Last night’s CNN/YouTube presidential debates may have been the gayest political debates since - well, ever! We’ve never seen a network allow so much time to be spent discussing the dirty homos and their political inclusion. Although, it is CNN, the gayest of all the news networks.

Regardless of CNN’s sexual proclivity, the network - and voters - kept the democratic candidates on their toes with a slew of lavender-hued queries. Above, Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich hits the ball out of the park while discussing gay marriage, telling a lesbian couple he would allow them to marry: …If our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony. It’s especially powerful coming from his little bobble-head.

Chris Dodd did well, too, again turning the question around to discuss his two-year old and five-year old daughters (whose existence really boggles the mind - go Dodd!). Dodd wouldn’t want his little girls discriminated against, you see, so why would he discriminate against the gays. Voters eat that shit with a spoon.

Meanwhile, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson got real about the ever-contentious issue, saying, “I would do what is achievable.What I think is achievable is full civil unions with full marriage rights. I would also press for you a hate crimes act in the Congress.” He also pledged to take down “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

But, wait, there’s more…
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Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel is walking on air after hearing that HRC and Logo decided to lift their nonsensical ban and allow him to appear at their forthcoming gay debate.

Though he’s soaring in the clouds, Gravel remains just as grounded as always and took a second this weekend to pen a loverly letter to the lavender set.

The always outspoken former Alaska senator also issues a stern warning to his conspiring competitors, John Edwards and arch “Don’t Ask” nemesis, Hillary Clinton.

Read what he wrote, after the jump.
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Wonders never cease! Human Rights Campaign just sent us a note that after “enthusiastic community response” they’ve changed course and decided to invite Mike Gravel to their forthcoming Logo-sponsored gay debate. We’re sure it had absolutely nothing to Gravel ripping them a new one yesterday.

Here’s what HRC has to say for themselves: The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Logo…today made additional announcements about the presidential candidate forum on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues to take place in Los Angeles on August 9. After enthusiastic community response, former Senator Mike Gravel has been invited to participate. Thank you, HRC. Nice to know you’re not totally unreasonable.

Mike Gravel may not be a front runner for the democratic presidential nomination, but he’s sure as hell the most outspoken of the candidates. Could it be his opinionated ways that led HRC to snub him for their gay debates?

Gravel certainly thinks so: …I think the real reason why HRC didn’t invite me is that I’m too vocal in my advocacy of gay rights. None of the top tier candidates would have been comfortable facing an opponent who consistently points out their refusal to embrace true equality for gays and lesbians. HRC simply bowed to the star factor. It’s just a shame that this travesty was perpetrated in the name of the LGBT community. It is a shame, Gravel, but hardly surprising.

HRC’s made a name for itself by kissing high profile ass for press and throwing undesirables - anyone who isn’t white, rich and nominally recognizable - to the curb.
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• Apparently this pro-book PSA has been running on BET. What would the gay version sound like? It would probably have a disco beat.

• A reader gave us a crazy idea - maybe we can all save democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel from HRC’s snobbish scorn by donating some dough. Do you think if he raises $100,000 by August 9th, he can join his political peers? Let’s find out!

• Lesbian comedienne Kate Clinton lends her support to Hillary Clinton: “At this point I’d rather be screwed over by a woman”. At least Kate’s a realist.

• RIP Fridae co-founder Robert Yeoh.
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The Senatorial Matthew Shephard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (aka S. 1105) may get a vote as early as today after Senators Ted Kennedy and Gordon Smith filed the act as an amendment to the Department of defense reauthorization bill.

The move comes just hours after those Gravel-dissers HRC released a letter signed by 1300 religious leaders urging the Senate to follow in the House of Representatives’ footsteps.
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Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel has “steam coming out my ears” after the Human Rights Campaign and Logo neglected to invite him to their groundbreaking gay debates.

According to HRC spokesperson Brad Luna, America’s so-called “largest gay non-profit” excluded the former Alaska senator because Gravel failed to meet their $100,000 fund threshhold. Gravel, meanwhile, tell us that’s bullshit.
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• Robbie Williams fancies himself a fucking rocking Christian. We fancy ourselves music critics: your song sucks, Robbie.

• Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher called a special legislative session to stop University of Kentucky and University of Louisville from adopting gay-friendly benefits: Governor Fletcher wants to change state law to require all state agencies to offer health benefits to employees in ways that “adhere” to the Kentucky Constitution’s definition of marriage. Legislators who, like the governor, have strong support from social conservatives want to ban the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville from offering any assistance to the unmarried partners of university employees. Both institutions moved in the past year to offer such benefits, which faculty leaders say are necessary to recruit top talent, but the benefits have infuriated powerful groups and politicians who identify themselves as pro-family but whose critics see them as anti-gay. Who needs well-qualified teachers when you can have oppression and discrimination?

• Mr. Rogers got it wrong - you aren’t special. In fact, you suck. And don’t you forget it.
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It’s tempting to think New York City’s immune to the haterific behavior seen in rural America. But, like so many things in this city, that’s simply a fantasy.

To the right you see a picture of a man named Charlie. You may recognize that picture - we posted it in conjunction with our Mike Gravel party coverage.

Well, it seems Charlie got into the party spirit last Saturday at Williamsburg’s Union Pool for their Milksopp Gay Pride. For those of you who don’t know, Williamsburg’s the “hipster” epicenter of New York. We’re talking skinny jeans, hungry tummies, coquettish, yet totally rocking boys - the works.

Union Pool’s one of the more popular bars in the area. Though not anti-gay, it’s certainly not a “gay” bar. Saturday night, however, the gays invaded for the aforementioned party. While the gays were happy to be there, we hear Union Pool wasn’t so pleased to see them.
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Hordes of homos cames to Star Lounge last night for our party with former Alaskan Senator and current presidential candidate Mike Gravel.

Speaking to the enthusiastic group, Gravel reiterated his gay-friendly position on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Gravel lamented an American culture that forces gays in the closet. What’s more, he astutely pointed out that such people’s self-shame hurts the movement as a whole. At one point, the politico got so impassioned on the matter, he cried to the closeted queers: “Come out of the closet!”

(Check out our rocking photo gallery, after the jump.)
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• Hey! Don’t forget to come chill with us and former Alaska Senator and current Presidential candidate Mike Gravel!

• Hey. We’ve got some bad news. Kelly Clarkson canceled her national tour.

• Hey! Check out what you missed at last night’s Good Times!

• Hey! Here’s a timeline of Massachusetts’ road to true equality.
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• Just in case you haven’t noticed, we’re having a little shindig this Thursday, June 14th at New York City’s Star Lounge (under the Chelsea Hotel). Not only will there be free booze, the entire Queerty/Jossip crew (yes, even Cord Jefferson), and Nicholas Weist-provided hits, but Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel’s totally the guest of honor. Be there are be the biggest square in history. Ya heard?

• Armistead Maupin’s beloved Michael Tolliver lives.

• Israel made Richard Rothstein cry. Also, forgot the meaning of never - as in, “Never Again!”
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Our regularly scheduled Queerty ReBUTTal will not be posted today. Instead, we’d like to open the floor to democratic presidential candidate, Mike Gravel.

As we’ve mentioned before, the former Senator from Alaska’s made Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell the cornerstone of his campaign.

In this Queerty exclusive, Senator Gravel writes on the very personal origins of his queer-friendly policy. Read all about it, after the jump…

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Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel’s not done digging into Senator Hillary Clinton over her denunciation of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The former Alaska Alaskan Senator - who described President Clinton as a “wimp” for his discriminatory military policy - has posted an extensive critique on Huffington Post. The thrust of Gravel’s piece revolves around Senator Clinton’s description of Don’t Ask a transitory policy, a statement Gravel considers a grave mistake: Don’t Ask’ has not been a benign “transition policy” as she claims. It was a cowardly political calculation that reaffirmed the military’s unjust discharge policies and resulted in the dismissal of 10,870 dedicated service people since 1993. Discharges for homosexuality actually increased under ‘Don’t … Continued…

He may not be one of the front runners, but presidential candidate Mike Gravel may garner the most gay votes after his strong endorsement of gay marriage. The former Alaskan senator told New Hampshire’s WMUR-TV: If a couple of lesbians or gay men want to get married, and they love each other, they should have the right to do that and enjoy all the legalities in our society that go along with that. I have no problem with that at all.

I think that people who create these problems of homophobia and the likes of that do us a disservice. We are all human beings and one of the things that should motivate us, most … Continued…