Throughout the course of this campaign, I’ve heard the moaning from some in our community about the LGBT community’s strong commitment to electing Barack Obama president. In bars and hangouts, and in some corners of the blogosphere, some in our community continue to show their discontent with Obama and his campaign for the Presidency.
The refrain is too often the same — he doesn’t believe in same-sex marriage, we’re selling out the goals of our community — and completely disregards the very different approaches each candidate takes toward LGBT people.
For just a glimpse of how each party values their LGBT members, you need only to look at this past week’s Democratic National Convention, where most-every high-profile speaker specifically highlighted equality for LGBT people:
In his history speech last night accepting the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama included the following line recognizing the LGBT community as a vital part of the American family.
I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.
Last night I wept as I watched the Democratic Party nominate Barack Obama for President of the Alan_convention United States. All those trials and tribulations of the 1960’s in the struggle for freedom seem to have new meaning and new purpose. As Democrats we should be bursting with pride, as Americans we should celebrate our progress and as human beings we should all stand a little taller.
-Senator Clinton certainly wowed the Convention on Tuesday night and proved that she is committed to the Democratic Party and its principles. In a powerfully delivered speech she stuck to her journey while making a powerful case for supporting Barack Obama. Her supporters must be extremely proud and the party is very grateful. I believe her best line of the evening was:
Most of all, I ran to stand up for all those who have been invisible to their government for eight long years. Those are the reasons I ran for president, and those are the reasons I support Barack Obama for president. I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?
Barack Obama officially became the Democratic nominee for President tonight after Hillary Clinton interrupted a roll call vote to lead a motion nominate him by acclamation. Obama has officially become the first African-American presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history.
Sen. Hillary Clinton delivered a powerful speech and a ringing endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama last night at the Democratic Convention. Her speech will go a long way towards unifying the Democratic Party and focusing our sights on a crucial goal: electing Barack Obama as our next president.
Hillary Rodham Clinton summoned the millions of voters who supported her in the primaries to send Barack Obama to the White House Tuesday night, and drew thunderous applause at the Democratic National Convention when she declared her one-time rival is “my candidate and he must be our president.”
“We don’t have a moment to lose or a vote to spare,” said the former first lady, writing the final chapter in a quest for the White House every bit as pioneering as Obama’s own.
The packed convention floor became a sea of white “Hillary” signs as the New York senator _ Obama’s fiercest rival across 56 primaries and caucuses _ strode to the podium for her prime-time speech. The signs were soon replaced others that read simply, “Unity.”
Here is a short video of reactions by women in Denver to Sen. Clinton’s speech:
Here is video of Michelle Obama speaking to the luncheon for LGBT delegates during the Democratic Convention. Mrs. Obama addressed over 600 LGBT delegates, supporters, bloggers and members of the media at the luncheon sponsored by Congressman Barney Frank and the Victory Fund
Michelle Obama made a special appearance at the HRC/Victory Fund LGBT Delegate luncheon today. This is hosted by Barney Frank and sponsored by HRC and The Victory Fund.
Here are a couple of photos courtesy of Pam’s House Blend. We will have video and text when it is available.
