Obama’s gay take: “I have always said that I don’t think that the LGBT community should take its cues from me or some political leader in terms of what they think is right for them. Real change comes from the bottom up, not the top down. As your President, I will fight to make LGBT equality a reality at the federal level. But it is the LGBT community that has to decide what is in their best interest, and to help make it happen by engaging actively with the political process.” [Q-Notes]
Bottom Up.
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
CitizenGeek
Barack Obama is truly amazing! It would be a tragedy if he isn’t the next President of the US!
Thom
He is absolutely correct. He just continues to earn my vote everyday.
FreeMe
Obama says “Real change comes from the bottom up, not the top down.”
Does this mean he favors bottoms and discriminates against tops?
I’m outraged!!!
I’m voting for the chick with the “testicular fortitude.” At least I know she is an equal opportunity f****r.
Leland Frances
Liar, liar, fucking pants on fire!!!
LIE: “We succeeded in enacting [Illinois’ LGBT rights] law just as I was leaving for the U.S. Senate.â€
TRUTH: “Whadda ya mean “We†Obama Man?†He mysteriously let nine months pass after SB3186 was introduced before he was elected to the US Senate without even signing on as a cosponsor as he had other bills. His replacement in the state senate did join as a cosponsor. Obama was no longer even in the state legislature when the law was passed.
HALF TRUTH: “I support the complete repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.â€
FULL TRUTH: He still supports any state’s right to ban gay unions regardless of federal DOMA.
LIE: “and the complete equalization of rights and benefits for same-sex couples at the federal levelâ€
TRUTH: “complete equalization of rights†would include use of the word “marriage†which Obama has repeatedly opposed.
CLAIM: “I will work to eradicate the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.â€
TRUTH: He’s already not working hard enough when he stated that opposing DADT would not be a “litmus test†for his military Joint Chiefs of Staff. Is he going to be the Commander-in-Chief or the tail wagged by six dogs?
LIE: “I included this message [of LGBT equality] in the announcement of my candidacy for President, in my speech before the Ebenezer Baptist Church on the eve of Martin Luther King Day, and in addresses to audiences of thousands in states around the country.
TRUTH: What he actually said—
Candidacy announcement: “We’re distracted from our real failures, and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants.†NO mention of “LGBT equality.â€
Ebenezer Baptist Church: “We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them.†NO mention of “LGBT equality.â€
Addresses…around the country: variations on his “told to blame†statement above. He never talks about our EQUALITY except when asked. Just using the “gay word†is attention without action.
SHAME ON YOU, SENATOR!!!
brian
IN OTHER WORDS — I WON’T HAVE TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOU WHEN I’M PRESIDENT. I WON’T CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE OF HATE AND BIGOTRY LAID OUT BY BUSH, I’LL JUST IGNORE IT. IT’S UP TO YOU TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR OWN BUSINESS. YOU’RE JUST NOT AS IMPORTANT ON MY LIST. SORRY! MAYBE TOMORROW.
M Shane
DiTTO, Citizen: Obama is the only candidate who believes in democracy. Adam Young, a canadian Politoical commentator wondered,”How did the chief magistrate of a confederated republic degrade into the global tyrant we experience today,part secular pope, part pseudo philosoher king and full time overbearing GLOBAL GANGSTER”
Americans have become so accustomed to an autocracythat they just sat back with their thumbs up their asses while Bush asserted
that he was “the ultimate decision maker for the country 2004” this would have appaled the
founders. Geo. Washington, Benjamin Franklin etc envisioned a supreme leguislative branchas the heart and soul of America’s central government..America’s presidency would be unimaginable to Madison , Washingto and Franklin.
Americans are so dumbfounded by their profound ignorance of our system of government and follish \blind trust that when someone who still believes that we have a chance to save democracy he gets condemned for idealism.
Well fuck ! welcome to DEMOCRACY folks either fight for it or die.
The uterly amazing and frightening thing is that anyone would be puzzled by this .assertion.
Unfortunately Obama may be too late.
Alacer
“I have always said that I don’t think that the LGBT community should take its cues from me or some political leader in terms of what they think is right for them”
what the fuck? that’s all I can say.
HE HAS NO PLAN! He ran for Illinois Senate, spent his term, ran for U.S. Senate, spent his term and now he thinks that’s enough knowledge that he can dip his toes into the presidency?! I like the man! He is a wonderful speaker and I think he’s really wise, but I also think he’s hasty. He’d have my vote if he had a couple more years of govt. service under his belt.
