It is interesting that Richardson said that being Gay was a choice and survived but

[Perky]

a singer associated with the Obama campaign says essentially the same thing and some folks are ready to draw and quarter Obama for supporting bigotry?


Why is their more animus?

Is it because Richardson Faux-pas was not related to an appeal to religious voters?

Is it because Obama is Not Hillary?

Is it because Richardson's was a gaffe and Obama dug in his heals and refused to bow to the pressure that was applied?


Is it the context or the content? Both? Neither?

I am hostly trying to figure this out... because on the surface Richardson said the same thin that McGlurkin did and Obama crime is either a failure to repudiate or a failure to budge.

My sense is that the anger came from understanding that the singer was going to be on Obama's stage and not that he was going to emcee. But the anger at Richardson was far more subdued than is being directed at Obama

Was Richardson ever called homophobic or a bigot or accused of enabling bigotry?

[dsc]

1. Richardson did lose my vote over it

or at least it was the nail in his coffin. As to the rest he was, and still is, a distant fourth so he doesn't get the attention that the big three get.

[knitter4democracy]

2. Richardson isn't a serious contender.

At least his polling numbers aren't that great. Most people here seem to think he's really running for VP or some high up cabinet position.

Obama's a serious contender. For someone polling as highly as he is to pull this kind of stunt is maddening.

[Perky]

10. So you think it was intentional?

I am not sure it wasn't. But if it was cold and calculating to essentially drive up his numbers among black churchgoers in South Carolina, then it was not bungling.

The odd thing is that he never did any sort of mea culpa which suggested that his team knew what they were doing all aong.

Does he feel as though he can lose the GLBT community now but that they will come back to the fold in the fall?

[gateley]

58. I don't think it was intentional, but when he realized the problem he had the

time to right the wrong. It would have been the RIGHT thing to do.

[knitter4democracy]

69. I think it was intentional.

Do a quick Google search on that guy, and you know who he is and what he does. I think it was a calculated move to pander to a group he thinks his numbers need shoring up in, and he tossed the LGBT community overboard. I also haven't seen any real apology or decent response yet. The other guy he got to "even it out" said a prayer at the beginning and left, and the other black preachers who offered to come were rejected--this was deliberate.

[Bluebear]

3. "Lynch" Obama . . . yeah, this is helpful.

And Richardson also called gays "Maricón".

[Perky]

13. So is it the lack of apology?

[Bluebear]

18. No, it's the complete tone-deafness.

[Perky]

24. Well he certainly did not budge on the issue

there was no real backpedaling and no real waffling. No real response from the candidate himself. It that the source of the anger?

[Chovexani]

22. Holy shit, he really said that?

:wow:

I was born and raised in NYC, lots of my friends are Puerto Rican GLBTers and I know what that means.

For a high ranking official to say something like that... :wtf:

[JackBeck]

4. I turned my back on Richardson when he called gay men "maricones".

As a gay man who lives in NYC, you try to learn all the coded was you can be called a fag.

[NMDemDist2]

8. he apologied for that too n/t

[Bluebear]

11. That's good to know, AZdd6

I had not heard that.

[NMDemDist2]

16. here's the RawStory link

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/2008_candidate_Richardson_says_being_gay_0810.html

[JackBeck]

14. Please.

How many times do I have to listen to apologies before the mistakes aren't made in the first place?

I thought this was the 21st century.

[NMDemDist2]

17. I'm a woman, I know what you're saying

some of the chit I read around here is maddening, but I try to hope the opportunities to educate ignorant people on what's hurtful will make a difference.

[mike from ri]

33. are these the words of a bigot?

“I see gays and lesbians as people, as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know, I don’t like to categorize people. I don’t like to answer definitions like that, that you know perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don’t understand.”

perhaps richardson was not steeped in the subtlties of the way orientation issues have been framed, but his underlying instinct was one of respect.

[Perky]

35. And Obama's instincts are different?

[goodgd_yall]

45. Obama blew it in a way Richardson didn't

And you know how. Think about it.

[Perky]

48. By refusing to repudiate and get the guy off the stage?

[goodgd_yall]

50. By allowing him to be on the show

I don't think he (McCurkin) could have been trusted not to make some negative statement about homosexuality. By not having more control over the situation. Then again maybe he did, which would be even more dismaying.

