I do believe I'm getting the vapors

[elfs]

So, let me get this straight. According to the National Organization for Women, if a woman is the frontrunner candidate, that's a great thing. Like all frontrunner candidates, however, she must defend her frontrunner status from all of her rivals. However, if she voluntarily gets on stage with her rivals, and they do what all rivals do in this circumstance, and she happens to be a woman (cue George Carlin asking, "Wait, where's the surprise?"), then it's a metaphorical psychological gang-rape and her rivals should all be beaten down for it.

Not done calling Obama and Edwards willful rapists, at least in their own minds, NOW has issued another press release calling Ted Kennedy's support for Barak Obama (who previously got 100% acceptability rating from NOW) "the greatest betrayal!" (Exclamation point in the original). They write, "We are repaid with his abandonment! He's picked the new guy over us." They go on:

This latest move by Kennedy, is so telling about the status of and respect for women's rights, women's voices, women’s equality, women's authority and our ability – indeed, our obligation - to promote and earn and deserve and elect, unabashedly, a President that is the first woman after centuries of men who "know what’s best for us."

You have to love that us. I doubt Hillary perceives herself as part of them.

[Hat Tip: Hilzoy and Andrew Sullivan.]

Comments

[omahas.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but I'm going to have to come down on you for that one. From NOW-NYS own website (under "About Us"):

"The National Organization for Women is a national organization with chapters in each of the 50 states. NOW is an activist rather than a direct services organization. This simply means that NOW seeks to effect change through lobbying, advocacy, education and protest, and does not serve clients. You can learn more about our work, and the history of the National Organization for Women at our national web site.

NOW-New York State (NOW-NYS) is the statewide Chapter of NOW in New York State. It is the largest women's political action organization in New York, representing over 14,000 women and men in 24 chapters. We are dedicated to fighting for women's equality and to improving the status of women in New York."

In other words, NOW-NYS is a chapter of NOW, and when NOW-NYS speaks, the nation perceives they are speaking as a member organization of NOW...as a spokeschapter. And when Pappas speaks out like that, she is speaking as a spokesperson for NOW.

Now, she may end up getting reprimanded...with an official apology from the National president of NOW, but considering that the first press release about the "gang bang" comment was issued January 11, and still no comment from the national organization president, I don't think you're going to hear anything from her about this either.

Further, the national president has already issued her own commentary about Ted Kennedy's endorsement. And no reprimand for Pappas.

You're not going to see a reprimand. Because I guess NOW thinks it's okay for member chapters to say what they think. Which, unfortunately, will lead to people looking upon them like this.

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

It's the sort of thing that makes me embarrassed to be a woman.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

More to the point, if you look at the date on the first press release, it was 17 days ago. The fact that NOW-NY felt comfortable jumping the couch again two weeks later only shows that the national organization doesn't feel enough discomfort at this ridiculous rhetoric to overcome institutional inertia and issue a corrective. NOW-NY speaks with the approval of NOW.

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Well, it does look like you're right and they're not going to do anything about it; it has been out long enough and it's been put up in enough right-wing blogs that they have probably heard of it.

It still seems bogus to me to equate something batty a local chapter says with the official position of the national organization without even asking the national organization about it. I'm under the impression that Andrew Sullivan purports to be a journalist; he, at least, should know better.