Elizabeth Birch, longtime LGBT activists and former Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign talks about the stark differences between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain on LGBT issues.
By Michael Crawford
There was more than a little jaw-dropping political spin flying around last week during the Republican Convention. The blog team at LGBT for Obama is here to help cut through that spin and get to some of the real issues impacting the lives of LGBT Americans during this election cycle.
We are now less than 60 days away from the most important presidential election in a generation. To show your support for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, donate directly to the Obama campaign while having your contribution tagged as coming from the LGBT community.
Monday
Kevin Jennings Talks LGBT Voters and the Obama Campaign
Tuesday
Making True Progress - Jake Kaskey
GOP Again On Record Opposing LGBT Civil Rights - Michael Crawford
Wednesday
Log Cabin Republicans Demonstrate Their Commitment to Putting Party First - Elizabeth Birch
I’m John McCain and I Approved This Anti-Gay Message - Michael Crawford
Thursday
Time to Get Serious - Rev. Gene Robinson
Friday
Does Gold Lame Cost This Much? - John Marble
New Hampshire High School Student to McCain: “I Came Here Looking to See a Leader. I Don’t” - Chris Johnson
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.