Pro-choice group NARAL backed Obama today. I'm not sure how important this is this late in the game, although Ben Smith writes it's a sign the party is coalescing around him.
NARAL president Nancy Keenan writes:
Pro-choice Americans have been fortunate to have two strong pro-choice candidates in Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, both of whom have inspired millions of new voters to participate in this historic presidential race. Today, we are proud to put our organization's grassroots and political support behind the pro-choice candidate whom we believe will secure the Democratic nomination and advance to the general election. That candidate is Senator Obama.
The campaign press release continues:
Keenan said the stark contrast between Senator Obama's pro-choice record and John McCain's 25 years of anti-choice votes in Washington will be a major reason many voters, especially pro-choice Independent and Republican women, will cross party lines to support Senator Obama in the fall.
UPDATE:
Ellen Malcolm, president of Emily's List, which endorsed Clinton and has spent extensively on her behalf, released the following statement on the NARAL nod:
I think it is tremendously disrespectful to Senator Clinton - who held up the nomination of a FDA commissioner in order to force approval of Plan B and who spoke so eloquently during the Supreme Court nomination about the importance of protecting Roe vs. Wade - to not give her the courtesy to finish the final three weeks of the primary process. It certainly must be disconcerting for elected leaders who stand up for reproductive rights and expect the choice community will stand with them.