[Perky]

55. hmm

see my post #53

[mike from ri]

23. the context was richardson joking in spanish . . .

when challenged about his hispanic identity and he used a generally insulting word in spanish. yes, the word derives from the idea of "gay" but it is an-all purpose vulgarity. he was not meaning to specifically gay-bash and quickly corrected himself.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. Richardson was trying to appeal to GLBT and got confused

It was little more than a tongue-tied moment, not a calculated strategy

[NMDemDist2]

6. because Bill apologized n/t

[Sandaasu]

7. Richardson got in a lot of trouble with us, actually.

He did correct himself almost immediately, which helped him a lot, as well other things he has done for us. The big reason you don't really see much of it is because he just plain doesn't get as much attention in general, being so much less popular then Obama.

[mike from ri]

9. what richardson meant

was the choice to lead an openly gay life-style should be respected; he was taken out of context. he was not talking about the biological determination of sexuality and he certainly was not talking about adversely judging the lifestyle or "converting" gays.

the attack on richardson was based on a misunderstanding.

[Lucinda]

12. In addition to all the above answers...It's not remotely the same thing.

There is a difference between calling something a choice - Richardson,
and saying it's something you need to be saved/cured from - McG.

One is stupidity. The other is something entirely different.

[Perky]

19. two questions then?

Did he say "needs to be saved/cured" or did he say can?

but then again it was not Obama saying this...it was McGlurkin. so is it anger that having him on the stage is viewed as a endorsement?

[mike from ri]

27. richardson did not implicate saving/curing in his

answer (it was a statement in a debate) he merely meant to refer to respecting individual choice to lead an openly gay lifestyle.

he meant to express respect, but used the wrong terminology.

[Perky]

30. Ok but what has McGlurkin said

People need to be save from this.... Or that he was "saved form this? Or that people can be saved from this?

[Lucinda]

29. What does "nager" mean?

[Perky]

32. corrected the typo thanks.

[Lucinda]

64. Good grief Perky

I transpose two letters ALL THE TIME when I type, especially a's, I am constantly having to fix it. You'd think I would have recognized one when I saw it. :)

[eweaver155]

15. AMEN - False Anger. They are not really angry at the issue. Hillary

Supporters and Edwards Supporters are trying to sway people voting. It shows here on DU. However, other places I have yet to see the anger.

[huskerlaw]

67. FALSE anger?

Are you kidding?

The Obama campaign knowingly gave a platform and a voice to a man who thinks that homosexuality is a choice and that people can be CURED from it, like it's a fucking disease or something...and you think our outrage is FAKE?

Bullshit.

Honestly, your comment is completely ignorant.

[QC]

20. Actually, he caught hell about that here. n/t

[Perky]

25. but it was short-lived wasn't it?

[dsc]

31. If he rises in the polls it will come up again

[sandnsea]

21. Richardson doesn't preach it as doctrine

There is a difference because Richardson seems to have just fumbled his words. But Obama shouldn't be held accountable for the beliefs of every single person who has ever had any association with is campaign. It's a bunch of bullshit and anybody who dares to be honest with themself knows it.

[FlaxieB]

26. Obama can win nomination. It makes a lot of people nervous..

they just won't admit it so they make mountains out of mole hills but it only say a lot about their "undercover" intentions.

[Perky]

28. You think its racial?

Or you think its because he consorts with groupls that are not standard democratic constituencies?

[Perky]

34. Was Richardson ever called a Homophobe or a bigot?

[mike from ri]

36. richardson clarified:

"we are all equal and should be treated that way under the law.”

[Perky]

37. But Obama has pretty much held the same position all his

caree. So having this guy on his stage even though he was not even there. wipes away all Obama's work and rhetoric?

[mike from ri]

38. i'm not attacking obama

i'm just sticking up for richardson.

[Perky]

40. I honestly did not think you were

I still have not herad a cogent reason for the hostility?

[yardwork]

39. Yes, Richardson lost an enormous number of LGBTQ votes with his comment.

You must have missed it. It was discussed at length here. Richardson lost my vote, and the votes of many others because of that statement.

Your comparison of speaking out against bigotry to "lynching" Obama is deeply offensive. Do you accuse people speaking out against Nazis of being lynchers?

If you hear somebody make a racist comment and you speak up about it, do you expect another person in the room to accuse you of lynching the bigot?

[Perky]

41. The point was that Obama said nothing bigoted at all.

and you are right it was a poor choice of words. Drawn and quartered? Infact I corrected the teminology. thanks for pointing it out.

[yardwork]

42. You've changed the wording after a long thread of responses developed.

You wrote that those of us concerned about this incident "want to lynch Obama." Now you've deleted that highly inflammatory comment.

