The Democratic front runners took to a stage in South Carolina last night.
While health care and black politics dominated the CNN/Black Caucus-sponsored debate, we gays did pop up, albeit very briefly, during Barack Obama‘s diatribe on how the Democrats have failed to reach religious-minded voters:
Obama: I think there have been times — there have been times where our Democratic Party did not reach out as aggressively as we could to evangelicals, for example, because the assumption was, well, they don’t agree with us on choice, or they don’t agree with us on gay rights, and so we just shouldn’t show up. And when you don’t show up, if you’re not going to church, then you’re not talking to church folk. And that means that people have a very right-wing perspective in terms of what faith means and of defining our faith.
Wolf Blitzer: All right.
Obama: And as somebody who believes deeply in the precepts of Jesus Christ, particularly treating the least of these in a way that he would, that it is important for us to not concede that ground. Because I think we can go after those folks and get them.
Obama’s been making many a homo headline recently. The Senator from Illinois included gays in his Sunday speech at MLK’s Ebenezer Church. All the attention hasn’t been so positive, however – ex-gay advocate Kirbyjon Caldwell recently threw his weight behind Obama. Obama has yet to make a statement on the endorsement, but some are hoping he’ll refuse the minister’s electoral love.
emb
This is what he means when he talks about RR being “transformative.” Reagan stole away traditional democrats because he talked (wrongly of course) about larger issues that seemed (incorrectly) to appeal to their interests. When Obama says “Because I think we can go after those folks and get them” he doesn’t mean the dems should become bible-thumping wackos like the huckabillies; he means that while we may all disagree on fundamental issues, there may still be grounds for unfied effort. That’s “transformative” talk, and it’s the kind of strategy that wins elections. Liberal democrats, acting alone, are not going to elect anybody.
Paul Thompson
No other media is even talking about this…
it is a very important point that he makes.
Hillary and Edwards shut down this discussion.
afrolito
That’s not “transformative”, that’s a “fairytale”.
There is no way you can fundamentally disagree on important issues, and “unify” regardless. Any gay person who votes for Barack is going against his interests, and throwing away a vote in essence. He’s not going to win in a general election, and even if he did, he will not fight for gay rights.
hisurfer
oh bullshit. Jimmy Carter? Born Again. Bill Clinton? Loved to be photographed with Jesus people. Lloyd Bentsen? Wouldn’t shut up about it.
Billie
Sooo Afrolito; you’d rather ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ that you’re gay (Clinton)? Be firmly against gay marriage (Edwards)? Or ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (Obama)?
Obama already fought for gay rights in Illinois, co-sponsored legislation to expand federal hate crimes laws to include crimes perpetrated because of sexual orientation and gender identity, supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes it should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity, believes we need to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, believes gays and lesbians should have the same rights to adopt children as heterosexuals, and voted against a Federal Marriage Amendment and opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.
So you’re not going to consider voting for him, because you don’t like some of the people who are voting for him?
It ain’t good to be you, is it?
afrolito
You’re a fool if you think Barack Obama is going to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. How exactly is he gonna do something no one else has been able to do EVER? Co sponsering bills in Illinois, and spouting talking points about repealing “don’t ask don’t tell”, is not going to get anything done in Washington. As flawed as that policy is, at least Bill Clinton attempted to give gays a voice and seat at the table. Barack would throw gays under the bus as soon as he got in office.
None of these people (Obama included) care about fighting for gay rights or marriage. They are heterosexual christians, who see marriage between a man and a woman, as the ideal.
Obama is PANDERS to whatever group he feels can further him in this race. They all do it.
afrolito
And to finish my point, it’s all moot anyway. White people in this country will NEVER vote for Barack Hussein Obama come November.
New Hampshire was the first red flag…
Charles R Sears II
I watched the Democratic Debate last night and I am more confused than ever. As a gay man,I was glad to see Hillary get some spitfire and Barack go head to head with her.I am still leaning towards John Edwards though…he is the only one consistant in my eyes..I don’t trust either Hilary or Barack on gay issues or on the problems that face our nation.I want our troops home from Iraq first,then illegal immigration dealt with and power given back to the border patrol to fire on drug dealers and illegal crossers,smuggler’s.Yes,I want our gay brothers and sisters to serve equally and fully devoid of fear of discharge for their sexuality in the armed services..I did back in the late 60’s and early 70’s. My fellow corpsman knew I was gay,and defended me when necessary against detracters and those who harrassed me.I don’t like the people around Barack Obama[reformed gays?] and as for Hillary, she is so wishy washy and says one thing one day and another the next,and I think the majority of voters think that Bill is coming to the White House and be an Ambassador or something along the lines as First man…and she[Hilary] appears to be shutting him out in some of her statement’s and perhaps that is why he is making those wild statements to the media? All I know is that we cannot let a Republican get in or fix this election..and make sure that George Bush doesn’t do something to mess with it either! Peace.
Billie
If everyone is as filled with hate and hopelessness as you are; we are indeed doomed as doomed can be.
But they’re not. It’s just you.
Billie
I mean you, Afrolito. There are more racists than we can count. But you can’t live with them driving you, can you? I know I couldn’t.
hisurfer
“White people in this country will NEVER vote for Barack Hussein Obama come November.”
At the MLK Day Parade in our town yesterday the only three groups that were majority-white were Obama 2008, the Hare Krishnas, and PFLAG.
ProfessorVP
I don’t know if Edwards can snag the nomination anymore, but his wife Elizabeth, whom I like, spilled the beans about John’s real position on marriage equality. He is afraid to say he’s really for it, because conventional wisdom says it would mean doom for his campaign. Oddly, Mrs. Edwards’ comment got little media play, but yeah, she said it.
Notice also Edwards says that although he’s not for it, his wife and daughter are for it. So I think we can read between the lines.
afrolito
I don’t care how many white people show up to an MLK parade, and wtf does that prove?? They will never elect Barack Hussein Obama to the presidency. This is a racist country to the very core, and all the feel good rhetoric is not going to change that fact.
hisurfer
Actually, afrolito, I think you missed my point. I live in a state with a minority white population. Through a net in any random direction and you’ll bag a rainbow coalition. For *any* group to be all one ethnicity in Hawaii is strange.
And it was even stranger that one of the few white-majority groups that day was “Obama 2008”. Even the Young Republican group was more diverse.
Mark Kraft
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is telling their workers…
“It’s not illegal unless they tell you so”, and. . .
“don’t be afraid to go negative”.
Mark Kraft
The idea that Americans wouldn’t vote for Obama over McCain is as ludicrous as the idea that Americans wouldn’t have voted for a young JFK over a far more experienced Richard Nixon, or for that matter, a backwater Arkansas governor without any foriegn policy experience over a 1 term president, two-term VP who formerly ran the CIA.
jama
i think afrolito
has is smugling a racist. black and brown people and even gays often smugle the negative perceptions of the “other” in their own world-view. about new hampshire think for a moment that Barak hussein obama got 2X as much votes as Jonny and was tree point shy of the CLintons. i think you should watch on youtube Obams Iowa Victory speech, it will do you good bro.
…. they said this day would never come….