comments Barack made last week regarding the amount of mental distress a woman would have to be in to get a late-term abortion...?

from the WaPo at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/05/AR2008070501854.html

"Last week, Obama expressly came out against using "mental distress" as a justification for late-term abortions, a position widely seen as the latest in a string of moves toward the political center but one aimed specifically at Christian conservatives....

"It can be defined by physical health. It can be defined by serious clinical mental health diseases," he continued. But "it's not just a matter of feeling blue."

FrumiousB: PP was certainly concerned. Prior to the endoresment, they sat down with him and talked to him for a good long time. He is still a very committed pro-choice leader, and has been a good friend to PP for many years.

I was actually on the PP conference call on which he accepted the endorsement, and I, at least, felt very comfortable that my employer was supporting him.

FrumiousB: PP was certainly concerned. Prior to the endoresment, they sat down with him and talked to him for a good long time. He is still a very committed pro-choice leader, and has been a good friend to PP for many years.

I was actually on the PP conference call on which he accepted the endorsement, and I, at least, felt very comfortable that my employer was supporting him.

It is also to view this in terms of the other candidates.

I know that Obama has a few flaws. But, honestly, he can't get anywhere near as scary as McCain.

Planned Parenthood pays close attention to what the candidates say which is why they don't endorse often. I don't doubt that they have very good reason to endorse Obama and I find the timing of their endorsement as a vote of confidence for Obama considering what he is coming under fire for right now.

I do have to say both here on Feministe there have been excellent discussion on his statements and why or why not they are important. Other sites comments section have devolved into name calling and witch hunts that are not productive to feminists or really anyone in general. They are really only a step above some of the comments about Obama and conservative sites.

What the heck? Let me guess what's going on here...

"Oh no, Obama's starting to look weak on abortion rights! Quick, endorse, endorse!"

It makes me wonder what's happening behind the scenes.

I believe Planned Parenthood's strategy makes sense. The Republicans remain staunchly mono-partisan and monolithic in their views, and McCain is a party loyalist, despite his carefully cultivated image. Only the Democrats, who have taken impeachment off the table in one of the greatest acts of self-deprecating political generosity in our country's history, are still bi-partisan. So what's a non-partisan public interest group to do? In an electoral system that has only one and a half parties rather than two, I guess the rational thing to do is support the conflicted half-party, rather than the party that has lost any capacity for self-criticism or shame and whose policy toward women's rights continues to be "rollback."

So I agree with "EmmaKitty." This endorsement was not motivated by love of the Democrats or even of Obama in particular, but by a clear understanding of the connection between women's rights and democracy itself and of how these are both threatened today by the imperial Republican Party.