Oh, girl!
Barack Obama made a play for some new gays – and won. The Senator from Illinois just enlisted an additional 40 LGBT leaders, activists and politicos to endorse his campaign. They aren’t just any gays, either, but a specially selected swath of endorsees.
As Obama campainer Eric Stern tells Kerry Eleveld, “It’s not just a list. It’s a group of individuals, all of whom are highly skilled and bring a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to the campaign.” And send a powerful, strategic message.
Obama’s team has compiled an impressive roster of bold name activists, like Donna Rose. The former HRC board member resigned in protest after the ENDA crisis. Though once a Clinton supporter, Rose tells Eleveld that campaign didn’t seem ready to “engage” its backers. Obama wooed Rose with personal notes to HRC leaders following the Logo-sponsored gay forum.
Jeremy Bishop also brings some weight to Obama’s. Though his organization, gay union loving Pride at Work, didn’t endorse Obama, the labor leader will definitely help sway blue collar voters, who have traditionally favored Clinton.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
In terms of outreach, Bishop has been working on some op-eds for inclusion in papers such as The Southern Voice and the Washington Blade. His ties also run deep in the labor community, though he is careful to note that the 7,000-member Pride At Work has not endorsed a candidate.
Nonetheless, Bishop’s support can’t hurt in states that are union heavy and he counts Pennsylvania among one of the five states with the densest Pride At Work membership.
Pennsylvania’s a key primary win with 188 delegates at stake. It’s go big or go home – and Obama’s going big.
The other endorsees include Missouri State Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, Hispanic Business Association’s David Pena Jr and activist blogger Andres Duques. While all these men and women are notable in their own respect, this bundling purposefully signals that Obama’s with the fringe of gay communities, thus reinforcing his symbolism as a Washington outsider who’s speaking for the people. It’s very clever – and will no doubt drive the Clinton camp nuts!
Here’s the entire list of new supporters:
Jeanette Mott Oxford, Missouri State Representative, District 59-St. Louis City
Wilson Cruz, Actor, Los Angeles, CA
Kevin Jennings, Founder and Executive Director, Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Donna Rose, Former Board Member of the Human Rights Campaign; Former member of the Hillary Clinton for President LGBT Steering Committee; Transgender Activist
Jeremy Bishop, Executive Director, Pride at Work (AFL-CIO)
Ian Palmquist, Executive Director, Equality North Carolina; Immediate Past Chair, Equality Federation
Jo Kenny, Development Director, Pride at Work (AFL-CIO)
Stephen Glassman, Chairman, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
Hans Johnson, President of Progressive Victory
Craig Bowman, Former Executive Director of National Youth Advocacy Coalition
Donna Cartwright, Communications Director, Pride at Work (AFL-CIO)
Perry Nelson, Founder, Gateway Stonewall Democrats (St. Louis, MO)
Ben Turner, Co-Founder and Former Co-Chair of the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats (Harrisburg, PA)
Robert Perez, Public Relations Executive and Former WA Press Secretary for Kerry-Edwards
Judy Chambers, Co-Founder and Former Co-Chair of the Capital Region Stonewall Democrats (Harrisburg, PA)
Conrado Terrazas, Political Field Director for SEIU 1000 (CA)
Lisa Hazirjian, Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Gregg Gallo, National Stonewall Democrats Board Member (WA)
Anita Latch, Washington State Stonewall Democrats President
Jenny Durkan, Washington John Edwards for President State Chair (2004 & 2008)
Krista Strothmann, Baltimore Chapter of Pride at Work (AFL-CIO)
John Klenert, Campaign Board of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and Member of Board of Directors for DC Vote
Marti Abernathy, Transgender Advocate (Indiana)
Joe Darby, Vice President, Pride at Work (AFL-CIO), Lansing, Michigan
Randall Ellis, Former Executive Director of Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas
Andres Duque, LGBT activist (NY)
Gary Fitzsimmons, Dallas County District Clerk (TX)
Tim Downing, Member of Board of Directors for Human Rights Campaign (OH)
Christina Ocasio, Transgender activist; 2004 delegate to the DNC Convention (TX)
Dyshaun Muhammad, Former GLBT Caucus Chair, Young Democrats of America; Former Political Chair of Twin Cities HRC Steering Committee (MN)
Pauline Park, Chair, New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy
Glen Maxey, Former Texas State Representative (first openly gay member)
Marti Bier, Former Field Director for PFLAG
Doug Lakey, Director of West Coast Office of Alliance for Justice; former Development Director for the Human Rights Campaign
Terry Penrod, Member of Board of Directors for Human Rights Campaign (OH)
David Pena, Jr., Executive Director, National Hispanic Business Association
John McClelland, President, Denton County Stonewall Democrats (TX)
Joe Lacey, Dayton (OH) Board of Education Member
Tony Ballis, President, Dayton (OH) Stonewall Democrats
Noel Alicea, LGBT activist (NY)
*Organizations listed for identification purposes only.
