Cross Post: Abortion rights activist backs Edwards

[waiting for hope]

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has won the backing of Kate Michelman, an influential abortion rights activist who served as president of the NARAL-Pro Choice America for nearly 20 years.


Michelman will serve as a senior adviser to the Edwards campaign, helping with outreach to women voters.


In an interview, Michelman said she was inspired by Edwards' commitment to women's rights and to the goal of eradicating poverty in the United States. Michelman spent time on welfare as a single mother of three.


"He has never backed down or retreated from a woman's right to choose, and he understands women's role in society. And he knows that most Americans in poverty are women and children," Michelman said.


http://www.prochoicetexas.org/s04politicalupdates/press/200701081.shtml

Kate Michelman

For nearly 20 years, she served as President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, catapulting the organization to prominence as the nation’s premier reproductive rights group. Under Kate’s leadership, NARAL Pro-Choice America transformed the political debate and positioned a woman’s freedom to choose as a fundamental American liberty.
http://www.harrywalker.com/speakers_pitch.cfm?Spea_ID=751

Excellent choice!:-)

[BayCityProgressive]

1. I cannot get over

his Iraq vote...but this makes me respect him a little more...

[waiting for hope]

2. Who is running for President - or

will be (Clinton) that was in a position to vote and voted no? Obama wasn't in the Senate at the time. Edwards had spoken out since (Nov 2005):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101623_pf.html

I was wrong.

Almost three years ago we went into Iraq to remove what we were told -- and what many of us believed and argued -- was a threat to America. But in fact we now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction when our forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The intelligence was deeply flawed and, in some cases, manipulated to fit a political agenda.

It was a mistake to vote for this war in 2002. I take responsibility for that mistake. It has been hard to say these words because those who didn't make a mistake -- the men and women of our armed forces and their families -- have performed heroically and paid a dear price.

The world desperately needs moral leadership from America, and the foundation for moral leadership is telling the truth.
~Snip~

[BayCityProgressive]

3. Obama did

speak at anti-war rallies before the war started. He opposed it. Kucinich voted "no".I am sure the list of contenders will increase.

[Clark2008]

4. Clark warned Edwards (and others on the Armed Services Committee)

not to go in, but Edwards was the only Democrat to vote it out of committee with the Republicans.

I can find another pro-choice candidate who didn't vote for the war.