Mike
I don’t know why you are all excited about this quote.
To me this makes it crystal clear: LGBT Rights are NOT on Obama’s radar. They are simply not a priority of his. They were never a priority when he was in the Illinois state senate, they have clearly never been a priority while he’s running for president, and we should not expect anything different if he actually is president.
Mark my words: An Obama administration will never even promote gay civil unions. All they will say is they’ve stopped people from trying to pass a federal marriage amendment, that’s enough.
You people have been drinking the Kool-aid if you honestly think Obama is a friend to LGBT rights
M Shane
And Brian: if you know any history Americans Bought and paid for the atmospher of Hatred and Bigotry.that we have. We can rightfully claim thaT WE DID NOT ELECT BUSH THE FIRST TIME. IN 2000 BUSH LOST THE POPULAR VOTE. However in 2004, the U.S. elected Bush making his policy and wars ours. we are now seen zround the world as having approved the torture od prizoners at Abu Ghraib, Brigham Air Force Base in Kabul , at Guantanamo bay, and in secret “redition prisons around the world: We have seconded Bushes claims to defy international law: to slaughter hundreds of thousands of innocent people: our record setting economic deficit is our fault. Why did over a million people disent openly around the world while we sat and beat off. We have set the disasterous example, throughout the world of first strike primacy. and have necessitated other nations to secure Nuclear arsenals for their protection.
If this is in any way a democracy we have promoted the hatred and brutality. WE HAVE RELINQUISHED our power as citizens.
“THE PRICE OF DEMOCRACY IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE.
We’ve got what we paid for!!
charles
“To me this makes it crystal clear: LGBT Rights are NOT on Obama’s radar.”
News flash: he wants to get elected President. So do McCain and Clinton. That’s why LGBT rights are not high priority for any of them. The instant one of them came out for marriage rights, they could kiss their chances of becoming President goodbye. And the economy and ending the war and environmental protection are just as important to this gay guy, if not more so, than marriage rights.
Leland Frances
I TOTALLY agree, Charles, that there are higher immediate priorties than LGBT rights, per se. 1. Preventing further troglodytes from filling upcoming vacancies on the Supreme Court. 2. Withdrawal from Iraq.
BUT, neither Sen. Clinton nor McShame have outright lied to gays in the past few months about what they’ve done for us; what they believe in. And in her case, we haven’t heard the same kind of backtracking on repealing DADT that Obama has laid rubber with.
Rob Moore
Charles, I suspect his prevarication when asked about questions relevant to us reflects more than simple caution to improve his election chances. I think he would have been quite happy if we just stayed quiet and didn’t bother him. I don’t expect much from him regarding LGBT civil rights beyond not using us as a bloody shirt to arouse the faithful.
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/waving_the_bloody_shirt/id/6093610
CitizenGeek
Leland Francis,
I think you’re being unfair to Obama. Hillary Clinton has actually said she opposes gay marriage and that it’s a genuine belief of hers. Plus, her husbands administration (for which she takes so much credit) enacted the anti-gay DOMA instead of just fighting homophobia in D.C. At least Barack Obama is saying “Well, I don’t agree with gay marriage, but I’m not going to do anything to stop you guys from working for it”. Let’s face it, no presidential candidate is going to get elected if they openly say they support full marriage equality for gay and lesbian men and women. That could only ever happen in New York or Western Europe.
Barack Obama would, I have no doubts about it, be a champion for gay rights as president!
Tom
Former DNC Chair Joe Andrew withdrew his support for Clinton and had this to say about the presidential slugfest between Clinton and Obama:
“A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue a long, self-destructive Democratic campaign” and
“A vote to continue this process is a vote that assists John McCain.”
So who is in touch more with winning back the White House, a former DNC chair who switched his endorsement to Obama or bloggers on this page who have nothing better to do than inundate us with irrational diatribes?
Leland Frances
We agree, Citizen, that gay marriage equality is a dog that will not hunt in this election. I have no problem with any candidate recognizing that.
HOWEVER, the problem with Obama is that he has repeatedly dismissed challenges to his unique definition of “full equality”—with statements like, “Semantics may be important to some,” during the LOGO forum. Well, YES, Sen. Asshat, they’re less important to YOU because no one is denying YOU FULL rights to them. Then he says things like, “the kind of civil unions I’m talking about,” as if they are some high protein, vitamin-enriched version that we should all get down on our knees and thank Massa Obama for being willing to grant us. When he’s willing to trade his MARRIAGE for one of the Super Duper Civil Unions he brags about THEN I’ll be impressed.
