NARAL gave up on Hillary Clinton today and endorsed Barack Obama. It was only a year ago that pro-choice groups were targeting Obama for voting “present” on partial-birth abortion measures as a state senator. In fact, in the New Hampshire primary, Clinton used the abortion issue effectively, sending out mailers on these “present” votes.

How will this play out in the general election contest? If Obama were truly a moderate on abortion  favoring legal abortion, but approving waiting periods or parental consent measures) it might help him make some headway with moderate voters or even some socially conservative voters. But aside from his reticence to go on the record as a state senator, he’s been an absolutist on abortion, sharply criticizing the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the federal partial birth abortion ban. That will likely be more of a hindrance than a help with those Reagan Democrats.

And those “present” votes? I suspect the tactic of avoiding tough votes may not be a plus for Obama.