Bitch Republic
Why’d he wait until most states had voted to get some gay lovin’?
martin
I couldn’t agree more.
rickroberts
It’s the gays tryin’ to fit in again with the cool kids. Well, not me, honey. Not me. Donnie McClurkin was unforgivable.
rickroberts
That smug look on his face. I can’t stand it. Hillary has worked hard and put up with so much, and it is such a common story. Hard-working women know this one. They do the work, and a smooth talking, charming man swoops in the steal the prize.
I will not be a part of it. Nosirree, bobtail.
ChristopherM
Richard, you kind of make her sound like some sad tragic Judy Garland-esque figure.
Pugnant
Oh Rickroberts – Lest we forget, she stood by while her husband signed on for DOMA, and reneged on Don’t ask, Don’t tell. Donnie McClurkin is unforgivable, but this isn’t? She is playing you, my friend. What has she really done for you? Walked in a parade?
Obama isn’t perfect (none of them are), but he has the courage to stand up and speak out for gay rights in front of religions groups and predominantly African-American audiences. He says right to them (most often without applause) that we should be treated with due respect. What HAS Sen. Clinton said about gay rights over the course of this campaign? Please enlighten me, because I must have missed it.
I urge you to reconsider. This is a good man who would be a great president.
tvonthefritz
John Aravosis recently unveiled an anti-gay Clinton ad from 1996, touting DOMA, with the kicker: “President Clinton has fought for our values and America is better for it.”
afrolito
Obama does’nt care about gays, and no amount of speeches in black churches is gonna make religious people care about gays either.
Ann
John Avarosis has a personal grudge against the Clintons. They didn’t treat him the way he felt he deserved to be treated. And he hasn’t said a good word about them since. He said so himself: “Some day we will tell the story, and it begins with how Joe and I reached out to Hillary’s people two years ago to help them repair relations with the blogs because most everyone else hated them. And what we got in return was a whole lot of nothing. Yes, we got lunch with Bill, 18 months ago, and that was very cool. That was also it. From them on, we’ve been ignored or treated as the enemy. It gets old. And that’s called learning from experience.”
fredo777
I don’t think certain people are ever going to give Obama enough credit (or any, for that matter). If he doesn’t mention the LGBT community enough, he doesn’t care about us. If he does try to be inclusive, it’s only pandering for votes.
Oy vey.
Ann
Here’s another example of the deep grudge that John Aravosis of AmericaBlog holds against the Clintons because they didn’t treat him with the respect he felt was his due. On his blog he wrote: “But then we were concerned that a lot of folks online, the blogosphere, the Netroots, etc., seemed to really really really not like Hillary, and that didn’t seem helpful to the party, especially since at that time she was the shoo-in to win the nomination anyway. So, we sat down for 2 hours and gave them lots of suggestions as to how they could better improve relations out there. In return, a number of bloggers did get invited to a lunch with bill, and that was great. But since that time, and we’re talking 18 months ago, the campaign’s relations with a lot of us were nonexistent. I mean, I received only 2 emails from their outreach person in 6 months. Nothing else. In the meantime, I’d go on Paula Zahn’s show and Howie Kurtz’s show, sometimes 3 times in a month, and be asked to defend Hillary and I would. I never got a call, never got an email, never got anything from the campaign thanking me.”
John now attacks her every day. He has even suggested that if Obama doesn’t win, there will be violence.
Mr C
Check this out! With most of you all that hold Donnie McClurkin against Obama you can’t win for losing.
Hillary goes to Black & White churches where as Pastors feel the same way as McClurkin.
Her campaign just make sure you don’t hear it. Unfortunately the real deal is this some WHITES and STRAIGHT UP RADICAL Gays hold this against Obama mainly cause of his race. YES I SAID RACE.BY THE WAY IN WHICH IS HE BI-RACIAL
You all forgive Hillary and Bill for Don’t Ask , Don’t Tell. But can’t forgive hime…WHY???
