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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.
Wow….
I feel SO MUCH better now.
[eyeroll]
More promises. More assurances. They still want our money and have done little to earn it. I do not need a presidential proclamation saying that June is gay pride month. What I want is equal taxation and equality as a gay American!
Obama and Biden are just pussies. All they do is wring their hands over the midwestern vote, when the truth is that voters as a whole will fight for him if he fights for us, because it will make him look tough. But because it is a gay thing, they think he will look weak, but it would make him appear strong. But I am through fighting for Ofuckface, and so are many people I know. That is his real problem. So he missed both an opportunity to look strong, and a chance to have fighting grass roots. But he blew it.
I am gonna believe it, WHEN I see it.
‘Nuff said
Did he once mention the DOJ memo on DOMA?
John: in six months, there will be more excuses, more “more important” things to do, more reasons not to rile up the religious wingnuts, more arguments in favor of delay.
Actions speak louder than words. Let’s see where we are in six months.
Here is the question: When? What is the answer? Let’s get this thing happening, now. We have waited long enough to be recognized as equal citizens let alone be treated as equal citizens.
WE need to boycott all the GLBT representatives who attended this farce – this Obama-Brainwashing-Session. I’ve had enough. I had the Audacity to believe in him! Fool me once….
Unless he does something soon, Obama has lost my vote – he’s already lost my $$. All those emails asking for contributuins go direcly to the trash bin.
I don’t believe a word of it. Is it just me or do you all find this outrageous coming from a BLACK president. I would have thought out of any race, Obama would be more sensitive to our rights. How come the media does not bring that up? He should not forget that it was too long ago when a black person could not marry a white person. I say send him to the back of the bus where he belongs!!! What a hypocrite.
NO ACTION – NO MONEY.
Maybe the Obama apologists have an explanation for Obama NOT suspending DADT until a final decision can be made. He HAS that power. Why isn’t he using it? Doesn’t what to offend the support he is getting from the leaders of the Christian Taliban?
Oh, and still waiting for someone, anyone, to explain why more than a dozen countries allow gays to serve openly in their military but our military can’t.
Words, words, words. We need ACTION!
Luke, seriously do you think Biden has any less air in his head, now that he read that information of repeal of DADT?
Biden must have graduated from “air head school” because he’s just an Obama lap dog.
Where is theoutrage for the Democratically controlled Congress? Nothing can happen until legislation is passed to
1) repeal DOMA
2) repeal DADT
3) provide full access to all federal benefits to all civil-maried, civil union couples.
Yes an Executive order would be helpful from the President but it would last until the next President assumes office.
We need to get House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ZSenate Majority leader Harry Reid to initiate and push through the Democratically controlled Congress the above legislation.
Please send email to Nancy pelosi, harry reid, your US Senators and House Representative that they need to act NOW!
I share the anger with the President but I do believe Joe Biden that they will come through for us. Lets keep the pressure on the Congress through emails and we must March on Washington (we need at least a million Gay Americans) on October 11th. America and Congress must see the faces of a million+ Gay Americans and our demand for equality and justice under the US Constitution.