Subscribe to Breaking NewsBillie Jean King: I support Barack Obama
Tennis great Billie Jean King released a statement a few minutes ago clarifying her stand on the presidential campaign:
Last Friday, reporter from the New York Observer asked me what I thought about Sarah Palin. I told her I thought Sarah Palin was honest and real. I believe that. But, that in no way should be viewed as an endorsement of any kind. I oppose many of the positions of Sarah Palin, particularly those tied to the LGBT community. I am supporting Barack Obama and, in fact, I have lent my name to both Women for Obama and the Obama LGBT Steering and Policy Committee.
Billie Jean King
Sept. 9, 2008
Her initial statement to the Observer led to a firestorm of confusion; Towleroad said, “This one threw me for a loop.”
I’m glad that King is getting the word out that her statement was not an endorsement of Sarah Palin. Her point, I think, was that Palin is a firecracker and an interesting character - that doesn’t mean she’s good for our community, or that GLBT people should stand behind her.
I agree with JH of G-A-Y, who predicts Palin will say.
“Eh, I like Martina better anyway. Hey, wanna hear again about the Bridge To Nowhere? No? Okay, well then if you’ll excuse me, I need to go shoot a moose”
If she hadn’t been self-righteously sulking about Hillary Clinton, this fiasco never would have happened.
Would ALL of these supposed supporters stop saying how much they like Sarah Palin or John McCain already! You’ve got the Repulic campaign going around smearing Obama, saying he’s a secret muslim terrorist, that he’d rather lose the war to win the election, that he wants to force sex ed on your five year old, not saying what a nice guy he is. These people are NOT nice! They are lying bastards who will say anything to get elected. They are not nice, cool, or to be admired. So stop saying how much you admire them but disagree with them on the issues and blah blah blah. All that gets through is, “Billie Jean says she likes Sarah.” We live in a sound bite, miniscule attention span culture. Get used to it, or get used to losing!
In this age of the internet, where anything said is immediately “out there”, it behooves anyone making a public comment to make sure you are saying exactly what you mean (if that is even possible!).
Obama is not good for gay people. Obama is not “just like me.” Obama is nothing like me or my community. Also, isn’t he on the DL with that Larry Sinclair guy? Funny how Obama is accused of a gay affair and coke use and no one every discusses it.
Does anybody out there remember Anita Bryant? Everything old is new again. The orange bird alive and well.
..was just passing by.. good work