Then again why did I just ask that question to a community that is just as RACIST as the Heterosexuals. GO FIGURE
As long as racism rears it UGLY heads with the Gay community. I hope nothing gets passed in congress. The only thing differing you from heteros is that you love the same sex. But still breed HATRED towards each other because of race and disguise it as preference” when it’s truly “prejudice”.
And don’t worry the support for both is just about even so if the super delegates give it to Hillary she got alot of Barack’s supporter ass to kiss for votes and it’s not going to happen and John McCain will be president and the Gay community will forgotten about unfortunately AGAIN!
GET FUCKING REAL PEOPLE
IF YOU WANT TO BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO YOU ARE, THEN LEARN TO ACCEPT THE ONES IN YOUR COMMUNITY THE SAME REGARDLESS OF RACE WE’RE ALL STILL GAY!
fredo777
Mr. C, I have to respectfully disagree with some of what you said. While I’m sure there are racists among the gay community, as there are anywhere else in the human race, I don’t think all of the Obama-bashing is racially motivated.
That’s a slippery slope to go “there”, because Clinton supporters could start using the argument that anti-Clinton voters are sexist, anti-White, etc. While some individuals (gay or otherwise) are sexist and/or racist, let’s not jump to that conclusion w/o proof, on a case-by-case basis.
Mr C
Fredo,
It’s always good to agree to disagree. And I’m not totally jumping to that conclusion. Then why the HELL is Donnie McClurkin still coming out of the “mouth of Hillary babes” and that is the biggest comlaint on Obama. It’s a DAMN EXCUSE to keep bashing him over.
If they’re supporting Clinton then do so and leave him and his Gay supporters alone.
Because TRUST she has gay bashers endorsing her as well don’t be no fool.
And if Hill is for the Gay Community then……..
Question:
Why would I want you to march in a Gay Pride Parade with me and feel that me and partner shouldn’t be afforded the same as you and Bill?
Why would I want you to march in a Gay Pride Parade with me and I go in the Military it’s Don’t ask, don’t tell?
GO FIGURE GO OLD HILLARY!
The only thing she done as NY Senator was march in a Gay Pride Parade. She never showed for Black Gay Pride in NYC
GOTTA LOVE HER!
Bottom line this community needs to learn INCLUSION and ACCEPTANCE on all fronts!
And once again we can all agree to disagree. But we all need to work together for our COMMON CAUSE!
HOPEFULLY ONE DAY IT WILL HAPPEN!
mike a
Why is it only now that these endorsements are announced? If Sen. Obama was courting Donna Ross since the Logo debates? Has it really taken her seven months to decide? Wouldn’t she have decided which candidate to back when she voted in her home state?
This notion of bundling endorsements seems odd. This makes it seem as though the LGBT community has suddenly found Sen. Obama or vice versa. Suddenly when he thinks he needs us we become important. Why weren’t we always important?
The reason that McClurkin bothers me is that it seemed like although Sen. Obama knew how hurtful this man’s message about homosexuality is, he brushed that aside to pack 3,000 people into an auditorium where his candidacy could be touted.
I don’t buy this bringing everyone together rhetoric. This was not a dialogue on the merits of McClurkin’s views. This was a campaign rally. This was a gospel tour. Opponents to gay marriage overwhelmingly oppose on religious grounds. I worry that if the time comes when Sen. Obama has to choose between the support of his religious constituents and his LGBT ones, he will choose his religious ones just like he did in this instance.
And, yes I can forgive Sen. Clinton for DADT. I believe her when she said that it was a different time. Granted I was seven at the time so I have to take her word for it, but McClurkin is today. Sen. Obama’s action to trade the concerns of LBGT peoples for the possible votes of others happened in this campaign season.
ChristopherM
Ann, the list of former Clinton employees and appointees who feel the same way is about a mile long.
Bloggernista
It should be noted that this is not the first list of GLBT endorsements that the Obama campaign has released. This list adds to the nearly 60 GLBT leaders that have already endorsed Obama. Support for Obama along GLBT voters is stronger than some gay Clintonites want to admit.
