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Loading ...Joe Biden assures LGBT Dems of Obama committment
06.26.2009 10:18am EDT
Vice President Joe Biden promised gay and lesbian Democrats that the White House will push harder on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and other LGBT issues.
Biden spoke last night at a controversial LGBT fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. He said he understood the anger of many gays and lesbians toward the Obama administration and pledged to “put some pace on the ball.”“I don’t blame you for your impatience,” Biden said. “I hope you don’t doubt the president’s commitment.”
Politico reported that “Outside the hotel about 50 protesters held up signs chastising participants – which included all three gay members of Congress, Reps. Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank and Jared Polis – with sayings such as ‘Gay Uncle Toms.’”
Prominent activists, donors and organizations boycotted the dinner, including Human Rights Campaign grass-roots chief Marty Rouse, Gay and Lesbians Advocates and Defenders projects director Mary Bonauto, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe, the Stonewall Democratic Club, former Clinton backers David Mixner and Richard Socarides and Utah contributor Bruce Bastianbut. Howard Dean pulled out for family reasons, he said.
Despite the protest, the dinner netted about $1 million which is roughly 250,000 more than the event raised last year.
Biden mentioned that the administration appointed 60 LGBT people, including nine that require Senate confirmation. He said that gay and lesbian concerns will not be “delayed, put off or not end up on [Obama's] plate” because he is dealing with so many other issues.
He promised that the White House would take up the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the passage of the Lieberman-Baldwin bill on health benefits, a ban on workplace discrimination, adoption rights for all and an end to the HIV travel ban.
Obama campaigned to repeal DADT, but the White House has said it’s seeking congressional action on the policy, which bars openly gay men and women from serving in the military.
Biden said the White House is committed to “the unfinished business of true equality.”
“I promise you with your help we’ll get there in this administration,” he said.
The full story is at Politico.
You don’t invite a heroin addict to dinner one you know s/he’s an addict. Things go missing. You get screwed. After the first time, you know the eventual outcome of every visit, so you quickly learn not to do it. I’d love to believe Obama and/or Biden. Problem is that the actions from this administration are marginally more gay-friendly than what you’d see in Iran right now. Marginally. Where’s the beef? Again, before anybody trots out the tired explanations (Obama has so much on his plate, Obama has to balance gays against other constituencies, Obama can’t introduce legislation in Congress, blah blah ad nauseum), the point is that what HAS come out of this administration is either a)crumbs or b)legal briefs that constitute ad hominem attacks. Just as I don’t trust the junkie until I see their behavior improve–and still won’t let them in my house–so too do I not believe what Obama or any of his cleanup crew have to say until they start putting real and positive action behind those words.
Oh–just a closing jab at the apologists. Obama is so busy that…1)he just signed off on the cash for gas guzzlers bill, 2)the online FAFSA application has already been cleaned up, and 3) our civil rights matter less than a student loan application or trading in an ‘89 Camaro for a new car.
And is Luke a staffer for Barney Frank?
I don’t think we should underestimate the value of strong promises. I like Biden’s comments. They contain the key element that was missing in Obama’s when he signed is Presidential memo, and that is an aknowledgment of our frustrations. It’s ironic that we elect a “listener” and it’s the Big-Mouth who shows us signs that he is paying attention.
I have nothing but profound respect for Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis. And I hold Barney Frank with far more esteem than an Uncle Tom, particularly now that he is on board with an inclusive ENDA. He did not “support” the brief. Rather he moderated his comments, because–like Randy–he spoke first without reading it. The brief did NOT equate same-sex marriage to incest and pedophilia. It made several bad arguments, but that wasn’t one of them.
Additionally, of course the event raised more money this year than last year. [A] You raise more money when you hold the White House than when you don’t, and [B] this year the event didn’t have to compete with individual campaign giving.
Finally, the rhetoric used by that one protester is appalling. Their is nothing unethical about participating in this event (though I am officially on the side of the boy cotters). More to the point, as a community we need to make room for a variety of ethical responses–especially if we are going to argue that there exists a variety of ethical families, lifestyles, and loves. Every one who attended the event did so for the same reason as every one who skipped it. They want to be treated equally.
How do you know when a politician is lying?
HIS (OR HER) LIPS ARE MOVING
Enough said.
Bryaninkc, the issue is not that nothing has been done. Something has been done: HARM TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY. The ONLY thing the Obama Administration has done is defend DOMA. And it was a zealous defense. I expected the administration to make a token gesture of defending DOMA, instead it is LGBT citizens who are getting the token gestures.
Barney Frank has lost his capital within the LGBT Community. Anyone who attended that fundraiser has lost their legitimacy as leaders within our community. So elected Democrats: When you send Barney Frank out to try to console us, it only makes us angrier. He is a Judas to our community. So keep him out of sight, off the airwaves and by all means, replace him with someone else in 2010.
You people crack me up. They are politicians. This is what they do. They make promises to all kinds of certain groups and when it comes down to it most just barely get a bread crumb until their second term when they dont have to worry about reelection. You’re an idiot if you thought Obama would be any different. If you thought that after 5 months of him being president we would all have complete equal rights. We cant rely on Obama and congress to do everything for us. We have to get out there and donate to gay organizations and lobby our congress men and women and work on changing people’s minds about who we are and what we deserve. Obama and democrats weren’t the ones responsible for prop 8. That was the average american voting public. Those are the people we need to get on our side. And once the public is clearly on our side then congress and Obama will act. Their goal is to be reelected so they do what their public wants. Show them that the public is on our side and they wont have a need to make empty promises to us anymore.
What happened to Obama’s promise of National Civil Unions with all the rights of marriage?
Randy, people aren’t defined by one and only one act. I read why he “supported” DOMA, just like a judge would uphold a bad law. It’s obligatory, and of course leaves a bad taste. Everything else about him is against DOMA, that’s what I believe.
But I also believe that Obama is taking too long and talking too much.
I think it would have been a powerful show of our power for people to have avoided the fund raiser last night! If things changed they could have made their contributions at a later date. It’s sad that they raised more last night then they did a year ago.
Biden said the White House is committed to “the unfinished business of true equality.”
What the fuck is that? True Equality? Really? Either Biden or Obama have changed their views on marriage equality or they haven’t. Last time I checked, its still civil unions at the federal level. Full equality is reserved for straights only.
Blah, Blah, Blah.
Are we suppose to wait until the 2nd term? Come on, it just takes a signature. Withhold your signature on a Campaign Check and I bet that ink pen of his will start spinning.
Island Boy, Barney Frank at the very least is an Uncle Tom. He supports the DOMA brief equating same-sex marriage with incest and pedophilia. Do you even know who you’re defending?
Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis are “Gay Uncle Toms?” I understand the anger. I’m pretty upset myself, but calling them Uncle Toms is pushing it. Beyond that, the boycotts will only get worse if Obama doesn’t deliver, as it should. Civil rights must never be placed on the back burner despite how bad everything else is!
More words. Obama and his people are very good at giving us words, promises, assurances, but not so good with the follow through. The time for talk is over. Now is the time for action. They have the power to make changes, so it’s time for them to stop talking and start doing.
Shame on any member of the gay community who gave them a single penny.