I just got off the phone with New York State president of the National Organization for Women Marcia Pappas, who has been an outspoken advocate in this year’s election.

Pappas said Sarah Palin’s nomination as the Republican vice presidential candidate shouldn't be a deciding factor in deciding whom to support.

“I’ll be voting with respect to the issues,” Pappas said. “I’m not getting into my personal choice [for president], but people should look at the issues.” Voters, she said, should “certainly not support a candidate based on their gender.”

Pappas said Palin’s nomination “is an obvious play for the support that Hillary Clinton got in the primaries.  read more »

Marcia Pappas, the outspoken activist who called Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama a “betrayal" to women, is heading to Ohio Wednesday to campaign for Hillary Clinton.

Pappas, the president of the National Organization for Women-New York State, said her past comments won’t be an issue.  read more »

Earlier today the head of the New York State chapter of N.O.W. (the National Organization for Women), Marcia Pappas, sent out a statement describing Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama as “the ultimate betrayal." But the head of the New York City chapter of N.O.W. has a completely different take.

“He’s been a friend to N.O.W., a friend to women, and a friend to the women’s movement and has a long record of supporting women’s issues,” N.Y.C. N.O.W. president and Hillary Clinton backer Sonia Ossorio told me just now. “I think Ted Kennedy has been a tremendous friend to women.”  read more »