Like Mr. C, I find it fascinating that some gays are so willing to forgive Clinton for standing by her man when he signed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell into law and signed DOMA into law then bragged about it in radio ads on Christian stations., but then go apoplectic because Obama made the mistake of allowing Donnie McClurkin to speak at a campaign event.
Even now has Obama is on record as supporting a full repeal of DOMA and Clinton supports only a partial repeal some gays claim that she is better on gay issues. Because she marched in a pride parade?
Obama was a sponsor of non-discrimination bill including sexual orientation and gender identity that is now law in Illinois. He has repeatedly spoken about his support for GLBT civil rights and not just in front of gay specific audiences, but in front of Black Christians. Show me where Clinton has done the same thing.
Steve
OMG are we still on this, and giving out false information about Hillary? She most certainly has come forward and said in public forums time and time again that she believes that all Americans, gay and straight should be given the same rights as any other individuals.
Where are you people pulling out this crap about her from? Are we seriously still talking about DOMA? And why does everyone fail to grasp how DOMA was in the short term beneficial? Although there was no other bill at the time, there has been many many conversations about going forward with a constitutional ban on marriage. It was, among other things, the existance of DOMA that helped prevent that from happening. Hillary most certainly has now come forward and has the exact same stance on it that Obama has. Which is put the power of marriage in state hands, and federally recognize the marriages in states that allow it.
She and Obama have the exact same stance on DADT as well. You can spew all the hate you want for the Clintons, but you all had better at least do a little fact checking before you do.
The fact that she has been saying this throughout her campaign and no one takes notice, but than Obama says the exact same thing and is applauded for it is nuts, and I think that is what RickRoberts was commenting on.
Mr C, I will assure you that my biggest complaint about Obama has absolutely nothing to do with Donnie. I can forgive the Clintons for DADT because since then Hillary has come forward and denounced it. I can forgive Obama for Donnie, although as far as I know he still has made no mention nor apology for his short sightedness.
There are some blacks and straight up radical gays that hate Clinton with as much fervor because of her race AND gender. Until both sides of the community learn inclusion and acceptance we will never be working for the common cause, which I agree is a sad sad thing.
rickroberts
President Clinton was prepared to allow gays to serve in the military with the stroke of a pen just as Truman did for Blacks, but Congress acted against him. DADT was a compromise brokered by Barney Frank, one of our own. It WAS a different time, and DADT was the best we could get, and on its face at least, it was better than what we had before. I was gay in the military at the time. I remember all of this. I remember feeling a sense of relief that I wasn’t going to be drummed out. I wanted a different solution, but I listened to wise counsel who urged not to allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.
As to Hillary “standing by” for DOMA, what do you propose that she should have done? She was not the President and didn’t hold elected office. We are not privy to advice, counsel, argument, yelling she may have done on our behalf behind the scenes. DOMA is disgusting (especially the very title of the law), but it prevented a move toward a permanent constitutional amendment. Again, let’s remember that the perfect is the enemy of the good. Sometimes, politics is about doing what is practical to be able to fight another day. Witness the latest fiasco of not including trans in ENDA. Progress is incremental.
Donnie McClurkin was a cynical ploy (just as Bill Clinton’s use of Sistah Souljah was a cynical ploy). Hillary is not Bill, and thankfully, she is not Barack.
Steve
And bloggernista,
Do not misunderstand Obama’s intent with a full repeal of DOMA. He may preach about wanting a full repeal, however, he is on record time and time again about supporting state rights and leaving the power to states to decide…that is the section 2 that Clinton is for leaving in in DOMA.
So he may say otherwise, but their stances are essentially the same.
hells kitchen guy
These arguments, which have been made 1,000 times in both directions, are boring. Everyone on this blog knows that whichever is nominated, he’ll vote for him/her. These arguments are just political masturbation.
rickroberts
Wrong, Hells Kitchen Guy. I can only speak for myself. I will not vote Obama. I refuse to be part of mass hysteria. I refuse to have media pick my candidate for me. I will sit it out or vote Nader. I may even vote McCain. There are, afterall, issues other than gay issues.
ChristopherM
Rick, was it a different time in 2004 when Bill Clinton openly encouraged John Kerry vocally oppose gay marriage in Massachusetts in order to boost his cred as a Clinton “centrist”?
rickroberts
ChristopherM, as I have stated before, Hillary is not Bill. She is Hillary.
