Obama Attends NYC Gay Fundraiser

[canis_lupus]

OK, so I admit that I'm among the first to criticize Obama when I don't feel he's committed to LGBT issues so it's only fair I post this to offer him some praise when he does something "gay-friendly."

From the New York Blade:

Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign kicked off a national LGBT fundraising division with a private event last week in New York City. The presidential hopeful spoke to a crowd of about 125 people at the home of Kevin Jennings and Jeff Davis.

Admission cost $2,300 per person, and the event raised $170,000, according to The Advocate.

Similar private events for LGBT supporters are scheduled across the country, and the campaign plans to integrate a gay contingent in its larger fundraising operations. In charge of corralling potential LGBT donors are Jeremy Bernard and Rufus Gifford, openly gay power brokers (and real-life partners) based in Los Angeles.

Though last week’s assembled crowd was mostly gay, half of the questions they brought up to Obama involved general issues of public concern. The other half, not surprisingly, involved gay topics. Tobias Barrington Wolff, Obama’s chief law and policy advisor on LGBT issues, has observed that 50/50 split among gay supporters throughout the campaign.

http://www.nyblade.com/2008/3-28/news/localnews/1214Obama.cfm

[xchrom]

1. won't interview -- but he'll attend a fund raiser. nt

[DURHAM D]

2. I don't know a single gay person that is for Obama.

They are all Hillary supporters.

[dsc]

3. I know a few

but they are all African American males as well as gay. The African American lesbians I know are all for Hillary.

[HockeyMom]

4. My daughter and her partner

both voted for Obama. They are also New Yorkers. Maybe that is why?

[Creideiki]

13. Maybe my being from Illinois taints my opinion of Obama

Granted, I much prefer Edwards to either Barack or Hillary.

[galledgoblin]

17. ooo-ooo me *waves franticly*

HockeyMom, being from upstate NY, I can say that definitely gives me reason to dislike Hillary...

[HockeyMom]

25. I hear ya

Although I am from LI, we did a lot of traveling upstate for daughter's hockey, so I know what you mean.

NY was just her stepping stone. Too bad it took me 2 votes to figure that one out.

[mitchtv]

26. you'd have prefered Little Ricky Lazio?

just saying ... being for Obama shouldn't be a license to trash

[galledgoblin]

27. I couldn't vote in 2000 and in 2006 cast for Howie Hawkins

had I been able to vote in 2000 I probably would have voted Green as well

recognizing that Hilary hasn't ever been interested in serving NY doesn't make you a lazio lover.

[mitchtv]

30. but voting Green makes you

a fully owned subsidiary of the GOP

[galledgoblin]

51. you forgot your sarcasim smiley

...I hope...

[Vanje]

8. I am

I'm a rural white lesbian who happily caucased for Obama, and hopes to vote for him in the general election.
I know at least two other lesbian farmers who also caucased for Obama in another county.

My good friend and his partner (gay farmer guys)wear Obama pins and sport Obama stickers on their shiney new Saab.

Idaho loves Obama.

[Beregond2]

10. Meet me.

I'm a big ol' homo, and I'm 100% for Obama.

[LostinVA]

19. And I'm the Queen of England

[Sandaasu]

16. I'm gay, white, and favor Obama.

Neither really stands out much from the other as far as policy goes, including GLBT rights. Obama seems more trustworthy to me though.

[cloudythescribbler]

33. I'm bi and white and favor Obama, FWIW (as far as orientation goes) ... nt

[Liberal Veteran]

21. Me and my hubby are Obama supporters.

And I'm pretty sure after 17 years together, we can say we are gay.

[DarkTirade]

36. Are you sure you're not just passing through a phase?

:P

[DarkTirade]

37. I don't know a single person that's for McCain either,

but that just means that I don't hang around people who vote that way. Doesn't mean nobody's gonna vote for him. (unfortunately.)

