We are down to the wire folks with only seven days until election day. In that seven days we can expect McCain, Palin and the GOP to throw as much slime and diversion as they can muster to try to scare, terrorize and fool voters into voting for them.

We can’t let them get away with it. Not this time. Not this year. Not when so much is at stake.

I know that some of you are just ready for this election to be over. But, we are at a transformative moment in our country’s history where we can make a break from the failed politics of fear, hatred and division as practiced by Bush, Cheney, McCain and Palin.

Rather than offer solutions to deal with the financial, healthcare, energy and climate crises we are facing McCain, Palin and their supporters have tried to convince us that Sen. Obama is a closeted Muslim who is BFFs with terrorists, hates America and wants to teach six year olds about sex. None of that is true, of course, but that’s what you do when don’t have proposals to effectively deal with the challenges facing our country.

On the issue of LGBT civil rights, the differences between Obama and McCain could not be more stark.

As I pointed out in my posts, Gays Won’t Let Friends Vote McCain, No Way. No How. No McCain/Palin. and The LGBT Case for Barack Obama:

Barack Obama:

• supports an inclusive ENDA
• supports the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act
• supports the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
• supports the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act
• opposes state constitutional amendments banning marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships

John McCain:

• opposes basic civil rights protections for LGBT Americans
• supports the ban on openly gay Americans serving in the military
• opposes gay adoption
• would appoint Supreme Court justices that would overturn Roe v Wade

In these seven last crucial days, please help get out the vote for Barack Obama.

With little more than two weeks before election day, now is the time to pull out your little black book and contact everyone in it about Barack Obama.

This election is the most important in at least a generation and for LGBT Americans it is even more crucial. We have the chance to play deciding role in electing the most pro-LGBT president in history. And, the difference between Sen. Obama and John McCain could not be clearer.

Allowing McCain to be elected as president would four more years of the kind of anti-LGBT policies that we got from George Bush. Electing Sen. Obama has president opens up the definite chance for us to finally pass an inclusive ENDA and the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and to finally develop a national AIDS strategy.

The Obama campaign’s Hometown Pride outreach program offers this suggestion to help you get started talking to friends and family:

Find five people back in your hometown to talk to about Barack and Joe. When you talk with these people, tell them why you personally support Barack. These are your friends and people who know you – tell your own story.

Think about people you’re still close to, like family members – but also think about people you might not have talked to in years, like old teachers, mentors and friends.

Here are a few quick talking points:

Barack Obama:

• supports an inclusive ENDA
• supports the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act
• supports the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
• supports the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act
• opposes state constitutional amendments banning marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships

John McCain:

• opposes basic civil rights protections for LGBT Americans
• supports the ban on openly gay Americans serving in the military
• opposes gay adoption
• would appoint Supreme Court justices that would overturn Roe v Wade

In short, a vote for John McCain is a vote for discrimination against LGBT people while a vote for Barack Obama is a vote for civil rights for LGBT people.

For more information, read:

Gays Won’t Let Friends Vote McCain
No Way. No How. No McCain/Palin.
The LGBT Case for Barack Obama

On Facebook: Gays Won’t Let Friends Vote McCain

As LGBT organizations kick their electoral efforts into high gear, a number of groups are sponsoring training sessions to recruit and strengthen the skills of volunteers. The efforts are a great chance for you to learn how to get engage with campaigns in your local community, meet new and make a difference in the fight for LGBT equality.

Here are some upcoming trainings:

NJ/NY – September 13

Organizations in New Jersey, including Garden State Equality, are holding a day of campaign training for volunteers for Barack Obama and Democratic Congressional candidates on Saturday, September 13 from 9am-1pm. The training will take place at Montclair State University, University Hall, 7th floor, One Normal Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey, a close-in suburb of Manhattan. You can take an NJ Transit train from Penn Station in Manhattan directly to the campus and back.

The training is free and breakfast will be provided. Please arrive Saturday at 8:30 am to register.

The speakers will include New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, U.S. House candidates Dennis Shulman and Linda Stender, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and several others.

The training is coordinated by BlueWaveNJ PAC. The program will include training on:

Cleveland, OH – September 20-21 and

Long Island (Huntington), New York – September 20 – 21

The Human Rights Campaign presents Camp Equality™, an intensive, 2-day interactive training program that combines lectures, discussions, and real-life simulations. Camp Equality™ teaches both advanced and fundamental skills to help strengthen the impact our community has on the 2008 elections. Click here to register for a Camp Equality™ near you.

At the two-day training, you’ll have the opportunity to choose one of two tracks:

Advanced Track: Working on a Campaign: This track is designed for you if you are one of our more experienced campaign volunteers. This track teaches participants the modern mechanics of organizing for political campaigns. During your sessions you will learn advanced techniques of targeting, organizing, media relations, volunteer coordination, Get Out the Vote, and the latest campaign technology.

Fundamentals Track: Working on a Campaign: This track is designed for you if you want to learn the step by step fundamentals necessary to be successful at the grassroots level. Topics will include: planning, volunteer recruitment, field, planning events, canvassing, earned media, and even writing a blog. You will learn the basic skills that are essential to putting your local issue or political campaign in the best position to win.