Obama to Speak at LGBT Rights Dinner
EmailFrom Whitney Ksiazek and Sunlen Miller:
President Obama will be the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual dinner on Saturday in Washington, D.C.
“We are honored to share this night with President Obama, who has called upon our nation to embrace LGBT people as brothers and sisters,” The Human Rights Campaign President, Joel Solmonese, said in an announcement today.
The dinner precedes a scheduled march on Washington by the LGBT community to take place on Sunday. The march was largely organized to draw attention to the administration’s lack on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT)” and the Defense of Marriage Act, among other gay rights issues.
Many leaders in the LGBT community are hoping Obama will use the platform as an opportunity to re-establish his position as a “fierce advocate” for gay rights that he solidified on the campaign trail.
White House aides say that the President has not yet written his remarks, and did not give guidance if the President will reveal any new policy.
National Security Jin Jones this weekend said that at the right time the President will deal with these issues, such as DADT – among others.
“The President has an awful lot on his desk. I know this is an issue he intends to take on at the appropriate time,” Jones told CNN.
While the gay community waits for the “appropriate time” after dedicating themselves to Obama’s campaign, discontent has continued to grow in light of the little progress that has been made since Obama took office in January.
Obama’s address on Saturday will be an historic one—as only the second sitting President ever to address a Gay rights organization. President Clinton was the first in 1997.
Rep. Patrick Kennedy will also be in attendance in order to present the first ever Edward M. Kennedy National Leadership Award to Judy and Dennis Shepard, in honor of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a well known advocate for LGBT rights.
-Whitney Ksiazek and Sunlen Miller
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
It’s interesting that one of Obama’s first mentors was the pornographer Frank Marshall Davis.
Later, Obama chose to have William Ayers write his memiors, Dreams of My Father.
I think that says a lot about Obama. Obama should include “Frank” of Dreams of My Father in his speech to the GLBT.
Posted by: Colonel Rebel | October 5, 2009, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
“White House aides say that the President has not yet written his remarks, and did not give guidance if the President will reveal any new policy.”
He has some ‘splaining to do
Posted by: robertb | October 5, 2009, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
Good thing he has plenty of time to do this, since he isn’t doing anything about the war or the economy. I was wondering what his top priority was after his boondoogle to Copenhagen.
Posted by: GoodGold | October 5, 2009, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
“Later, Obama chose to have William Ayers write his memiors, Dreams of My Father.”
Colonel Rebel | Oct 5, 2009 4:19:07 PM
And your passing of that debunked lie says a lot about the credibility of the far Right.
Posted by: jhw539 | October 5, 2009, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
The only minority Barrack Obama is a ‘fierce advocate’ for is HIMSELF.
It should, however, be quite interesting to listen to a man that believes SOME human beings are created MORE EQUALLY than others stand before of a group of people that HE HIMSELF feels are lesser human beings than he is while speaking to them about equality. Really, Obama? Really?
Barrack Obama does not support gay rights. He lies and says that he does. To get gay votes, and more importantly, gay $$$$$. He is just like all the other politicians.
So, let’s hear what the man who does not believe that Gay citizens should have the right to marry has to say about equality?????????????????????????????
Posted by: Chris | October 5, 2009, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Hmmm… there may actually be one thing that I agree with BO about.
Posted by: tb | October 5, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
This isn’t pop culutre people.. it’s human rights.
Political Punch
Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper .. what an insult.
Posted by: dana | October 5, 2009, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
The amount of hate and venom being spewed at a decent and honorable man, who is doing his best to serve, is disgusting. Would that any of you were trying to help someone, rather than spending all of your time whining.
Posted by: Jose Guardiola | October 5, 2009, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
next thing you’ll hear from the ‘right’ is that they were really pro-equal rights for ‘gays and lesbians’ all these many years, they were just waiting for a Dem president to voice their support….
all kidding aside, Obama should eliminate DADT and make sure all Americans have equal rights
regardless…..
Posted by: gabba ghoul | October 5, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Our country is suffering because of this empty suit. Just as in the Illinois Senate he’s taking a pass on the big issues with a vote of “present”. Well, he isn’t “present”. He’s absent without leave. God help us. Our country is in huge trouble.
Posted by: mj loehrer | October 5, 2009, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Obama is a fierce advocate for gay people.
So he’ll get to DADT one day, when he feels like it, when it won’t hurt him politically.
Probably right after he gets reelected.
If he gets re-elected.
In the mean time Obama will just toss gays another bone to hold them over.
And they will gobble it up.
Posted by: tony | October 5, 2009, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
Obama in the 90′s was for gay marriage.
As he rose politically Obama changed his mind and decided against gay marriage.
Too risky…
His attitude about gay marriage, gay rights, and DADT is the same as many Republicans.
Gay people need to stop thinking Obama is their only hope and stop thinking they have to be a Democrat.
Obama doesn’t have the guts to take a stand unless it benefits him.
From a former Democrat now a gay Republican.