[kdpeters]

39. I'm a gay person for Obama. So is my partner

And I'm white and I'm male. There is a lot of strong support for Obama in the gay community. There are lots of queers for Obama who post right here on DU. What is it with this "all queers vote for Hillary" myth that so many of you are trying to promote?

[okasha]

5. He's just friendly to our bank accounts.

Not to us. There's a difference.

[cloudythescribbler]

6. Obama DID a MAJOR interview -- in the Advocate -- including McClurkin; the bashers are never moved

[joeybee12]

15. Wasn't major, very brief, ONLY talked about Donnie...

...he's not at all comfortable with gays and lesbians...granted, he'll be better than McCain, but even lots of us homos are apparently willing to transfer our beliefs onto him and THINK he agrees with us.

[mitchtv]

23. You got it Joeybee12

He is a blank slate. transfer all your hopes and dreams on him.
Hey have you been gone for awhile?.
Hell I'd go to a party of strait people for 2300 a head.

[joeybee12]

24. Hell, I'll go for 1300 a head!

The way I read the article, he gave a speech, really didn't take questions...reinforces my belief he's not well-versed, but he wants the money and the votes. I wonder if he'll think he owes us anything if he gets in. Maybe then our own hopes and dreams will smack us back in our faces and wake us up.

[cloudythescribbler]

35. Perhaps some with long memories will remember Clinton in 93, and Larry Kramer nicknaming him ...

"Bill the Welsher" as far as his overall position on gay rights. Then he turned around and pushed heavily issues that were NOT at the top of the gay agenda, using gays as a national pinata before Congress, but all that is irrelevant

McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin
McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin
McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin
McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin
McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin
McLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcLurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkinMcClurkin

but of course it's all historically well-informed and unbiased evaluation of Obama v the Clinton dynasty on gay rights

Right?

{here comes the 'how much do YOU know one-upmanship}

[cloudythescribbler]

34. Obama is NOT a "blank slate" -- he has a progressive platform on gay rights

The supposed blotches on his progressive platform and record on the issue are simply blown WAY OUT OF PROPORTION by agenda-driven Obama-bashing partisans on DU who OF COURSE are "nothing of the sort"

[LostinVA]

20. He did it to cover his ass over the McClurkin debacle

I seriously doubt he would have given them the time of day, if not to cover his ass. He still hasn't apologized for that, btw.

[cloudythescribbler]

32. Catch 22 -- "obama won't interview" & then "he just interviewed to cover his ass"

obviously, when you have an agenda to bash someone, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I don't know the full itinerary regarding Obama and gays, including interviews, but that was one example, EXTENSIVELY quoted on DU, that I am aware of and do remember

[AlertLurker]

7. How can the GLBT community trust this man?

[Beregond2]

9. How can

the gay community trust Clinton? She lays claim to all her husband's achievements as her "experience." Well, when did he do anything but betray us at every turn? Like Bill, she lies without the slightest compunction. She'll say anything to win, and then do whatever suits her interests once in office. A gay person would have to be crazy to support her.

[WillParkinson]

11. A gay person would be crazy to support either...

Sadly it's a matter of holding the nose and voting for the lesser evil.

Which is what most of our elections have been, at least in my lifetime.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[galledgoblin]

18. sorry, but this post made me giggle a bit (n/t)

[Creideiki]

14. Obama espouses "incrementalism" and "separate but equal"

It's not like he's got a spouse softening the message--Hillary was the softener during Bill's campaign and the initial attempt to fully integrate the military led directly to the social conservative Democratic backlash that hampered his first term and likely led to the Republican Revolution in 1994. Bill tried. He attempted to live up to the promises Hillary made. What're Barack and Michelle offering? Christ I miss Edwards.

[mondo joe]

22. Why do you mistake concen about 0bama with support for Clinton? Get over your Bush-like

binary view of the world, please.

[DarkTirade]

38. In the case of the democratic nominees, right now we only have two choices.

Which makes for a binary view, unless you're willing to vote for someone who is no longer running or a third party candidate.