Sen. Clinton, while far from perfect, has never approached the subject with that kind of condescension to us. Two candidates. Same positions on civil unions vs. marriage. Very DIFFERENT attitudes.
And I interested in a LEADER not a babysitter for the bottom-up school of government.
Leland Frances
Well, exscuuuuse us, Miss Tom! Nota Bene: the topic of this thread is not electability.
Bored by blogs? Apparently YOU have nothing better to do than try to change the subject and attack as “irrational” those who, unlike you, don’t have their heads so far up Obama’s ass you can see what he had for lunch.
M Shane
L Francis & Charles : you simply don’t have any idea as top what you are talking about.
Obama has not as has Clinton said that he did not believe in Gay marriage ever. He did say with his usual directness that his notion of the best sell to the pubic are same sex Unions with all of the same rights as Marriage but not the “hot button” term marriage. Clinton couldn’t even go that far . As we all know when we chose to think and remember, Clinton is so embarrassed by us thart she won’t talk in positive terms to the public.
If you want a Dictatorship, go for it. This is very well the only chance to chamge the course of a disasterous distortion back toward the Democratization of the U.S. Government.
It seems not to sink in to the skulls of absolutists whio know nothing that democracy involves the people deciding what they want.
Ya ‘all who want to live in a dictatorship, I’m sure you can find one. Or just wait, if Obama loses we’ll have one.
Alec
Jesus Leland get a grip; she’s not a messiah, he’s not an antichrist.
Senator Clinton has had, as she notes, 8 years to take the lead on DADT, right? She could have sponsored a bill; she was, after all, on the armed forces committee. She chose not to, but now states that it will be a priority for her when we coronate her in August? Will she be riding in pride parades hoping to sway superdelegates in June? Please.
Bill Clinton has certainly done the most for gays and lesbians as president, but that is not saying much. No legislative accomplishments, a couple of executive orders and appointments, and oh yeah, DOMA. To pour salt into that wound he campaigned on it in 1996. Then he came to the HRC to ask for money a year later. Wow, the leadership never fails to impress. Am I impressed that she joined a gay pride parade in NYC? I guess, but again, just symbolic politics, not, as it were, the “bread and butter” gains I would expect from the candidate “ready to lead on day one” and who is ready to “fight” for us and wants us to know that she and our communities (despite mounting evidence to the contrary) value us a whole persons.
I also happen to disagree that a candidate who supported gay marriage would have no chance in the GE. People already think the Democrats are lying through their teeth when they say they’re opposed to gay marriage, but support marriage in all but name.
But since my top concern is the disaster abroad, which will create long-term economic problems here, and since I did not have the option of voting for Senator Edwards, I’ll stick by Obama.
Leland Frances
“And I should say that personally, I do believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.” – Barack Obama, Senate floor, June 5, 2006.
“QUESTION: Currently, only Massachusetts recognizes equal marriage rights for same sex couples. Do you believe the civil institution of marriage (with absolutely no requirements imposed on religious institutions) should be made legally available to two committed adults of the same sex?
SEN. OBAMA: Oppose. Comment: I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman.” – Human Rights Campaign candidate questionnaire
“I will tell you that I don’t believe in gay marriage.” – Obama, Nelsonville, Ohio, March 3, 2008
“I’m not in favor of gay marriage.” – Obama, “Hardball with Chris Matthews,” April 2, 2008
“I’m not in favor of gay marriage.” – Obama, Reading, Pennsylvania, High School, April 20, 2008
“I was very disappointed when Barack Obama said he didn’t see any difference between civil union and marriage. To me it was very hurtful; particularly coming from someone in the African American community who understands separate is not equal.” – San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, March 2008
Alec
I can play the quote game, too:
“Senator Clinton, will you go on the record saying that civil unions are not equal to marriage?†asked a reporter.
“No,†replied the Democratic presidential candidate. http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories08/february/0229081.htm
Since you are uninterested in responding to substantive replies, you probably should just refrain from posting quotes that we’re not debating or denying.
charles
I guess I should have said in my post before that I am an Obama supporter and would not be happy to vote for Clinton in November (but I would vote for her). Please don’t lump me in with Leland Frances!
