For immediate release:    June 23, 2008For more information:      Chris Quint, Director of        Public Affairs - 207-510-2201 

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Action Fund Board Ratifies National Endorsement of Barack Obama  

In a special meeting last Friday, the Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) Action Fund Board of Trustees voted unanimously to ratify the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President.

The DC-based Planned Parenthood Action Fund — which focuses on federal elections — voted unanimously to endorse Obama as the first step in a process that now requires the approval of at least 60 percent of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund affiliates around the country. 

“The PPNNE Action Fund, representing southern Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, has joined in a national groundswell to support the best –– and only — pro-choice candidate for president,” says Nancy Mosher, President/CEO of PPNNE’s Action Fund. “We are proud to be part of this exciting national process to protect family planning and health care access.”

“We need a leader who will represent the interests of the millions of Americans served by Planned Parenthood,” continues Mosher. “We need someone in the White House who understands prevention and who will support quality, affordable health care and health information for women, men, and teens. Our Action Fund trustees wholeheartedly agree — that leader is Barack Obama.”  

“Senator Obama has a long and consistent record of standing up for women’s health care,” continues Mosher. “We believe our vote is the beginning of a national groundswell to support a leader who will improve access to quality health care for women, support and protect the right of women and families to make personal childbearing decisions, and invest in prevention programs that help reduce unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion.”

“Now our PPNNE Action Fund’s role is to educate voters about John McCain’s unacceptable record in regard to women’s health and safety. In 25 years in Washington, John McCain has earned a zero percent voting record from Planned Parenthood, including opposition to family planning programs and votes against insurance coverage for birth control. Senator McCain has also denounced Roe v. Wade as ‘bad law.”

“Recent research shows that as more and more women voters learn that McCain opposes Roe v. Wade and has voted against women’s reproductive health care, they are less likely to support him. With his abysmal record and our capacity to educate and involve more than 20,000 regional activists, our PPNNE Action Fund’s “kNOw McCain campaign” will play an important and pivotal role in this election.”  

Following ratification by state and local action funds, the national Planned Parenthood Action Fund will make official its endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for president.

 Paid for by the PPNNE Action Fund. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. www.ppnneactionfund.org