I think that poster was just pointing out that neither candidate has that great a record when it comes to GLBT issues. Better than most republicans, of course... but that ain't sayin' much.

[Sarah E]

28. Some thoughts on Obama and my rights

Obama does not pick and choose when to support the rights of gay people. Here is a good summary of his support. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=58317
He has consistently and publically supported gay rights in interviews, in rallies and town hall meetings. http://bloggernista.com/2007/11/21/obama-gay-rights-not-special-rights/, and yes in the 2004 speech at the DNC in Boston when most everyone else was afraid to raise our issues.
He had ads out before Clinton in Ohio and Texas http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?coll=news_articles&sernum=2008/03/04/1&page=5

He has addressed GLBTQ events and fundraisers. http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53048.asp


PGN set him up by its timing of their request for an interview and are now using this in a hateful manner. People are raising the McClurkin event again as a way to denounce Obama’s support for us.

Obama recognizes that it does not benefit our cause merely to shut out those who maybe (or are) bigoted. http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid50021.asp. (he addresses the McClurkin issue here)

Think back on your life and recall the former bigots you have known who have changed their minds through knowing you and having conversations with you. We need to have those often difficult conversations with bigots openly if we are going to move forward in our quest for equality.

Check out these posts that talk about his record and support:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/02/obama-stands-up.html

http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/lesbianactivism/p/BarackObama.htm

http://365gay.com/Newscon08/02/022808letter.htm

[dropkickpa]

29. Anyone who hangs out with the likes of Meeks

Is an asshole homophobe, in my book. Plain and simple.

Meeks served on campaign committees for him, appeared in commercials for him. He KNOWINGLY gives homophobes platforms to spew their hate and bring them greater notoriety. Fuck that noise. Obama ain't your friend, he just wants your money and your vote, and he is counting on blind fanaticism to get people to ignore his substantial failings in this and other areas. He may say he's not homophobic, but I judge actions, not words. Fuck Obama and the religious homophobic horse he rode in on.

He hasn't changed his mind on shit, it's not like all of these associations and buddy system hate went on years or decades ago, they've happened in the last 12 months. Are Americans so fucking simple that they are unable to recall the past year, or think of it as "the past" in the same vein of yesteryear and yore?

[mitchtv]

31. I won't be checking Anrew Sullivan's blog for anything

He is a bonafide koolaid drinking hillary/Dem hating People's temple like creep. and a poster with three posts and no profile carries little weight. I know all about Obama-nation

[xchrom]

40. donchya know andrew sullivan is the new hero around here.

DU has fallen head over heels for that asshole.

so now we've got a guy who advocates that gay folk bring discrimination on themselves and ought to learn how to behave and andrew sullivan as paragons and valiant proponents of our future.

[Chovexani]

42. Andy Sullivan, King of Bareback Mountain. LOL

Well I have seen koolaid nation quote crazier people to justify their twu wuv for Obama.

[xchrom]

43. right on all counts. nt

[mitchtv]

44. He is so fucking rude and pushy

typical of that crowd braying that Hillary is Bush in a pants suit. STFU you overbearing bigmouth. I can listen to a bit of that from a Dem, but that treacherous queen gives me hives.

[xchrom]

47. incestuous cannibal comes to mind when talking about andrew sullivan.

[LostinVA]

49. I didn't know Michelle's middle name was Sarah

[Chovexani]

41. LOL

To be fair, that is the traditional Democratic position: treat us like lepers 90% of the time and then come begging for our money.

[terrya]

45. Well, I sure couldn't afford the $2,300 per person.

Ah, well.

[Iggo]

46. I'm straight, beige, and I don't understand.

How does Obama showing up to collect money mean he's a great guy?

[xchrom]

48. that's the $2,300. question. nt

[rcsl1998]

50. Taking Our Donations Is 'Gay-Friendly' ???

That's Bush-style logic! (like you caving into me is 'bipartisanship!)