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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbySeptember 3rd, 2008
Yesterday at Log Cabin Republicans’ Big Tent Event, the McCain campaign accepted the gay group’s endorsement. Mike DuHaime, the National Political Director, spoke on behalf of the candidate and the campaign.
He told the crowd of 200 people, “On behalf of Senator McCain and the campaign, thank you for this endorsement. Sen. McCain is running an inclusive campaign and he’ll have an inclusive administration [as president].”
DuHaime also said that Sen. McCain will win this election because he is the “only one who has the ability to unite the entire party.” He went on to say that everyone supporting Sen. McCain must talk to others about why they’re voting for him. “This is so important in the gay and lesbian community,” said DuHaime.
As Ed Stoddard writing for Reuters noted,
The endorsement may boost McCain’s reputation as a maverick who reaches across partisan lines, but it may not go down well with his party’s conservative Christian base.
The campaign’s acceptance of endorsement, a first for Log Cabin, was also accompanied by unprecedented access to the convention. These steps, while not on par with the way in which the Democratic Party welcomed its gay delegates, are welcome and an indication of a growing acceptance of gay men and women in the fabric of the nation.
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L. Junius Brutus
September 3rd, 2008
Are you sure? I distinctly remember Bush accepting their endorsement and meeting with them – after the primary in 2000.
And that is an accurate comparison. McCain will be exactly the way Bush is on these issues. Bush nominally favored the marriage amendment, but did nothing for it (unless it helped him politically). Neither will McCain. But they will both veto legislation that grants equal rights and appoint Supreme Court justices who believe that it’s OK for us to be treated like criminals, and who might gut anti-discrimination laws using religious freedom as a pretext.
Timothy Kincaid
September 3rd, 2008
No, L. Junius, you are mistaken.
Bush met with a delegation of gay Republicans under the condition that they not be an official Log Cabin delegation. They are generally refered to as the Austin 12.
And, incidentally, while Bush indicated an intention to veto pro-gay legislation, none reached his desk.
John
September 3rd, 2008
I can’t recall the specifics, but I do remember Log Cabin endorsements and/or money being turned down by candidates.
I wonder if Log Cabin got assurances from McCain’s campaign that their endorsement would be accepted on some level (if not by the candidate himself). Given what has happened in the past, it would only seem prudent.
rusty
September 3rd, 2008
ah the wonders of the internet and google:
Log Cabin Republicans Vote to Withhold Endorsement from President Bush
http://www.logcabin.org/logcabin/press_090804.html
OTHER BIG NEWS> THE ‘MILK’ trailer is out. Sean Penn looks fantastic.
David
September 3rd, 2008
Um, either I’m confused or the writer for Reuters is.
Just how does it boost McCain’s reputation “as a maverick who reaches across partisan lines” to accept an endorsement from the Log Cabin Republicans?
tristram
September 4th, 2008
“I’m John McCain. Join me in supporting Proposition _______.” (fill in the blank as appropriate for FL, AZ, CA).
The Palin/McCain ticket will bring the Christianists out in droves, contribute directly and purposefully to the passage of the three anti-SSM propositions, and provide the theocons with a claimed mandate to erase the ‘gay agenda.’
Ron
September 4th, 2008
I agree, Timothy. This is a good sign of ever-increasing acceptance of gay people in our culture.
larry
September 5th, 2008
I think people (like me) on the left side of the gay community should think about cutting the LCR’s a little more slack and being slower to criticize them. After all, if McCain gets elected (cringe), the LCR’s are the only part of the gay community he’s likely to listen to. And I can’t think of a more thankless, dirty job than kissing up to republicans. Somebody DOESN’T have to do it, but the LCR’s choose to do it for the good of the community, and I think that’s worth giving them a break and even maybe some encouragement.
johnson
September 6th, 2008
As a former Republican, I’m all for seeing the party become more moderate and inclusive, but I have the distinct feeling they won’t hesitate to use the hatred of many towards us and our families for their own political gain. It is, after all, what has worked for them time and time again.
Patrick
September 7th, 2008
I’m thinking out loud here, so be kind.
If McCain thought it should be ok to fire blacks or deny them housing simply because of their skin colour;
If McCain thought blacks should not serve in the same military units as whites, to preserve whites from having to interact with blacks;
If McCain thought blacks should not be allowed to marry, or have federal or state recognized unions;
If McCain thought spouses of blacks should not be able to draw upon Social Security or Veterans benefits of their spouse;
If McCain thought that while killing a Christian because they are a Christian is considered a hate crime, but that killing a black because they are black should not be considered by law to be a hate crime;
If McCain thought that states should pass Constitutional Amendments to forever ban blacks from marrying;
If McCain thought that blacks should not be allowed to adopt
do you really think any organization of African Americans would support him? Or if they did, what would you think of them?
Just thinking out loud – honestly. I think internalized homophobia might be stronger than I first realized.
Michigan-Matt
September 8th, 2008
tristam offers: “The Palin/McCain ticket will bring the Christianists out in droves, contribute directly and purposefully to the passage of the three anti-SSM propositions, and provide the theocons with a claimed mandate to erase the ‘gay agenda.’”
Ummm, paging reality for tristam. In California, Prop 8 passage may actually be helped by Barack Obama bringing droves of newly registered black Christians and anti-gay bigots to the polls.
Maybe you should rethink who you’re willing to jump in the sack with in order to advance an agenda that is, at best, gay neutral and at worst, hurtful to the advance of gay civil rights.
Emily K
September 8th, 2008
As if McCain is much better, Matt. Maybe vote for the Green or Libertarian parties.
Timothy Kincaid
September 8th, 2008
Folks, let’s please keep comments relevant to the topic of the thread, i.e. the McCain campaign’s acceptance of the Log Cabin endorsement.
Michigan-Matt
September 8th, 2008
Sorry Tim, my bad.
How’s this: the LCRs endorsed McCain because they, too, sense a seachange moment occuring within the GOP by McCain-the-Maverick gaining the Party’s nomination. That nomination, the LCRs know, came about because McCain has a legendary reputation AND RECORD of being anti-establishment, anti-Party, unapologetically bipartisan to the concern of most farRight whackjobs and, most importantly, the LCR Bd endorsed McCain (and were greeted by the presence of two of his senior campaign advisors) because the LCR leadership knows McCain is a seachange candidate within the Party and may lead to more moderate, progressive GOP.
Just like Reagan brought a ton of farRight and mostly religious delegates into the Party, McCain is bringing in progressive and moderate leadership to the Party… and that is good for gay civil rights.
Frankly, if a member of the LCR Board was writing here he/she would tell you that if the gayLeft in America really, really, really wants to cripple one of their most vocal, activist opponents in the culture war… the religious right… gays evertwhere ought to be following the lead of gay GOPers and helping to elect McCain-the-Maverick.
LCRs endorsed him because they know, better than most, that McCain’s record is worth far more to gay civil rights advancing than all the emptysuited whispered promised from his opponents’ side of the aisle.
At least that’s what I got out of the LCR endorsement… not the potential for access, the potential for CHANGE.
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