Mr C
To Mike A. One thing you said may seem to be true. And here is that comment
QUOTE:Mike A
I don’t buy this bringing everyone together rhetoric
UNQUOTE:
You’re right forget them what about us? i.e the gay community. You don’t buy that rhetoric of this community getting beyond race and class as well?
Neither Obama or Clinton is really going to do anything for this community you have a Senate and House of Rep who will really decide those issues and the last I heard they were’nt hearing anything the gays had to say.
Clinton/Obama Obama/Clinton
It is what it is and this community is what it is and it’s SAD!
24play
Rick. Princess. Honey.
We all know why you won’t be voting for Obama. And that’s fine. But maybe you should confine your racist self to your own pathetic blog, where people can read gems like this:
“Big surprise. Black people voted 91% for the black candidate. Ya think they studied the issues at all? … um, no.”
rickroberts
@24play
Oh, I am outed! Yes, you pegged me. I am an evil, vile racist for pointing out that 91% of a demographic group voting for a member of the same demographic group is nothing more than raw identity voting. That’s the problem with you Obama Moonies. You yell racism at any criticism.
24play
It’s the LAST sentence of your quote that’s clearly and undeniably racist, princess. Not the vote tally.
Don’t pretend you can’t see that.
ChristopherM
Thanks Play. When someone is making a blanket statement that people of a particular race don’t know the issues based on how they voted (and FYI, most white folks in Mississippi voted for Clinton, but I’m sure they were all well-informed, eh Rick?), I’m done trying to have a discussion with them. Someone that blind isn’t worth my time.
rickroberts
24, we’ll just have to disagree on that one, sugar. I know my heart. You see what you want to see.
I live in Atlanta, one of the most chocolate cities in the country. I have very actively worked for the election of our Black mayor, Shirley Franklin; I have advocated for John Lewis and still do, despite the fact that he did a turncoat on Hillary Clinton. I have given money to both their campaigns. My oldest friend in the world is Black. I date Black men. My cred is there for those who know me.
rickroberts
No, Chris, I would agree with you that the vast majority of whites voting for Clinton was herd mentality, identity group voting. It’s wrong on both sides. It’s also possible that members of both groups do it to counter what they see as an onslaught from the other.
24play
And the proof is in the pudding, princess. Your racist heart is out there for all to see on your blog (and only slightly less visible on this one).
rickroberts
Chris, you “don’t really hate white people…most of the time?” Good to know, dude.
ChristopherM
It’s called satire, Rick (though admittedly not particularly great satire!).
Rick, I don’t know you. I don’t know your heart. But I have to say it has only been classified as identity politics when it is black folks voting for Obama, not the other way around. No one is out there on Obama’s campaign dismissing 50+ white women as not looking at the issues when they vote for Clinton. Indeed, your blog pegs Obama with the identity politics label, not Clinton. It is all a part of invidious white privilege to be able to vote for whomever we want while black folks who vote for a particular candidate are automatically pegged with not considering anything but race.
Earlier in the campaign, Clinton and Obama split the black vote fairly evenly. It wasn’t until Obama started winning and the Clinton surrogates (especially Bill) started in with their foolishness of trying to belittle Obama as only being the Black Candidate that the tide really started to turn. Maybe black folks just got sick and tired of the race-baiting of the Clinton campaign, and that is the issue they considered.
rickroberts
Chris, Google is your friend. There are plenty of instances of women being pegged with identity politics. I have to get on with my day, but I urge you and others to read this:
http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html
Michael Bedwell
First, Bloggernista AKA Michael Crawford Obama Borg shill—aren’t you lying because know all the times I’ve documented the FACTS on Bilerico where you’re an editor? [and about ObamaDoma, too, for the same reason] Obama did NOT sponsor the gay rights bill that passed in Illinois. Saying he deserves credit simply because he cosponsored earlier similar bills that failed is like giving a basketball player who’s no longer on the team credit for that team winning the championship.
And ENOUGH with the lies about the Dali Obama always talking about “GLBT civil rights†in front of people [when not simply responding to a question], particularly blacks. DOCUMENT JUST TWO SUCH INSTANCES PLEASE where he has used THOSE exact terms! I’ve asked you repeatedly to put your proof where your pie hole is and you NEVER have. Typical Obama tactic….keep repeating a lie until people believe it.
ChristopherM…you’re one-quarter right.
