Aug 17, 2010, Tuesday. Wall Street Journal. Emily's List

EMILY’s List Targets Sarah Palin’s ‘Mama Grizzlies’

The Democratic group EMILY’s List is targeting Sarah Palin and the 49 candidates she has endorsed so far in the 2010 midterms with the launch of a new campaign, www.SarahDoesntSpeakForMe.com.

“We didn’t want Sarah Palin’s voice to go unchallenged,” said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock at a news conference today. EMILY’s List is a veteran Democratic advocacy group that works to elect women who support abortion rights to federal and state office.

The battle over women voters has intensified this year as Palin trumpets and endorses conservative Republican women she has dubbed “mama grizzlies.” Palin also advocated for women candidates in a recent “Mama Grizzlies” video released through her political action committee, SarahPAC.

The site launched today with a parody video of women dressed up as grizzly bears discussing their opposition to Palin’s agenda. “But believe me, there are plenty of mama grizzlies out there who would disagree with you. So you’re right, you don’t want to mess with mama grizzlies. Don’t mess with us,” the women state in the video.

Schriock declined to comment when asked about how much money her group intended to put behind the new campaign. She said that it would serve as a get-out-the-vote effort and help organize Emily’s List supporters to vote this November.

She cited three races that are prime targets for warring Mama Grizzlies, in which EMILY’s List supports the Democrat and Sarah Palin has endorsed the Republican. They include the California Senate race between Sen. Barbara Boxer and former Hewlett-Packard executive Carly Fiorina; a Minnesota House race that pits GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann against Democrat Tarryl Clark and the New Mexico governor’s race between Republican Susana Martinez and Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish.

A spokesman for Palin did not respond to a request for comment on the launch of SarahDoesntSpeakForMe.com, but the conservative group, the Susan B. Anthony List criticized the effort as out of step with the electorate this election year.

“EMILY’s List is running scared—and it shows,” said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. “Clearly, in this ‘Year of the Pro-Life Woman,’ which Sarah Palin helped make possible, women have found their political voices. Pro-life ‘Mama Grizzlies’ represent the majority of women across the country.”

EMILY’s List, founded in 1985, boasts their role in electing 80 female House members, 15 senators, and nine governors. The Susan B. Anthony List, founded in 1992, boasts their role in electing 75 female House members, seven senators and seven more to “other statewide offices.”