Just Sayin': Human Rights Campaign endorsed Lieberman over Lamont

[cali]

In 2006, Lamont was pro marriage equality and Lieberman was fervently opposed.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/21/238736/-


<snip>


ut if this endorsement surprised you, well, then you don’t know the Human Rights Campaign. Don’t forget, this is the same organization that endorsed the anti-gay-marriage Joe Lieberman over his more deserving, pro-gay-marriage challenger Ned Lamont in 2006. As if to ensure HRC’s actions were placed beyond the reach of satire, Lieberman was also endorsed by virulent gay marriage opponents in the same race. Spoiler alert: Lieberman won. Then, fresh off bear-hugging Bush’s War in Iraq, Lieberman went on to endorse John McCain for President over the HRC-backed Barack Obama. Oops.

Two years later, HRC pulled the same act. In the 2008 Maine Senate race, they endorsed Republican Susan Collins, splitting with the state LGBT group Equality Maine, who endorsed Democratic opponent Tom Allen for his superior record on LGBT issues. Feeling spurned by this endorsement and others, queer and transgender activists launched a protest of the annual HRC dinner in 2008. The outcry seemingly had little effect, because HRC again endorsed Collins in 2014 over a similarly better-suited opponent.

So, yeah, go ahead and act shocked (“Wow!”) that the Sanders campaign would lump the Human Rights Campaign in with the “establishment”. I think attorney and organizer Hugh Baran put it best when he said “Ultimately, what HRC values is access to power, and its money certainly does provide it with access.” Is there any better definition of “establishment” than that?

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/20/1472177/-More-of-the-same-from-the-Human-Rights-Campaign

[bigtree]

1. so, advocacy organizations are fine

...if they're poor and powerless?

This is nothing but sour grapes at Sanders not being chosen. The Sanders spokesman expresses that disappointment clearly. And they cite their endorsement of Lieberman over Lamont, which they complain resulted in Lieberman voting for McCain. But, Obama also endorsed Lieberman in that race.

I don't need to guess at the response if HRC had endorsed Sanders. Did they want this group's endorsement, or not?

[cali]

6. You continue your long run of inserting your words

into others mouths.

I said nothing of the sort.

[bigtree]

7. I'm responding to the article you posted

...but you're quite welcome to put your mouth in the way.

[Freddie Stubbs]

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[HerbChestnut]

8. It's not sour grapes.

It's pointing out the clear missteps of this organization. HRC has a lukewarm reputation among the LGBT community at best for the reasons cited in the OP.

[bigtree]

10. so Sanders didn't want their endorsement?

...his campaign would have never have come out and called them 'establishment' if they'd gotten the endorsement.

I can almost hear it: 'We strongly reject this endorsement of our candidate from this establishment organization. We're especially upset because they chose Lieberman over Lamont. Under the bus!'

This low blow attack on the organization was made solely because it chose his rival. It's sour grapes, pure and simple.

[kenfrequed]

2. Yup

And after cancelling my eight year support of the organization yesterday I have had a lot of my gay friends tell me that the organization really has never been very good other than at selling blue and yellow equal sign stickers and at providing cover for politicians that aren't really all that helpful.

Apparently it doesn't really represent trans people at all, it has very little in the way of diversity, and seems more interested in fund raising than pressuring politicians.

[artislife]

9. They sound like the Susan B Komens of the LGBT arena. nt

[m-lekktor]

3. Many of us gay folk have DISLIKED IMMENSELY Human Rights Campaign for various reasons

for quite some time!

oh and I live in Connecticut and I remember quite well this endorsement. Obama endorsed Lieberman over Lamont as well!

[beam me up scottie]

5. I stopped supporting HRC because of their stance on transgender people.

I donated regularly until they decided that the 't' in lgbt wasn't equal.

[Blue_Tires]

4. So did a lot of Dem pundits

and a lot of big-name DUers here...


Point?

[MisterP]

11. party over principle, again: their assumption is that the Dems are "the gay party" and

therefore its establishment has to be propped up (regardless of policy), ending up pinkwashing

plus, Lamont and Sanders won't retaliate if they win ...

[mainer]

12. I never knew any of this. Thank you.

Somehow it escaped my attention that they endorsed GOP Susan Collins over the very liberal Tom Allen in Maine.

It really does prove that the HRC is not really looking out for anyone's rights, but only for their own door into the hallways of power.

I've been waffling between Sanders (whose policies I like) and Clinton (who I thought had a better chance of winning the GE.) This whole HRC/ Planned Parenthood fiasco makes me disgusted with both organizations. I'm voting for Bernie.

[AzDar]

14. K & R