Murmurs of a protest at HRC's upcoming Equality Award dinner became full fledged gossip today. Pro-trans activists plan to picket outside a dinner here in New York this week as a response to last year's ENDA debacle. Their presence, says Page Six, is putting pressure on star guests Vanessa Williams, Idina Menzel and others to pull out of the event. Oh, the drama! [NY Post]

Comedy Central aired part two of HRC honcho Joe Solmonese's sit down with tongue-in-cheek king Stephen Colbert. Watch as the boys talk about Congressional calluses, whether we gays can be blamed for Don't Ask, Don't Tell and when Colbert decided to be straight: late November of 1982. Why? He's lazy and being gay takes a lot of work.

And, of course, the comedian tries to lobby Solmonese to the straight side - they're soft, they smell good, they have vaginas. Unfortunately Somonese doesn't bite. Nor does he high-five.

Human Rights Campaign has will honor singer and actress Vanessa Williams with the coveted Ally for Equality Award. Why? Because she has gay friends and plays a bitchy fashion editor on Ugly Betty. Duh! (And she's all about equality, too. It's very glamorous!)

Human Rights Campaign's Joe Solmonese released a brief statement about John McCain's gay-baiting robo-call: "It’s ironic that Sen. John McCain is using the same tactics that George Bush used against him in 2000; surreptiously trying to exploit anti-gay prejudice for votes …So much for John McCain being above that.” Oh, snap!

The Associated Press pays some attention to gay voting woes today. Apparently it takes an entire report to show that most homos don't like the Republicans, while others find the Democrats to be pandering ninnies.

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Journalist Mary Breslauer tells us why she wants another Clinton administration.

Matt Barber and his Concerned Women For America "cares deeply" about homo health.

It's like clockwork! The Concerned Women for America and their male leader, Matt Barber, took some time yesterday to blast gays for their role in the spread of a deadly new staph infection.

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The gay vote matters, to be sure, but only minimally. That's why gay groups and individual activists are hoping to broaden the pink electoral power.

Via 365 Gay:

The LGBT vote is considered a decisive electoral force and according to exit poll data make up approximately 4 percent of the voting population. This year LGBT civil rights activists hope to increase that percentage and the Human Rights Campaign and National Stonewall Democrats have specifically targeted four states - Florida, Minnesota, Nevada and South Carolina.
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The workshops will consist of mock caucuses during which participants will learn tips on how best to discuss federal issues like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Matthew Shepard Act and marriage equality…

Will their efforts be in vain? Not if you get off your ass and vote!

Elizabeth Birch doesn't mince words about the upcoming election. The former HRC president and Hillary Clinton supporter tells Bay Windows' Laura Kiritsy, "At this moment of history for us it’s life and death. For other people it’s a wonderful privilege but for us it’s literally our lives."

Despite her Hillary love, Birch takes aim at former president Bill Clinton, who ran our country during her HRC tenure: "[Clintonites say], ’Oh, we made such advances.’ We made no advances. We got left with ’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and the Defense of Marriage Act… There’s cleanup to do now and we have to move forward and get laws in place."

Election season kicks it into high gear tomorrow, when Iowans caucus for their presidential favorites. Hoping to spread the pro-trans word, activist Vanessa Edwards Foster penned an analysis of Hillary Clinton's queer policies.

Foster says that of all the candidates with whom she's spoken - Clinton, Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd - the former first lady appears to be the least "supportive".

Foster also wonders if Human Rights Campaign, which threw trans folk under the bus during the ENDA debacle, are already planning for a Clinton presidency…

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Oregonian Republican Gordon Smith led a good gay fight on Capital Hill yesterday. The Senator and a host of other politicos, including Tammy Baldwin and Joe Lieberman, introduced a bill which will secure domestic partner benefits for federal employees.

Oregon U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith has unveiled a bill that would extend domestic partner benefits to federal employees.

Smith, in co-introducing the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2007 with Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and 18 other co-sponsors, said the measure would help the federal government compete for higher-echelon workers.

"The federal government should be leading the way rather than following when it comes to providing benefits," said Smith, a Republican. "Rights and benefits must be afforded to all employees equally. This bill corrects the current inequity."

HRC's Joe Solmonese celebrated the news, of course: "[This bill] is not only a matter of equal pay for equal work, but also the best way to insure that the government has access to the top talent…"

Mike Huckabee may not be willing to recant his disgusting HIV/AIDS statements, but the presidential candidate says he's willing to meet with Jeanne White-Ginder, whose son Ryan died of AIDS in 1990.

White-Ginder called on Huckabee to apologize for suggesting we quarantine AIDS patients. So did HRC. Speaking in Iowa today, the former Governor of Arkansas said he'd be willing to sit down with his critics.

I would be very willing to meet with them. I would tell them we've come a long way in research, in treatment.
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I certainly never would want to say anything that would be hurtful to them or anyone else. I would have great regret and anxiety if I thought my comments were hurtful or in any way added to the already incredible pain that families have felt regardless of how they contracted AIDS.

Apparently he doesn't read all the criticism as people's pain.

A reader sent us this irksome, yet entertaining video of some British boys harassing an obviously delirious tranny, with this note attached: "You guys might be interested in posting this - especially as HRC reads your journal so carefully and they need to be harshly reminded of their need to protect trans-people."

We can't quite hear what the woman says at the beginning - when that kid's throwing trash at her - but it sounds like, "I'm used to it". She then blocks out the taunts, saying, "I can't see you".

Human Rights Campaign has once again been forced to defend their dodgy ENDA poll.

The non-profit released a poll last month that claimed 68% of queers supported a non-trans inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Those numbers conveniently came out as outraged activists called on HRC to explain its flip-flop on the issue.

In an effort to the find the truth, The Washington Blade asked some polling experts what they think about HRC's dubious revelations. Said experts weren't buying it, to say the least…

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