One part you’re wrong about? “Earlier… Clinton and Obama split the black vote fairly evenly.” Uh, no. See below:
“Poll: Black support helps Clinton extend lead. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s lead over Sen. Barack Obama, her chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, is growing among African-American voters who are registered Democrats, and particularly among black women, a poll said Wednesday. Among black registered Democrats overall, Clinton had a 57 percent to 33 percent lead over Obama. That’s up from 53 percent for Clinton and 36 percent for Obama in a poll carried out in April.” – CNN, October 17, 2007.
THEN CAME McCLURKINGATE ….. eleven days later and suddenly all of South Carolina where half the Democratic voters are black was talking about a homohating black gospel superstar campaigning for Obama on a stage Obama paid for.
THEN CAME THE SWIFT BOATING OF THE CLINTONS AS RACISTS BEGAN…..launched by Obama national cochair Jesse Jackson, Jr., on MSNBC the morning after Sen. Clinton SURPRISE rose from the pundit-declared dead and beat him in New Hampshire. WHY didn’t Hillary cry for black Katrina victims, he brayed? Why doesn’t she care about “other issues” important to the black voters in South Carolina, he drooled.
THEN THE SWIFT ARMADA WAS LAUNCHED by Obama’s South Carolina Press Secretary, Amaya Smith, with her e-mailed catalog of allegedly racist comments by Clinton or Clinton supporters. Mainstream press who have been card carrying Hillary Haters for nearly 20 years spun fiction into fact….ignoring the denunciation of the Obama campaign’s race card playing by black Congressman John Lewis who KNEW and FOUGHT WITH Martin Luther King, who still has scars from being BEATEN BY ALABAMA COPS:
“I think there’s been a deliberate, systematic attempt on the part of some people in the Obama camp to really fan the flame of race and really try to distort what Senator Clinton said. President Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton for many, many years have been all about bringing people together and not dividing people according to race, agenda or class.â€
…. and the wagons full of black voters circled around the allegedly-wronged black candidate…the same one who bored them weeks before… and without Obama changing any policy, program, promise—no reason of SUBSTANCE that anyone could identify—those poll numbers from October turned upside down and Obama won South Carolina.
“Barack Obama would not be leading the Democratic presidential race without the enthusiasm and high turnout of black voters. They spearheaded his comeback win in South Carolina, where Obama trounced Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards with the backing of four out of every five black voters. They provided his margin of victory in many other states, and will play a key role in Tuesday’s primary in Mississippi, where Clinton is the underdog.†– Associated Press, Sunday, March 9, 2008
ASK ANY OF THESE 60 LGBTS as I’ve repeatedly asked their wrangler Hillary Hater Eric Stern to explain why…
IF OBAMA LUVS GAYS SO MUCH….why no one can find a single sentence, word, syllable about LGBT rights in his 64-page “Blueprint for Change-Barack Obama’s Plan for Americaâ€?
ASK THEM WHY Obama “denounced†Farrakhan’s antiSemitism but only “disagrees†with McClurkin saying gays are trying to kill America’s children?
ASK THEM WHY Obama has refused interviews, refused to face tough questions from gay reporters as Sen. Clinton has, with LOGO and “The Washington Blade†and the gay paper in Ohio in which he placed that promise-everything-specify-nothing ad with his face looking piously upward toward some lavender Heaven?
By Friday… the Obama campaign stopped returning my calls. Obama spokespeople pivot to the MLK Day speech as though it settles every debt to the LGBT community, past and future. 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!†– Eric Resnick, reporter for Ohio’s Gay People’s Chronicle, who recently interviewed Sen. Clinton.
ASK THEM WHY Obama lied about passing the gay rights bill in Illinois just as he lied about passing a bill to regulate the nuclear industry?
I guarantee you they won’t have any answer that would satisfy an objective person not interested in selling flowers for Obama at the nearest airport.
fredo777
Mike, I don’t get that logic. “I forgive Hillary” for DODA, but not Obama b/c her offense took place longer ago? Ummm…
Also, Obama added an openly gay minister to that very same tour you speak of. So, how is that putting religious supporters over the gay ones?
fredo777
* DADT
Michael Bedwell
Fredo777, we fear you’re misinformed.
“Obama added an openly gay minister” only AFTER several gay groups and activists, both black and white, begged him to cancel McClurkin’s invitation entirely which he refused. And after they asked him to say himself on stage at the concert that he disagreed with McClurkin—which he refused.
