In a blog entry at Atlantic magazine, Ta-Nehisi Coates evaluates the aftermath of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation's intention to defund Planned Parenthood. He says that Komen's biggest mistake was failing to realize the depth of support for Planned Parenthood.
The backlash against Komen has claimed Karen Handel:
"In an interview, Handel acknowledged she played a role in Komen's decision to defund Planned Parenthood, but also pushed back against allegations that she was the sole actor in the decision. 'I clearly acknowledge [my role] in the process, but to suggest I had sole authority is just absurd,' Handel told Fox News Tuesday afternoon.
" 'The policy was vetted at all appropriate levels.' Handel reiterated that Komen had stopped funding Planned Parenthood because of new grantmaking policies, further explaining that 'controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood' also played a role."
I don't think that Handel, or her allies, quite understood the nature of their adversaries. I mentioned this in comments the other day but it's interesting to look at how Plannned Parenthood has weathered under targeting from the Right, as compared with other groups. This is not like ACORN. Whatever their significant work in poor communities and black and Latino communities, Planned Parenthood has touched women across race and across class, and thus indirectly, touched men across race and class too …
Read Ta-Nehisi Coates' entire blog entry at the Atlantic.