Feminist Lynette Long Voting for McCain-Palin

I'm not too proud to admit that this story confuses me. Liberal Democrat and ardent feminist Lynette Long has chosen to vote for McCain-Palin. I must confess I hadn't heard of Ms. Long until I read about her decision on the Gateway Pundit blog. The announcement is newsworthy I suppose because Long is a Hilary Clinton supporter and her decision would be anecdotal evidence that some Clinton supporters are still angry with her treatment by Obama and refuse to vote party lines in order to make a point. Long wrote an essay on her decision at the No Quarter blog:

My loyalty to the progressive women’s movement has been challenged because I have chosen to try a different approach to fight for women’s rights. I want to start by squashing all rumors. No I am not stupid. No I am not a closet Republican. And yes I understand the possible implications on Roe v. Wade by supporting a McCain-Palin ticket.

The next section is long, but quote-worthy:

A few days after posting the article I delivered a shortened version of [a previously published] speech at a McCain-Palin Rally. An executive member of the National Organization for Women contacted me the very next day. It was a friendly conversation tinted with sarcasm.

“How do you feel about your speech?” she asked me.

“Great.” I responded. “Why shouldn’t I feel great? I gave a speech about women’s rights in front of a large audience. I highlighted the underrepresentation of women in every branch of government, the sexism in the media, and the unfair treatment of Hillary Clinton by the Democratic Party.”

“Where did you give your speech?”

A rhetorical question deserved a quip answer, “Before thirty-thousand Americans.” Republicans are Americans, aren’t they?

“By speaking at a McCain-Palin event people will think you are endorsing McCain.” That’s the point, I am endorsing McCain-Palin.

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in the NOW executive's office to see her facial expression. Long adds:

I will by not be held hostage by the Democratic Party that turned a blind eye to the corruption in the Democratic primaries and Democratic caucuses.

I will not be held hostage by the Democratic Party that ignored a woman who got 18 million votes.

I will not be held hostage by the Democratic Party a party that was deaf, dumb and blind to the persistent and pervasive sexist attacks against Hillary Clinton.

I will not be held hostage by a Democratic Party that has never had a female head of the DNC.

I will not be threatened into submission. I will not cast my vote based on fear.

So far this story made sense to me. I can't say that one Clinton supporter (or a even a few) announcing a vote for McCain is going to have him quaking in his boots. But certainly the percentage of the Democratic vote that Obama can achieve is an interesting issue this election. If a significant number of Clinton supports stay home or vote for McCain, it could be catastrophic for him in swing states.

What did confuse me, though, was where Long chose to make her announcement--on Aljazeera TV. Huh? Other than Bin Laden and other terrorists, who makes announcements on that network? Was MSNBC considered to conservative? (Please, try to stop laughing.) Did she think if announced it on CNN that people would miss it? Who in the U.S. gets their news from Aljazeera?

Her follow-up post on No Quarter blog was an interesting read. Color me confused her choice of TV network. I report, you decide...