Remember the uproar over gay Obama staffer Steve Hildebrand's use of the word "lifestyle" during a conference call? Well, he meant no offense, so chill. Said Hildebrand: “I certainly know that being gay is not a choice — but I am proud to be gay. I did not intend to imply anything except that it is important that we try to find common ground with those who are not supportive of LGBT rights.” [Washington Blade]

We didn't catch it during yesterday's queer conference call with Barack Obama's campaign, but deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand, who is gay, made a bit of a slip: "Hildebrand [also] talked about how Obama is 'a different kind of politician' who often talks with the African-American community about how 'there needs to be less bigotry, there needs to be more of a working relationship, you know, more acceptance of a lot of African-Americans who do not agree with the gay lifestyle. There was a time where [Obama] repeated that we've got to do better - that my own black community needs to do better. And he does not hesitate to do that.'" Homo-journo Karen Ocamb claims the archaic language overshadowed the call's message, which was to announce David Noble's appointment of the Obama campaign's LBGT Vote initiative. [POQ]