Calm down now
I can understand that the New York chapter of NOW would be disappointed in Ted Kennedy endorsing Barack Obama. They are passionate supporters of Clinton, and it has to be a bit of a letdown that he threw his support behind her opponent. So expressing their displeasure at the turn of events isn't out of the ordinary.
However, calling his endorsement a betrayal is a bit much. It isn't like he had promised to support Clinton, only to switch candidates at the last minute. From his speech at the event where he endorsed Obama, it certainly doesn't sound like he endorsed him only because he was a man.
If Obama was anti-choice, or a known misogynist, I could understand their sense of betrayal. If Kennedy had endorsed Mike Huckabee or any of the other GOP candidates (save for Mayor 9/11), not only would I understand their sense of betrayal, I probably would be right there with them. However, Obama is thoroughly pro-choice, and Kennedy did not take leave of his sanity.
Living in a democratic-republic means accepting that sometimes people support someone other than your favorite candidate. This country isn't dominated by one issue, and anybody who makes their decision on that one issue is dangerously short-sighted. Making a statement like that demeans the organization, as well as dishonors the candidate they are supporting. The next time they feel like making a statement like that, maybe they should sleep on it.
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