Could the New York City's first openly-gay City Council member, Christine Quinn, be tapped to replace Hillary Clinton's Senate seat once she formally accepts Obama's offer to be Secretary of State?

The answer is a definite maybe according to Sharyn O'Halloran, a political science professor at Columbia University. New York Governor David Paterson will make the appointment. Gov. Paterson is a champion of gay rights in New York and earlier this year, ordered the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state.

When asked about the possibility, Quinn made the standard non-denial denial a politician makes when asked about future political prospects, saying:

"There's a lot of steps that have to fall into place before we get to the point where we might have to look for a United States senator. I am very lucky to have a job right now, a job that I love and I am at this moment planning to run for both of the jobs that I have - local councilmember and speaker."

If Quinn were appointed, she would be the first openly-gay U.S. senator. Sorry Sen. Craig, you don't count. However, O'Halloran says the current top contender for the position is New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly tried to fuel the dormant Democratic party's civil war today when she suggested Bill and Hillary Clinton were going to vote for John McCain.

Said Kelly as the Clintons went into their voting station:

Who do you think they're voting for? Seriously. It may not be Barack Obama if you believe a lot of theories. IT MAY BE JOHN MCCAIN! Their last hope that Hillary can come back four years from now and take over in the Oval Office.

Kelly colleague Bill Hemmer brought the conversation back down to earth, but that didn't stop Kelly from getting in one more shot: "I would love to be a little birdie over their shoulders, Bill and Hillary." She then let out some sort of "oh" shriek.

Presidential competitors Barack Obama and John McCain took some friendly cracks during last night's Al Smith Dinner, a Catholic charity event and routine pit stop for presidential campaigns.

McCain joked that he's qualified to be a "maverick," but a "messiah," a reference to Obama's adoring masses, is "above my pay grade." The Republican also took a shot at Bill Clinton:

Where's Bill, by the way? Can't he take one night off from his tireless quest to make the man who defeated his wife the next president? The man is a relentless advocate for the Obama campaign, and he has a subtle approach to making the case. When a reporter asked if Senator Obama was qualified to be president, Bill pointed, "Sure, he's over 35-years of age and a US citizen."

Even Hillary Clinton laughed at that one.

Obama got some good quips in, as well, telling the crowd he wouldn't rather be "palling" around with anyone else, a clever take on McCain's assertions that the Democrat pals around with "domestic terrorist" William Ayers. He also joked about the evening's locale:

Tonight's venue isn't really what I'm used to. I was originally told we'd be able to move this outdoors to Yankee Stadium - and can someone please tell me what happened to the Greek columns that I requested? I do love the Waldorf-Astoria, though. You know, I hear that from the door step, you can see all the way to the Russian Tearoom.

He also took some friendly shots at McCain's age, saying the Senator told him wonderful stories about former Governor Al Smith, with whom he shared great times before prohibition. It's gold!

Watch both men's acts, after the jump…

[Image via Reuters]

CONTINUED »

It could be argued that women have played a larger role in this election than any other previous presidential tally in American history.

Hillary Clinton made sure of that, drawing 18 million of the votes and breaking down barriers for countless ladies across the country. When Clinton lost the Democratic party's nomination and it became clear nominee Barack Obama would not ask her to run for him, the Republican National Committee became more determined than ever to bring a woman onto their ticket, according to an RNC source close to the selection process.

This source tells Ian Halperin, an investigative reporter who previously exposed Scientology's homophobic history, that the RNC's estrogen-heavy short list included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The hawkish, familiar and capable Rice seemed like be a good pick. Although she wouldn't draw as many women as Clinton, nor as many blacks as Obama, her placement could have skewed the numbers a little.

The only problem? All those lesbian rumors about Rice and gal pal Randy Bean, with whom Rice shares home ownership and a bank account.

CONTINUED »

Last night, the increasingly insufferable Bill Clinton guested on David Letterman's Late Show, where he reminded everyone that his wife was also a good presidential candidate before complimenting Barack Obama – "the other way" in Bubba-speak – in the most backhanded ways possible.

Letterman didn't call Bill on his bullshit at all, which is unfortunate, but that's what made it extra satisfying when Chris Rock did.