Your behavior indicates that you are as trustworthy as Obama. Say one thing, cover it up a little while later.

[Perky]

47. ???

Well base on the response it inflamed very fer but you are tight it was inflammaotry and certailnly uinintend. I wa happy to correct it when you point it out. But that has not been the focus of very many of the responses.

but I will take the bait.....Why is Obama not trustworthy?

[yardwork]

49. Obama is not trustworthy because he insisted that the bigot was a minor part of his show.

Then the bigot turned out to be the Master of Ceremonies, given lots of time to promote his bigotry. So, Obama lied to us.

[Perky]

54. Yeah that part is the oddest part of it to me

I thing there is mnre to this then we might think. See my Post # 53.

[goodgd_yall]

43. Richardson DID catch hell for his statement and lost potential supporters

But the difference is that Richardson is a supporter of LGBT rights (as Obama has been), but he has not up to this point invited a vocal, high profile gay-basher to be a part of his campaign. And, if he mistakenly did, I think he would have the sense to remove him or her---I'm guessing on that. Richardson is not playing a hard campaign game as the top 3 Demo candidates are.

I think Richardson's heart is in the right place, but he is not well-versed enough with the LGBT community to have passed muster. Obama can talk the talk, but in his actions he's failed the LGBT community by allowing a bigot to preach an anti-gay sermon.

[Perky]

53. You see I am not convinced it was not political slight of hand

Obama's silence on this has been deafening and then he puts the guy into a bigger role? Was it meant to antagonize the GLBT community? or win favor with key players in SC.


It may well be that he was trying to show voters in SC that he is "not beholden" to any group. He chose the intersection of faith and orientation to score points as a new type of Democrat? Had he truly waffled had he tried to walk it back, had he asked McGlurkin to sing a song and leave or ask hime to take a powder, I would view it differnetly. But I have neen no effort to molligy the concerns raised by the GLBT community.

I think there is something bigger at play here and its likely has a lot to do with state politics/ endorsements etcetera in South Carolina.
His team may have decided to have this fight in SC as a pitch to Black evangelical clergy and their ability to get out the vote.


Obama's no bigot and he is not stupid either..... I wonder if creating the controversy was intentional and not bungles at all.

[yardwork]

57. I think that that is exactly what he did. That's why we feel thrown under the bus.

Now you're beginning to get it. A lot of gay folks here on DU recognized that that is exactly what Obama was doing. Unlike you, we don't find it admirable.

[Perky]

68. I guess I recognize it it col, calculating politics rather thean

bigotry or enabling bigotry.

But I also come back to my original questionL if it was infact about political poker in South Carolina, the level olf hostility seems over the top. There are folks here on DU who feel fundamentally betrayed by this. It is afterall, the views of one person, not OBama's (by any reasonable reveiw of his political statements anre voting record) and yetObama gets tagger with lables like Homophoblic.

It is the lack of ability to let this pass thatg I am curious about. Is it Obama's refusal to budge? Is it his "pandering"?

[eridani]

59. You mean like Bill Clinton and Sistah Souljah? n/t

[joeybee12]

44. How about comparing gays to child molesters and criminals?

Or saying we need to wage a "war" against gay people?

NOW do you get it?

[Perky]

46. Did Obama say that?

Did McGlurkin say that?

[Mellowtone]

51. Yeah, me thinks they doth protest too much

Enough said.

If Richardson were just a few points behind Hillary in Iowa and NH, do you think we would be dealing with this silly political concert gaff in Carolina?

Hello folks!

[JackBeck]

52. I'll go sit in the back of the bus until the election is over.

Such a shame Rosa Parks didn't zip it and refuse to protest.

[mondo joe]

63. Me thinks you is buried in the Ol' Troll Semuhterry out back.

Just saying.

[jonnyblitz]

65. what a lovely tombstone!!!

:D

[Vanje]

56. Survived it?

Uh. Thats why his ratings are, what, about 6 %?

I had an early interest in Richardson's candidacy, but he totally lost me with his "lifestyle choice" comment.
He spoke like a guy who has never read about or had a conversation about sexual preference.

[Basileus Basileon]

60. Richardson's candidacy wasn't killed over that because it was already dead. nt

[mondo joe]

61. Richardson is barely marginal. No one cares too much what he says. NT

[gorekerrydreamticket]

62. Richardson's blather has just made him look like a goofball....n/m

[huskerlaw]

66. Because Richardson's not a front-runner

Really, that's all there is to it.