NARAL still supporting Lieberman

I just found this out via a post at Firedoglake. Christy Hardin Smith posted a letter that reader TeddySanFran received from NARAL, which said, in part, As a nonpartisan organization, we support pro-choice elected officials, regardless of party affiliation. Therefore, our endorsement stands, regardless of Sen. Lieberman's party registration.

Now, I am not a NARAL member, and many of you are probably aware that I am not as staunchly pro-choice as many in the liberal/progressive blogosphere. The practical upshot of that, in this particular situation, is that I am probably not the right person to try to call or write a convincing letter to NARAL about their decision and reasoning. But I know that many of you are, so I am posting this excerpt from the Firedoglake post, including the contact information, for anyone who would like to pursue the issue further.

Well, I had questions and comments, so I gave them a call at (202)530-4179, which is the number that Elizabeth Shipp, political director of NARAL, gave to Teddy in her note.

And I was told, yes indeed, they are continuing to endorse Joe Lieberman, loser of the Democratic primary. When I asked why, the fellow with whom I was speaking didn't really have an answer, and didn't feel comfortable talking with me further about that particular question. When I asked if they had spoken as yet with Ned Lamont's campaign to ascertain whether a switch in endorsement might be the better move, considering Ned kicked Joe's butt in the primary and all, I was told that he didn't know the answer to that question. When I asked if they were getting a few phone calls on this latest contact on the CT Senate race, he told me that they were.

You, too, can contact NARAL if you would like, and ask why it is that they continue to endorse Joe Lieberman, whether they plan on ever contacting the Lamont campaign to even speak with a fully pro-choice candidate, instead of a pseudo-pro-choice-but-voting-for-Alito-cloture-short-ride-kinda-guy like Lieberman, and just what they are thinking with this myopic decision-making in general. Here is their contact information: Main Number: 202.973.3000; Main Fax: 202.973.3096; Shipp's Number: (202)530-4179.

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