Faced with Palin, Women's Groups to Turn to Obama

By Lois Romano

Clearly worried about the impact Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has had on the presidential race, the Obama campaign stepped up its efforts to court women this week, recruiting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to join Sen. Joe Biden for a taped webcast answering questions from women, announcing a list of high profile women who are endorsing Sen. Barack Obama and releasing a tough anti-McCain ad targeting women.

On Monday, as part of his "Women's Week of Action," Obama held a conference call with female supporters to outline the issues he will bring to the forefront in the weeks ahead, such as health care, the Supreme Court and pay equity.

And today in Washington, a number of high profile unions and groups representing millions of women joined together to throw their support to Obama. Ellie Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, and Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women -- both of whose organizations supported Clinton in the primaries -- held a press conference here announcing the support of ten groups for Obama.

NOW's endorsement represented the first time in 24 years the group has endorsed a general election presidential candidate -- the last being Walter Monday in 1984, who ran on the first ticket to feature a woman as a vice presidential running mate.

The largest organization for women's rights, NOW says it is stepping into the contest to educate women about Palin's positions and highlight Obama and Biden's long-time commitment to policies that support women personally and economically.

"For us its a red alert," said Gandy. "Palin is so out of touch with women. I don't think people fully understand her positions."

"They are stark differences between these two candidates," said Smeal. "John McCain has a 26 year record of voting against issues important to women."

Smeal cited McCain's opposition to a bill that would afford equal pay to women, his opposition to abortion funding and a vote he cast against breast cancer research.

The new Obama pay equity ad says that "women work to help support their families but are paid just 77 cents to a dollar a man makes. It's one more thing John McCain doesn't get about our economy. He opposed a law to guarantee women equal pay for equal work, calling it too great a burden on business.... A burden on business? How about the burden on our families."

McCain's campaign quickly countered saying McCain's pays women on his senate staff better that Obama does.