“I think he would have been quite happy if we just stayed quiet and didn’t bother him.”
John Kerry would have felt the same way in 2004 I suspect. I guess I should admit that while I support people who seek marriage rights, I just see it now as a gift that pops up every four years to help the GOP retain the White House more than anything else-I don’t get the zeal for it myself-like it’s all that matters.
Tom
Truly the patients will be running the asylum whenever it is determined that Leland Francis should control the subject of the discussion on this site.
Leland Frances
Ah, yes. Ohio’s “Gay People’s Chronicle”—another gay paper Obama refused to talk.
Background from Eric Resnick, the “Gay People’s Chronicle” reporter who interviewed Sen. Clinton:
“…By Friday… the Obama campaign stopped returning my calls. … This is a good time to be clear. I am not in either candidate’s camp. I supported and voted for Dennis Kucinich. I was elected the Kucinich convention delegate in the 16th Congressional District of Ohio. With Kucinich out of the race, my only dog in the fight is that the LGBT community has the best information with which to make the best choices.
…In my 12 years as a reporter, I have never experienced anything quite like Obama’s national communication director Robert Gibbs, either.
I wasn’t biting on the crap he tried to feed me, and he got offended. When I stood there not writing any of it down, Gibbs said to me, “Let me tell you how this works. I talk and you write down what I say.”
“I’ll write down what you say when you answer the question,” I responded, adding that “I’m no campaign’s stenographer.” Gibbs actually took the pen and pad out of my hands and wrote his own answer! …
Both campaigns knew that talking to me wasn’t going to be like the made for Saturday Night Live performance of Melissa Etheridge on the Logo forum. (This is not an insult to Etheridge. I can’t sing. We should all do what we’re good at.)
Nonetheless, it was Hillary Clinton, with her much longer record of talking to our community, who stepped up to the guillotine, and Obama who refused.
Regardless of what was said, Clinton gets points in my book for her willingness. It is somewhat troubling that it appears that LGBT people are starting to flock to Obama, despite his lack of vetting. This has nothing to do with Obama. It’s good politics. It has everything to do with the LGBT community. It’s stupid citizenship. We deserve better and we need to demand that candidates at least answer our questions.”
SeaFlood
… no politician is a friend to the LGBT movement. Let’s own that and plan accordingly, please.
Michael
Can you just imagine the reaction to Kennedy if this was the type of leadership he offered in as it pertained to civil rights in the 1960’s? As if the gay community is not already involved in the political process. The trouble for us was not largely faced by Obama’s brethren of the civil rights era, who united with brother and sister, father and mother. The LGBT community largely goes it alone. On Sunday evenings, we break bread with our own family members–our own brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers–who are not united in our cause, who do not make the civil rights of their own flesh an blood a priority among the issues that motivate them to vote. And the gay community is so starved that it gladly gobbles up the mere crumbs fed to us by three candidates who refuse to see and act against the injustice done to us (tax-payers) everyday in the school halls, the workplace, and on nearly every corner of every main street in America.
Alec
Leland Frances: Again, what are you trying to prove? No one, Senator Obama least of all, as evidenced by his quote, is suggesting that he will usher in an era of gay equality.
It has been less than a month since Queerty reported this:
“Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal’s no doubt pleased with this week’s edition.
His paper made a splash yesterday when it published both an extensive interview with Hillary Clinton and a big, blank middle finger to Barack Obama, who PGN accuses of avoiding the pink press. But an Obama interview isn’t the only thing missing from the paper.
Segal – who did the Clinton interview and also penned an exhaustive editorial bashing Obama – failed to disclose that he donated $1,000 to the Clinton campaign back in March of 2007.
That would have made for a good front page.”
Segal would make Hearst proud.
I’m sorry, Senator Clinton has surrounded herself with people that are faux liberals and smell of corruption. I’m just not willing to overlook it.
Leland Frances
I’m sorry that Sen. Obama has surrounded himself with rabid homohaters like his OTHER close friend and “spiritual advisor” the Rev. James Meeks. That is, unless Obama will soon try to deny Meeks’ relationship with him as he’s recast Wright’s 20+ year role in his life. Those Obama Senate campaign TV commercials Meeks appeared in are probably being burned as I write.
