Eighty-eight visits in 365 days. That’s how many times members of the Human Rights Campaign stopped by Obama’s house last year, according to Michael Petrelis’ math (the logs are incomplete for December). That’s 12 visits for president Joe Solmonese, 10 for defender-in-chief Hilary Rosen, at least seven for policy strategist David Smith, three for legislative director Allison Herwitt, and even two for Judy Shepard. Of course, some of these visits may have been for official events rather than one-on-one meetings, and “White House visits” is the not same thing as “Barack Obama visits.” But for a full quarter of last year, HRC had representatives at 1600 Pennsylvania. So, yea for access?
AndrewW
And what do WE have to show for it? Souvenirs?
Jon
So DADT repeal? Mr. President? I guess there are more important things than rights. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”
-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Zack
I’m confused as to why HRC having frequent visits to the White House is a bad thing. HRC is, after all, primarily a lobbyist/political action committee. If they aren’t visiting the White House and members of Congress, then they’d really be failing.
Now, before your HRC-haters jump on me, I acknowledge your right to criticize them. I’m not a member myself. But, criticizing them for visiting the White House is ludicrous. There are plenty of legitimate issues with HRC. Go after those, semi-anonymous Queerty writer.
AndrewW
@Zack: I think part of the criticism is whether or not lobbying is effective. HRC doesn’t even have a list of “successful lobbying,” in fact we can’t find any Member of Congress that changed their minds/votes because of HRC lobbying.
I think HRC does have some success on State and Local issues, but that really hasn’t been their stated purpose.
Wy
Well in HRC’s defense, the logs were probably the Service Entrance logs and for the most part the men were probably there to arrange the flowers or frou-frou Michelle’s hair and the women were asked to move furniture.
I wonder how many of the visits were to color Easter Eggs for the gay-friendly egg roll.
If that isn’t the case, there’s no excuse for the lack of progress and all their defensive b/s as of late.
Chapeau
Access doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t translate to EQuality.
DEREK WASHINGTON
@Wy: That was funny.