The “openly gay minister” was not added “to the tour” but appeared once at the very beginning of the McClurkin Hate The Gays Fest, saying something gay postive that few actually heard because the majority of the 3000 attendees had yet to arrive, and then was shuffled off stage never to be heard from again. All most remember from that evening is McClurkin screeching “God DELIVERED ME from homosexuality.”
fredo777
“We fear..”
Are you speaking for two now?
The minister appeared during said event which was part of the tour, so whether you feel it was too brief or not, doesn’t change that fact.
I’m not saying I was thrilled with McClurkin’s stance or him being included at the event, but I also don’t think Obama shares all of his views, considering some of his other actions. I believe you have to reach people where they are. Which includes religious people who might respond to anti-gay statements. He didn’t completely shut those people out + isn’t completely shutting out LGBT persons, either. It’s the whole “can’t please all of the people all of the time…” thing in action.
Bitch Republic
I will NOT vote for Obama, either. I’ll vote for the Socialist candidate instead of drinking the Kool-Aid.
Jimy
Can someone fill me in on what he has done for the LGBTQ community since he has been a Senator?
And please don’t call me a racist for asking.
rickroberts
Oh, Jimy, dude, you are totally about to catch hell, you terrible, evil racist! Better put on your raincoat. You’re not allowed to question The Messiah.
Peter Cannady
FDR refused A. Philip Randolph’s demand that he sign an executive order banning employment discrimination in defense industries. Eleanor Roosevelt went to New York and spoke in support of the ban at a Randolph rally. Eleanor took to the streets to oppose FDR’s intransigence and guess what – she won! FDR finally signed it. That’s why Eleanor Roosevelt is universally hailed for her integrity. So Rickroberts asks re. DOMA “what could she have done”? Yeah – same thing Eleanor did.
hells kitchen guy
rick roberts – you’re entitled to your opinion (which you seem determined to express). but i would maintain that you are an exception of 1 to the other LGBT voters, who will vote for Clinton or Obama – whichever is nominated.
You are NOT part of a trend, or anything else except a fringe group of one.
Michael Bedwell
Lovely story Cannady but FDR did NOT ban discrimination in defense industries simply because Eleanor told him to. She was a GREAT woman, but it was Randolph’s threat of a huge black march on Washington that got FDR to buckle not her. I trust Eleanor wanted all military units integrated, too, [Randolph’s second demand] but neither she nor the threat of the march could convince FDR to do that in those racist times.
Aside: Great March on Washington of 1963 was the fruit of that canceled march in 1941.
Extensive behind the scenes details of both events can be found in “Lost Prophet,” the book about black gay civil rights icon and Randolph protege Bayard Rustin, by John D’Emilio.
Unless you can prove that Sen. Clinton did NOT try to convince her husband to refuse to sign DOMA or DADT your attack is moot. Even if she did, even if he’d agreed, Congress would have overridden him in both cases.
And oh PLEASE, Fredo! McClurkin is just as homohating as he was before he ever met Obama and Obama has yet to “denounce” him the way he’s denounced Farrakhan. Why is antiSemitism more important to Obama than homophobia? And don’t repeat those myths about his damning it whereever he goes. He rarely uses the word at all but talks about “not blaming” and “hugging.” I don’t need a fucking hug, fool, I need antigay laws overturned and new ones defeated.
Obama’s close personal friend the Rev. James Meeks of Chicago is also just a homohating as he was before meeting Obama. As State Sen. James Meeks, Obama couldn’t even get him to vote for their gay rights bill-assuming he even tried. He was so busy running for US Senate that he couldn’t even take the few seconds it would have taken to sign on as a sponsor.
Joe
In San Francisco the local gay paper said Obama refused to meet with gay groups in Ohio and Texas.
He would not even submit to a phone interview.
He did accept questions that were submitted to him so his campaign could answer them.
He also dissed Newsom and refused to have his picture taken with him because he did not want to be associated with a mayor who supported gay marriage.
Who is this guy Obama?
rickroberts
Hell’s Kitchen, I know at least two others. That makes me a fringe group of at least three. And I have read some on here as well. So there are others.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/the_specter_of_mccain_democrat.html
Jimy
I will not vote for Obama is he gets the nomination. He has done nothing for gay rights.
NOTHING. He’s playing ya boys. Yep, you are being played.
