Log Cabin Republicans Demonstrate Their Commitment to Putting Party First
By Elizabeth Birch
In a move as mind-numbing as it is bizarre, the Log Cabin Republicans (LCRs) today endorsed Senator John McCain for President. It happened at their “Big Tent” event in Minnesota. By doing so, they have put the GOP well ahead of their mission. By its tortured analysis only, the LCRs have made clear they would rather support the GOP’s choice for President, than deliver a truthful, rigorous analysis of McCain’s actual LGBT record to their members.
It is laudable that Senator McCain voted against amending the U.S. Constitution to curtail individual rights (for the first time in its 17 amendment history, except prohibition) and to enshrine discrimination into that document. But that is an extremely low bar. And, it is the only basis for the endorsement. But McCain is also against literally every other major goal held by the vast majority of LGBT Americans. (See policy analysis at LGBTforObama.com.) The LCRs say he paid a political price for his votes to preserve the Constitution. What price was that exactly: being selected as the Republican nominee for President?
Most annoying is the way the LCRs plant (as a kind of exclamation mark) statements such as the following at the end of their endorsement announcements:
“I expect Sen. McCain will receive strong support from gay and lesbian Americans,” said (Executive Director Patrick) Sammon. “LGBT people are not single-issue voters. Gay rights issues are a critical part of the equation, but so are many other issues impacting our daily lives—foreign policy, the economy, jobs, energy policy, health care reform, and taxes.”
So who needs the Log Cabin Republicans? Presumably the LCRs are there to evaluate a Republican candidate’s gay record, not his or her record on foreign policy, the economy, jobs, energy policy, health care reform, and taxes. Any voter can go to a variety of sources to get information on those policy positions. Indeed, the central purpose of the LCRs should be to deliver a detailed and honest analysis on where a candidate — especially for the top job in the world — stands on LGBT issues. They have failed miserably in this case.
And, by desperately wanting to be part of the Big Tent, they have folded their own.
Elizabeth is former Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign and a longtime LGBT activist.
Tags: Elizabeth Birch, John McCain, LGBT rights, Log Cabin Republicans, Republicans
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
Log Cabin Masochists would be a better name for this pathetic outfit.
Meanwhile, their pathetic act does remind the sensible majority of us why it’s so terribly important for us (to say nothing about the rest of America) to work our butts off to elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:48 am
Elizabeth Birch is a complete hypocrite! She is in no position whatsoever to criticize anyone else for not making decisions based solely on the issues. This is the same woman who spent the summer wailing RIDICULOUSLY about her long and traumatic “struggle” to accept Obama, despite the fact that his positions on our issues are virtually indistinguishable from the positions of his masculinity-slandering primary opponent. Unlike Birch, plenty of us always understood that there was little difference between the primary candidates ON THE ISSUES and that breaking the racial barrier would be at least as momentous as breaking the gender barrier. I’m glad to see that Birch is no longer bed-ridden and despondent over the prospect of a President Obama. Some of us, however, no longer particularly care what she thinks about much of anything, especially when she’s lecturing other people on something she failed at herself!
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
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September 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I agree with Elizabeth. Given Log Cabin Republican’s mission, it should tell us about the candidates on LGBT issues first and foremost But it can’t, because straight ahead, it’s not pretty for McCain (and just gets exponentially worse for McCain/Palin).
Of course, LCR is right: LGBT people are not single issue voters. Or at least, many are not. I know I’m not.
In fact, I have many issues that I care about that I won’t go into here. I’ve been a long-time Obama supporter because of many of my priorities. But regardless of candidate, I would love to tell my daughter that the next president thinks our family is fine and isn’t going to do anything to change it. (I did accidentally tell her the current one doesn’t “believe” our family is a family, and each time Bush’s helicopter flies over our DC rowhouse, she wants to talk about that some more. Fair enough.)
Of all the topics in the world, I previously was almost in agreement with Sen. McCain on exactly two items: immigration reform and global warming. And now, the old “maverick” has standard Republican views on both those issues. Go Maverick!
So what I want to know from the Log Cabin Republicans is: if I was indeed a single issue voter, exactly what is it that McCain/Palin will do for me and my family? (Hint: Please do not say “cuts my taxes.” )
September 9th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
[...] of the Obama campaign’s LGBT Finance Committee and former Executive Director of GLAAD, Log Cabin Republican Executive Director Patrick Sammon and Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff discuss the presidential [...]
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
yea these guys are erally trying hard yo uhave to admit