Komen Foundation Vice President Resigns!!

Dear Commons Community,

The  Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood added another chapter today with the resignation of Karen Handel, vice president for public affairs.  The Huffington Post  is reporting that Handel decided to resign:

“following public outcry over the announcement Komen would pull funding from Planned Parenthood. ”

Earlier this week,  the Huffington Post reported that Handel drove the decision to defund Planned Parenthood over abortion politics and crafted the strategy to clean up the public relations mess that ensued.

A copy of the text of Handel’s resignation letter appears  below.

Tony

 

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Text of Handel Letter of Resignation

I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it. I openly acknowledge my role in the matter and continue to believe our decision was the best one for Komen’s future and the women we serve. However, the decision to update our granting model was made before I joined Komen, and the controversy related to Planned Parenthood has long been a concern to the organization. Neither the decision nor the changes themselves were based on anyone’s political beliefs or ideology. Rather, both were based on Komen’s mission and how to better serve women, as well as a realization of the need to distance Komen from controversy. I believe that Komen, like any other nonprofit organization, has the right and the responsibility to set criteria and highest standards for how and to whom it grants.

What was a thoughtful and thoroughly reviewed decision — one that would have indeed enabled Komen to deliver even greater community impact — has unfortunately been turned into something about politics. This is entirely untrue. This development should sadden us all greatly.

Controversy Over Clint Eastwood’s Super Bowl Commercial!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PE5V4Uzobc

Dear Commons Community,

During the half-time show at the Super Bowl on Sunday, a commercial (play video above) was aired featuring Clint Eastwood giving a plea for America to come together in this time of economic woe.  The commercial paid for by Chrysler lauds the comeback that the Detroit automaker has made.  Republicans have criticized it as it as a political commercial for President Barack Obama.  In a Huffington Post piece, Eastwood, a Republican voter and Libertarian, denies this.   To quote:

“l am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about job growth and the spirit of America,” Eastwood said Monday evening on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” about the ad, which features him extolling the virtues of a revitalized Detroit. Chrysler was one of the companies saved in President Obama’s 2009 auto bailout, which Eastwood has publicly opposed. “I think all politicians will agree with it,” he continued. “I thought the spirit was OK.”

Eastwood, who said he was “not supporting any politician at this time,” also gave his blessing for either party to reference the spot, or at least its message.

“If Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it,” he said.

Tony