OBAMA'S GAY GOLD MINE

[davidinalameda]

http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/obamas-gay-gold-mine/18247/?page=1

Jeremy Bernard thinks he has been sucked into a time warp. Only five months ago, he was sitting shoulder to shoulder with U.S. Senator Barack Obama in the back of a black SUV, speeding through West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard, talking about the fine points of gay and lesbian federal legislation. An hour later, the Democratic presidential candidate was hitting every detail they had discussed in the car, but this time on network television. For Bernard, it was mind-blowing. The key fund-raiser for the Obama campaign was seeing his issues dramatically migrate from a personal chat to the national stage.

But now, two days before the Nevada Democratic caucus on January 19, Bernard is stuck inside the Caramel Lounge at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, attending a gay social mixer disguised as a political event. Jean Smart, the blond actress from the 1980s TV show Designing Women, begs the three dozen or so gays in the room to vote for U.S. Senator John Edwards.

"He's made it be known that he's not comfortable with gay marriage," she tells the boys, "but he's such a great leader, and he's very passionate."

Bernard stands there, staring at Smart and grinding his teeth. The Human Rights Campaign, one of the most high-profile gay-rights groups in the country and host of the mixer, has invited celebrities to pitch their favorite candidates. No star shows up to back Hillary Clinton, but an actress from Grey's Anatomy is there for Obama. Bernard sees it as amateur hour — an insulting and embarrassing reminder of the old guard, or Old Gay, approach to politics.

[MH1]

1. Good article

Makes a few good points.

Ain't it the truth:

"Even if you have a great candidate and a great message," says Mitchell Schwartz, Obama's California political director, "people who are underfunded don't win."

Guess McClurkin didn't change things for these guys:

Bernard and Gifford stand inside and watch the scene from the kitchen. It's the kind of night they signed up for a year ago, when they decided to work for Obama. Hillary Clinton's campaign offered them a job too, and for more money, but Bernard and Gifford just couldn't see themselves raising the big bucks for a candidate who they felt was largely running on Bill Clinton's presidential record, which wasn't always good to gays. "The only way I could honestly sell her to people would be to say she's going to win," says Bernard. "What's the point of that? When we started our company, we wanted to pick only candidates we would be enthusiastic about. Obama was that candidate. He absolutely has the best record on gay and lesbian issues."

They started to feel a true fondness for the candidate back in August, when he appeared at a gay forum televised on the LOGO cable network. After the show, Bernard and Gifford organized a gay fund-raiser at Area, a nightclub on La Cienega Boulevard. In just a few hours, they raised more than $100,000 from 400 gays and lesbians, and Obama gave a speech that some saw as exceptional.

"It was truly phenomenal," says Gifford. "He equated all social injustices with the injustices gays and lesbians have to face."

Just before Obama vanished into his motorcade that warm evening last summer, he draped his arms around Bernard and Gifford and asked them if he did them right. Bernard looked at him, "Senator, you always do us right. This time, you did us proud."

Gifford, the urban sophisticate, started to choke up. Not only did he realize he was finally doing something that would matter, but he seemed to be getting results. On that August night, he thought, possibly the next president of the United States was standing there for all to see, literally embracing him and his lover.

[Neshanic]

4. Like clockwork, the promises, then nothing. Do not expect anything from either Hillary or Obama.

I am so happy that the LA gay movers and shakers get their face time with Obama. I realy am. The first shot over the bow of either campaigns by republicans lobbing "gay" bombs will send them into a panic. Why not have these guys on stage with either Obama or Hillary during the convention. Not some speech by some gay guys still wanting the prom invite, but Hillary standing there with these guys, or Obama doing the same, AND telling the nation what they want to do.

Not going to happen. Never will happen.

It's trolling of the West Hollywood gay hangouts for cash, and meetings. That's way it's been done, that's the way it will be until that candidate at the convetion lays it out as equal rights for all, including gays. But that is not going to happen.

Gifford and crew are the constant enablers of the pandering of this issue. They never learn.

If you don't expect anything, you will not be disapointed. It's not like the record is good.

Hillary is my candidte because she knows the republicans, and she will fight them, not have conversations with them.

[hulklogan]

2. Senator Obama supports the gays on the DL. Interesting. n/t

[TankLV]

3. Sorry - WE are buying what you're trying to sell...obama PANDERS to GAY BIGOTS - REPEATEDLY..!

and has yet to APOLOGIZE for it and adds insult to injury by REPEATING this insult to ALL gay persons...

And don't you DARE raise the DOMA or Don't Ask Don't Tell crap - every INTELLIGENT person knows that these two policies were done TO PREVENT THE REPUKES FROM ENACTING EVEN WORSE LEGISLATION in the form of Constitutional Ammendments BANNNING Gays from service in the Military and MAKING DESCRIMINATION AGAINST GAYS OFFICIAL US LAW! - it PROVES you know NOTHING of the HISTORY of what Bill Clinton did FOR gay people...!

Get a fucking CLUE...the Clintons were and still ARE the best friends the GBLT community has ever had!

Obama will let BIGOTRY and INJUSTICE and DISCRIMINATION slide into LAW...