Posted by: ollie | October 5, 2009, 7:30 pm 7:30 pm
Is obama going to help Vic Fehrenbach – awarded nine Air Medals, kicked out of the Air Force after 18 years. He was hoping Obama would fulfill his promise to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
Posted by: Jenny | October 5, 2009, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
Is anyone surprised he attended this dinner? It’s his base. He should be apologizing to the troops for letting them die while he sits on the decision to send more troops, or not.
Posted by: Anthony | October 5, 2009, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
Colonel Rebel has made a good start at historical fiction. It is unfortunate that he is perpetuating fraudulent memes in support of a right-wing disinformation campaign.
Although Obama’s book indicates “Frank” was a family friend who offered him advice on racial issues, Obama wrote that Davis “fell short” and his views were “incurable.” Obama did not even visit Davis for three years before going to college. Obama’s book, itself, proves that Obama did not consider Davis to be a “wise and trusted counselor,” which is the definition of “mentor.” By what creative definition can Davis be considered his “mentor”?
Now Colonel Rebel imagines that Ayers wrote “Dreams.” Perhaps Colonel Rebel is an imaginary colonel as well.
Posted by: Kaleokualoha | October 6, 2009, 6:14 am 6:14 am
His attitude about gay marriage, gay rights, and DADT is the same as many Republicans.
~~~
And a heck of a lot worse than many republicans.
Posted by: Plumber | October 6, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
The amount of hate and venom being spewed at a decent and honorable man, who is doing his best to serve, is disgusting.
~~~~
Yeah, it’s not like half the country spend 8 years spewing hate and venom at Bush.
Posted by: Plumber | October 6, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am
“Obama is a fierce advocate for gay people.”
It’s amusing to see people substitute their wishes for reality.
Obama opposes gay marriage.
Cheney supports gay marriage.
Posted by: drjohn | October 6, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Will the LGBT community tell Obama’s staff to stop defending Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings by charging critics with “gay-bashing”??
Gays and lesbians also want our children protected from child predators.
Posted by: Education Czar | October 6, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
As a conservative, this issue is pretty cut and dry. We are all equal under the law. GLBT’s should be afforded the full benefits and rights that all straight people have. It is the moral equivalent to racism to deny people rights based on who they love or are. Anyone who states otherwise is a bigot or is using religion based values to make their point. We are supposed to separate church and state, so religion can’t be used as a basis for argument. Obama doesn’t support GLBT causes, he is pandering to those to the left of him because he is losing the middle ground faster than you can say “Hope and Change”.
Posted by: Kaiser Soze | October 6, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
Yeah, it’s not like half the country spend 8 years spewing hate and venom at Bush.
Posted by: Plumber
if you start 2 wars ( 1 by mistake) , crash the economy, put millions out of work, let NOLA drown, and farm out all government business to yer buds who make zillions…..with no accountability…
maybe…..you deserve the hate
Posted by: PO'd | October 6, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
The gay community only has one party to turn to.. so I guess the POTUS can do whatever he wants.. and he loves to pontificate to a friendly audience.. it’s like a free long pass play down the field after the defense has been flagged for being offsides.. it’s a free play, if anything bad happens you just take your five yard penalty and play the down over.. (I hate sport analogies.. too)
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | October 6, 2009, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
So Obama is falling on his face, so he decides to pander the Gay community again.. we are not falling for it again Obummer. WE are done playing your game, LOSER. I’m so sick of his BS I could just puke.
Posted by: Mello | October 6, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
dream on, dream on, you could have a million odd people in DC. (I hope it looks like those NY City freak show parades.) But he will not over turn dadt. Not when he needs folks to fight. vast majority of active duty dead set against it, joint chiefs,officer corps against it. Hey funny people, Osamabama play’ed y’all. Just words, just speeches. This is something that would only get done while the Obuma was sitting pretty,like early in a second term, which is never going to happen.
Posted by: rockland steel | October 8, 2009, 12:25 am 12:25 am
Right on, drjohn. Hopefully my fellow gays and lesbians will wake up and quit supporting a party that doesn’t support us any more than the Republicans do… they just lie about it, while Republicans tell us how they really feel.
Obama is giving this speech at the Human Rights Campaign for one reason: his approval rating is tanking. He doesn’t give a damn about us, and he was very clear during the election: he’s against gay marriage.
That’s part of what made me switch parties after a lifetime as a Democrat. After looking at my Republican governor and Republican vice-president, who both favored gay marriage, and both Democratic potential candidates (Obama and Clinton) who did not, I asked myself, “Just WHAT have the Dems ever done for we gays, anyway?” And the answer was… nothing. Except take our votes for granted. Not anymore.
Posted by: Brian | October 8, 2009, 3:09 am 3:09 am
Join the club, Ollie! :D
Posted by: Brian | October 8, 2009, 3:11 am 3:11 am
fugitaboutit
BHO made it very clear during his appointment, i mean campaign, that he’s out for himself and all others be damned.
Posted by: doggy daddy | January 5, 2010, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
What is LGBT? I don’t see it described in your article like you did with the DADT example.
Posted by: Jim Kearns | January 5, 2010, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm