NOW PAC Supports Obama/Biden Ticket, Not Palin

On November 4th, California voters will go to the polls to cast their vote about the future of our state and our nation. The National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) joined with many allied organizations representing a broad and diverse cross-section of U.S. women to endorse Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Both have long records of service, fighting to improve the rights of women, families, and working people. From voting rights to equal pay legislation to authoring and funding the Violence Against Women Act, it was clear to NOW PAC that the Obama/Biden ticket represents the best team for the kind of future we envision for women and girls.

A member and officer of the Los Angeles NOW chapter, Shelly Mandell, recently introduced Governor Sarah Palin at an event in Carson, California. Ms. Mandell was speaking as an individual and was not authorized to represent NOW, the NOW PAC or LA NOW in any capacity in connection with a federal candidate endorsement. As NOW President Kim Gandy said upon Palin’s selection , "Not every woman supports women's rights."

The use of Shelly Mandell’s Los Angeles NOW title was apparently intended to mislead the public, and indeed has resulted in local television outlets and internet reports misstating that LA NOW has “endorsed” Sarah Palin or that she has a record of supporting women’s rights. This in fact is not the case.

As President of California NOW and as a member and officer of Los Angeles NOW, I can assure you that there is no local or state affiliate of NOW, including LA NOW, which endorses or supports the McCain/Palin ticket. John McCain and Sarah Palin oppose many of the rights and freedoms we have fought for throughout NOW's 42 years, and we will not be pushed back to the days of back-alley abortions, forced pregnancies, and pay discrimination without remedy.

Nor will we let the media distractions deter our members and activists from our organizing for freedom and equality for all women, putting our hopes and our dreams, our hard work and our hard-earned money, behind a proven team for women: the next President of the United States – Barack Obama – and his running mate, longtime friend and ally of women, Sen. Joe Biden With equal ferocity we will fight to protect young women by defeating Proposition 4 and to keep bigotry and discrimination out of our state constitution by defeating Proposition 8 here in California.

Statement from CA NOW President, Patty Bellasalma

Comments on this post have been closed. Comments can be emailed to the CA NOW President, the CA NOW office, or both.

Comments

[wombwoman]

Shelly has stepped so far right out of line it's an affront and embarrassment to all feminists.
The media did not twist Shelly's affiliations with NOW Shelly herself mislead the nation into the perception that NOW supports Palin and her anti feminist ways.
Shelly has no idea how many NOW women were right outside the door of the Home Depot Center while she turned her back on us, embarrassed us and twisted the knife in our hearts.
Shelly in lipstick and a skirt holding hands with Palin has attempted to throw us back 50 years and it is unacceptable, unpalatable and nauseating.
At least the brave feminists who protested Palin in Alaska were united. We've been stabbed in the back by one of our own Shelly Mandell and she must publicly be addressed and denounced.
Shelly Mandell must be removed from office as a leader in LA NOW immediately.
Yvonne Moore

[moho1234]

I was at the rally yesterday and it just happens that Shelly was my attorney in my divorce a few years back. I was certainly surprised to see her introduce Sarah, but I was very quickly moved by her support of the female candidate. I actually got chills and felt a little teary; I was disappointed at some points when the audience booed her (mention of Ferraro, etc.) but that made me clap louder. Overall I think it was a moment of coming together and incredible courage. I consider myself a feminist and I support Palin because she is a woman - I don't support all the McCain/Palin ticket and Shelly also prefaced her support with that caveat. Shelly made that very clear, she did not mislead or misrepresent her position, she stated very clearly she did not speak for NOW.
Palin is a woman who has gotten where she is on her own. Is it perfect? No...but it is such a monumental step let's all at least give her a chance. Don't tear her down - Shelly took a very, very brave stand in favor of a (gulp, Republican) woman. Would she rather that she was a Democrat? Yes, I'm sure she would...but feminism is about empowering women - ALL women. Go Sarah! Go sister! I thank Shelly - and Shelly got her to commit to being open to NOW's point of view. I am not affronted nor embarrassed, I am so proud.

