Not Every Woman Supports Women's
Rights
August 29, 2008
Statement of NOW PAC
Chair Kim Gandy on the Selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's Vice
Presidential Pick
Sen. John McCain's choice
of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is a cynical effort to appeal
to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against
their own self-interest.
Gov. Palin may be the
second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not
the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just
like John McCain.
The fact that Palin is a
mother of five who has a 4-month-old baby, a woman who is juggling work and
family responsibilities, will speak to many women. But will Palin speak FOR
women? Based on her record and her stated positions, the answer is clearly No.
In a gubernatorial
debate, Palin stated emphatically that her opposition to abortion was so great,
so total, that even if her teenage daughter was impregnated by a rapist, she
would "choose life" -- meaning apparently that she would not permit her daughter
to have an abortion.
Palin also had to
withdraw her appointment of a top public safety commissioner who had been
reprimanded for sexual harassment, although Palin had been warned about his
background through letters by the sexual harassment complainant.
What McCain does not
understand is that women supported Hillary Clinton not just because she was a
woman, but because she was a champion on their issues. They will surely
not find Sarah Palin to be an advocate for women.
Sen. Joe Biden is the VP
candidate who appeals to women, with his authorship and championing of landmark
domestic violence legislation, support for pay equity, and advocacy for women
around the world.
Finally, as the chair of
NOW's Political Action Committee, I am frequently asked whether NOW supports
women candidates just because they are women. This gives me an opportunity
to once again answer that question with an emphatic 'No.' We recognize the
importance of having women's rights supporters at every level but, like Sarah
Palin, not every woman supports women's rights.
For
Immediate Release
Contact: Mai Shiozaki,
202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906
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National Organization for Women
(This was printed from
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