Not to reopen the old NARAL debate or anything, but after endorsing Lincoln Chafee to prove they'd stand by Republicans who support choice, watching him gladly shout "aye!" for John Roberts must be a real kick in the pants.
I've said it before, but the basic reason not to endorse Republicans is that, right now, given party discipline and the agenda set by the Republican leadership, there is no such thing as a pro-choice Republican. What they believe is almost as meaningless as what they say. The Republican party is best viewed not as a collection of individuals but as a coherent, unified organism that quiets offending sections and moves in the direction that important constituencies demand. Republican moderates, chimerical creatures that they are, talk a good game and vote right when it doesn't count, but when the chips are down, the only way to distinguish them from Santorum is a Bush/Putin-style soul gaze. Chafee's behavior here should be example #1: In the area that most matters on choice, Chafee just voted for a Chief Justice who will, in all likelihood, work to overturn or radically constrain Roe. As Scott puts it:
It's the same lesson as Pataki vetoing over-the-counter Plan B as the opening salvo in one of the most pathetically futile presidential campaigns in living memory--in the current context, there is functionally no such thing as a pro-choice Republican. There's always some reason for them to roll over for the party leadership, and the pressure required seems to get less and less. This was not always true historically, but it's the case now. I'm not saying pro-choice groups should be mere appendages of the Democratic Party either, but they really need to adapt to this reality.
NARAL should pull their endorsement. Actually, take that one step farther: NARAL should pull their endorsement and work like like hell to defeat Chafee. If it was important for them to prove they'd reward friends, it's orders of magnitude more crucial to show they'll steamroll those who betray them.
Roberts was going to pass with or without Chafee's support. The senator could've taken the moment to make a public, if futile, stand on behalf of choice. He didn't. And if he failed when the stakes were low, how quickly will he cave when the stales are high?
NARAL screwed up. Time to fix it.