Meeks calls being gay “an evil sickness.” He ran for governor on an antigay platform. He blames “Hollywood Jews” for “Brokeback Mountain.” His church has been used for antigay signature gathering the the Illinois version of “Focus on the Family.” Their annual Halloween Fright Night features sequined, mincing characters meant to be gay men doomed to Hell. As state senator Meeks he voted against IL’s gay rights bill [the one Obama lies about getting passed].
Similarly, Sen. Clinton has never paid for a Get Out the Homohating Voters concert starring “the poster boy for African-American ‘ex-gay’ ministries” Donnie “gays are trying to kill our children” McClurkin. So she was never put in the position of being BEGGED by gay activists to withdraw such invitation and then essentially tell us, as Obama did, “Tough Bitches! I do what I want!” Obama has denounced Farrakhan but only still “disagrees” with McClurkin who screeched to the roaring audience that night on Obama’s dime, “God DELIVERED ME FROM HOMOSEXUALITY!”
Obama makes Karl Rove proud.
Alec
Leland, you’re being irrational. BOTH candidates have appealed to religious conservatives, BOTH candidates have played their faith cards, BOTH candidates have associated themselves with individuals who are far from being pro-gay rights. And yet BOTH candidates are pro-gay rights, Obama a bit more than Clinton on actual policy, IMO.
The McClurkin incident was stupid, but unlike Senator Clinton’s faith tradition, Senator Obama’s has a history of being gay-friendly….a long history, in fact.
It isn’t really worth debating you any longer. It is clear that you are one of the irrational Hillary supporters.
queerunity
i think obama is trying to say he supports gay marriage but cant say it publicly
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
Mr C
Ms Leland THE SNOW QUEEN.
MS Hate your race. Check this out since you love talking about Donnie McClurkin, and James Meeks. Like Clinton is a innocent person.
FEAST YOUR SNOWY EYES ON THIS!
Speaking of pastors, Hillary and Bill’s previous pastor, Rev. William Procanick was found guilty of child molestation. He was accused of 1st degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
http://www.uticaod.com/homepage/x1637676857
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL HYPOCRITES FLOW!
Last but not lease while Hillary does not agree with Rev. Wrights appoach to religion, her current pastor does. Hillary and Bill attend ther Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington.
Hillary has stated, she would not accept Rev Wright as her Pastor. HER Pastor doesn’t agree.
The Rev. Dean Snyder wrote: Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader. A church leader, whom he has heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as aprofound voice for justice and inclusion in our society………Thus, white americans would do to listen carefully to Dr. Wright, rather than use a few quotes to polorize. This is a critical time in America’s history as we seek to repent of our racism.
So there girl you have it.
So find out eveything on Hillary with religious figures before you keep ranting your cocksucking mouth on Obama’s religious connections!
Her ass isn’t innocent neither!
Ms HYPOCRITE…Going to OutFest Sunday sweetie?
bobito
Neither Obama nor Clinton will do much for the LGBT causes without our community getting active about it. The best either of them could do, as Bill Clinton to some extent did, is to publicly acknowledge that the current state of inequality in the system is wrong, and wait for public opinion to support the idea of legally moving toward equalization. But as soon as his first baby-step proved too unpopular with the public for his comfort, he backtracked fast with DADT, and then overcompensated with DOMA. Lucky us, there we have it – the gay-friendliest President we’ve had so far.
Face it, it’s up to us to inspire the next president to work with us for anything we want, nobody’s gonna give it to us. But we can help by voting for somebody who is capable of being inspired, and is capable of inspiring others. That sure as hell ain’t McCain, no matter how much anybody dislikes Hillary or Obama. To me, our best bet would be Obama, but he’s being honest about how it’s not gonna happen without our work.
Mr C
At least someone is finally getting it.
Thanks Bobito.
M Shane
It’s not that hard to get , Mr. C for anyone with a 50 point iQ.
L/. Fracis , if you would just put the twaddle in abeyance for a second and digest some simple facts: Obama has come out loud and clear saying that he supports same sex unions with all of the rights of Marriage. That whether you use the terminology “marriage” or “same sex unions” is only a matter of semantics is to say that no matter what you call them, if the institutions are the same thing
legally it makes no difference what you call them. The difference is just language and of political convenience, not his approval or disapproval.
Obama has defended our rights, with no fear of discusing them publicly, on various occasions. Clinton will not even talk about gay people in public, and she does not approve of gay marriage for moral, personal reasons. Go figure who stands by us.