I will vote for the person with the most experience because we are living in one fucked up country and it just not about gay rights. It is about insurance, health care, the war, the economy. So if that is John McCain, so be it.
And everytime Obama heads yell racisit for someone disagreeing with him, another 20,000 people will start to feel the same way.
Why can’t you people accept that he is just not ready?
rickroberts
Hell’s, my count is up to five now, and that’s from this obscure forum.
Onehungfarmboy
Boys and Girls I was raised in the United Church of Christ and let me tell you they are more against Gay rights than most. They are like a wolf in sheep’s clothing and will turn against the community faster than Jesus can turn Water to Wine. There is no way in Hell I will vote for Obama… If I must I will hold my nose and Vote for McCain.
fredo777
Michael, “oh please!” yourself.
I never suggested that McClurkin was any less anti-gay after meeting Obama. So, I’m not sure how that particular comment was even relevant. What I said was that Obama is reaching out to lots of different citizens, some of whom (shockingly enough) might not share the same beliefs as myself, you, or other posters on this blog. It doesn’t necessarily make him the anti-Christ because he associated with McClurkin, just as I’m sure some religious zealots don’t like him associating himself with LGBT issues even as much as he does. Yet, he still has specifically addressed the LGBT community in his campaigning. Is he perfect? No. Don’t expect him to be.
Neither is Clinton. They’ve both done things that we might disagree with or find questionable. I’m just tired of the bias against Obama, as though Hillary is the second coming where LGBT citizens are concerned.
Heath
Save the country. Vote for McCain. Obama has cried racism to death. It has become his entire platform. Why aren’t you posting the fact that his preacher use the N word today as it relates to Clinton. Stop being so fucking bias against a lady who has done more the the gay community than Obama Applewhite ever will.
M Shane
Most of the jerk-offs who rage and rave so mindlessly here have the exhibit the same kind of mindless cutthroat ethos as Bush followers. No different than the crazed soliers at AbuGarib or Guantanamo or the religious soldiers of god.
It’s you who have had the Kool-aid and who will lose because you can’t behave like civilized people. It’s getting tiresome, because you just repeat yourselves.
M Shane
You may as well be chimps, for all the originality or helpfulness of your posts.
rickroberts
Obama’s minister says “white devils invented AIDS.†What say ye, Senator Obama?
fredo777
It’s funny (or maybe sad?) how the Clintonites keep bringing up race in the discussions, + yet the Obama campaign supposedly is playing a “race card” 24/7.
Ridiculous.
M Shane
That’s called flaming, since there is no context, no responsability on Obama’s part,
since most people don’t agree with thier ministers.
You might get a spot on Jerry Springer!
Peter Cannady
Gee Michael Bedwell, takes alot of guts dissin’ the memory of Eleanor Roosevelt! Truth is, Mr. Smartypants, it was deeply embarrassing for FDR to have his own wife rallying against his refusal to sign the ban and if you don’t think that made a difference, you’re a fool. A Phillip Randolph certainly credited Eleanor so I’ll take his word over yours.
And you know how I know Eleanor opposed her husband’s intransigence? Because there’s a public record she did. And according to your “logic”, Michael, I guess we should all assume Eva Braun opposed the invasion of Poland because, at least no one can prove she didn’t try to convince Adolf to attack Switzerland instead.
With “friends” like Hillary Clinton, who needs enemies?
Steve
The notion of 100,000 black people marching through lily white Washington was what got FDR to find a compromise. Eleanor most certainly was instrumental in making the meetings happen between FDR and Randolph, however, I don’t believe FDR was really too embarassed by his wife opposing him(I think if he feared public opinion so much he would not have had cheated on her, but i digress).
And of course Phillip credits Eleanor, without her he would not have had the opportunity to meet with FDR. But I think it dubious to say that it was Eleanor’s public opposition that caused FDR to seek a compromise.
Peter Cannady
FDR didn’t compromise, he caved.
The point is not what effect Eleanor had on FDR’s decision making, it’s that when Eleanor opposed something her husband did or didn’t do as President she did so publicly. That’s why Eleanor is a hero. Hillary, on the other hand, said and did nothing when her husband signed DOMA and presided over the greatest mass expulsion of gay men from the armed forces in our nation’s history. When she had an opportunity to support our community, she sat in stony silence. Hillary ain’t no hero, she’s gutless.