Click through to watch Letterman squirm with the knowledge that Clinton and his people are backstage, hearing every word of Rock's roast.

CONTINUED »

Judith Light and Gene Robinson were on hand last night to celebrate the release of Save Me, a flick that looks at the ever-dramatic ex-gay movement. In the movie, directed by Robert Cary, Chad Allen and Robert Gant play two gay men who battle with their gay demons, while Light encourages them to - well, see the light.

GLAAD's certainly thrilled about the movie's release and even sponsored last night's premiere to raise awareness of religious abuse. Because such things make them and their Religious, Faith, & Values division sad. And us, too.

The movie hits theaters tomorrow.

While we're on the subject of Robinson, the openly gay bishop penned a piece over at LGBT for Obama in which he says "it's time to get serious" about electing Barack Obama: "As LGBT voters, it’s time to put our differences and disappointments aside, and get behind the one candidate who has our interests at heart. If you’re still stinging over the unsuccessful bid for nomination by Hillary Clinton, it’s time to look forward, even if the disappointment still hurts."

Sarah Palin just ended her speech accepting John McCain's place on his presidential ticket. It was, in a word, empty. The Governor came off as more of a backer than a running mate.

CONTINUED »

John McCain will soon announce that he's picked Sarah Palin as his running mate.

The first female Governor of Alaska, Palin's also the state's youngest leader. A former beauty queen, fisherman and sports reporter, Palin was only forty-two when she took office in 2006, beating out then-Governor Frank Murkowski. And, surprisingly, the Republican's relatively good on gay issues.

Or, rather, she says she's not entirely against the gays, which is a big change from previous contenders…

CONTINUED »

It's not a surprise, of course, but the Democratic party officially nominated Barack Obama as their presidential candidate today.

As the states were called by the chair in alphabetical order, delegation heads announced votes for both Obama and his vanquished rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose name was put in nomination earlier as a symbolic gesture.

However, before the roll call was complete, Clinton herself made the call in the convention hall to nominate Obama by acclamation.

This is the first time that a black man has secured a major party's nomination.

As Democrats prepare for Bill Clinton's speech tonight, Hillary Clinton today released her delegates to Barack Obama.

Less than an hour before the Democratic convention calls the roll of the states, Hillary Rodham Clinton began an emotional gathering with her delegates Wednesday by telling them she was releasing them as delegates to vote for Barack Obama. Many in the crowded ballroom yelled back "No!"

Clinton told her delegates she's not telling them what to do, adding: "You've come here from so many different places, having made this journey and feeling in your heart what is right for you to do."

Clinton also told delegates she's signed her ballot for Obama, but will not tell her supporters how to vote.

Many of you feel a responsibility to represent your voters. Others of you want the chance to vote what's in your heart. Still others will be voting for Senator Obama because they want to demonstrate their commitment to the party and the nominee. So I am not telling you what to do.

And even if Clinton did tell them what to do, many probably wouldn't listen…

Hillary Clinton's speech in Denver last night may not have swayed her most ardent supporters:

Clinton's performance fell far short of the panacea the Democratic Party had desperately hoped for, delegates said. Some worried that, after Clinton's public withdrawal, more voters might defect for Republican John McCain or simply stay home.

"I'm not going to vote for Obama. I'm not going to vote for McCain, either," said Blanche Darley, 65, a Texas delegate for Clinton. Darley wore a button saying "Obamination Scares the Hell Out of Me."

"We love her, but it's our vote if we don't trust him or don't like him," said Darley, who was a superdelegate for Bill Clinton in the 1990s.

Weeping, Dawn Yingling, a 44-year-old single mother from Indianapolis, said that the speech was "fabulous" but that she still isn't going to work for the Obama campaign. "She was fabulous, nothing less than I expected. It's hard to sit here and think about she would have accomplished. We're not stupid — we're not going to vote for John McCain," she said. But she'll limit her campaigning to a House candidate. "It will take a Congress as well as a president. That's what I can do and be true to who I am."

Like Yingling, other delegates promised they wouldn't vote McCain, but some also said they simply won't vote at all.

[image by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]