[ldragoon]

If this is truly NOW's stance as far as Palin's candidacy is concerned, then I believe you should put your money where your mouth is and remove Ms. Mandell from your organization immediately. She has done nothing but further the myth that a woman who does not support Palin is an anti-woman, anti-feminist. She is an embarrassment to your organization.

[kileym]

Like many who first read or heard of the story, I assumed that NOW had endorsed the McCain/Palin ticket due to the inclusion of Shelly Mandell at the Home Depot Center rally. While I am relieved to have been corrected, I wonder how many others are still under the impression Mandell is representing the organisation?

Palin has nothing in common with the goals of NOW, and for someone within to audaciously speak in support of this candidate is nothing short of embarassing. It is obviously a cynical attempt to lead disgruntled Hillary supporters to vote for the McCain ticket. Furthermore, it seeks to fracture the organisation and its supporters. Ask Mandell to resign immediately, and rest all doubts.

[kate]

To moho 1234:

I'm stunned by what you wrote. If you really believe Palin should be supported because she is a woman you clearly care nothing about the rights of women.

"Give her a chance." "Don't tear her down." Palin committed to Shelly "...to being open to NOW's point of view." Yes, I'm stunned.

I prefer to think you are a troll rather than to think you believed what you said.

To think that Hillary and Palin are interchangeable is the supreme insult to Hillary. Shame on you.

[dcattorney]

You can spin this any way you want, but the video made it very clear that Ms. Mandell was voicing her own independent opinion and NOT representing NOW.
Is it now the position of NOW that any woman who does not support the Obama/Biden ticket is not welcome in its organization? And that any woman who speaks up at a political rally and doesn't voice NOW's position is not welcome in its organization?
If so, this is a sad day for NOW, and I won't be renewing my membership.
If you remove this brave woman from your organization because she voiced her own independent position, I hope she takes legal action against you.
You are now merely an arm of the Democrat Party, a party that marginalized women in this election, a party that stood by and said and did nothing when the most vile hateful sexism was leveled at Senator Clinton, and a nominee who leveled some of it himself. NOW is and will continue to lose rank and file members.

[Darleen]

You lost Tammy Bruce over OJ and you'll lose Mandel over Palin. The picture of a classic, first wave feminist who has made it on her own scares you all to death because you gave up any pretense at being for or about women long ago. You are merely handmaidens of the Left.

Pity.

[lee,sarasota]

Until NOW embraces ALL women they cannot expect to advance the status of women in this country. NOW is exclusionary just like the juvenile thinking local women's organizations who only include working women of certain elevated positions and exclude waitresses, teachers aids, and others. We as women should not be expected to fit NOW's mold of what a woman should be. I have dropped out of NOW because of these narrow perimeters. I worked my butt off as a young mother of 5 to assist FL in ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment years ago and continue to fight for women's rights. The endorsement by NOW for the incompetent, MSM fake who is Obama is disgraceful and women who would sell their country out for a one issue Roe V Wade smoke screen are indeed not patriots or women who really believe in equal rights for women. NOW is disgusting.

[DD]

I cannot believe there are people writing here who support Palin. It is truly shameful that Mandell used her title -- an "individual" would NEVER be invited or allowed to speak in at a venue full of thousands -- to misrepresent NOW. Please keep reminding the media that CA NOW endorses Obama/Biden, two highly compassionate men.

Anyone who'd vote for Palin b/c she has a uterus does not understand women's rights whatsoever. Truly ignorant folks out there. Be very, very scared if Palin becomes V.P. I'm just astonished that anyone in their right mind would vote for someone so utterly unqualified, except to be a member of the PTA, and who has a PRO DEATH platform -- death to women's rights, death to animals, and death to the environment. Hillary must be cringing every moment.

[NevadaNOW]

"Until NOW embraces ALL women they cannot expect to advance the status of women in this country."

Ha! When Phyllis Schlafly starts to support Kim Gandy in all Kim Gandy's work on behalf of poor women, middle-class women, working women and stay-at-home mom's, we'll get back to you "lee,sarasota."

Do you really think you are going to persuade anyone with that argument?