President Obama and First Lady Michelle celebrated International Women’s Day at a White House reception on Monday. In his remarks, Obama noted the contributions of from First Lady Abigail Adams to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and longtime African American activist, Dorothy Height. Also at the reception were actress Kerry Washington, Afghan singer Mozdah Jamalzadah and singer Katharine McPhee.
USA Today reported that the First Couple, who have two daughters, also revealed their more humorous side – telling “one-liners reminiscent of the old vaudeville routines of George and Gracie Allen, or perhaps of Sonny and Cher Bono.”
The President also includes lesbians and gays:
“The story of America over the past 200 years — past 233 years is one of laws becoming more just, of a people becoming more equal, of a union being perfected. It’s a story of captives being set free and a movement to fulfill the promise of that freedom. It’s a story of waves of weary travelers reconsecrating America as a nation of immigrants. It’s a story of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters making the most of that most American of demands –- to be treated the same as everybody else. And it’s a story of women, from those on the Mayflower to the one I’m blessed to call my wife, who looked across the dinner table, and thought, I’m smarter than that guy. (Laughter.)”
As expected, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election and a parallel star on Saturday Night Live, was a huge hit at the first Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tenn. Saturday night.
I watched on C-SPAN as the largely white, older crowd facially fawned over every mention of “the Constitution” and “the people,” as if they were insiders watching the run-up to a presidential bid. — Please click inside to read the rest of my quick thoughts on the event.
Tony Perkins, head of the antigay Family Research Council, is hosting a webcast tonight to enable “the people” to respond to President Obama’s recent State of the Union address. Since Obama spoke about working with Congress and military leaders to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – and the Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing on DADT today – one might image DADT might come up during the webcast tonight. Here’s the invitation to join:
Webcast Tonight at 8 p.m. ET: The State of The Union, The Voice of the People
February 01, 2010
Last week, you heard President Obama’s take on where we are as a nation after his first year in office. Now hear the American people respond! Tonight at 8 p.m. (EST), FRC headquarters will be the site of a special webcast, “State of the Union, Voice of the People,” hosted by Herman Cain and tvTownhall.com. FRC and seven other organizations will give their response to last week’s address by the President, along with select video responses from across the nation.
Join me tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST for this live webcast, which will provide a voice to the American people and an opportunity for them to give their own State of the Union response.
Trevor Yager is late calling in for the interview. Amid all the whoopla in the LGBT world that he’s been invited to sit in First Lady Michelle Obama’s box during Wednesday night’s State of the Union address, Yager and his partner of seven years, Tyler Murray, are also in the final stages of Home Study to qualify as adoptive parents. With the Home Study due Monday, Yager’s first priority was answering in-depth process questions for three hours.
Yager laughs when asked how it feels to represent the entire LGBT community during President Obama’s State of the Union. “Oh, thanks. Pressure much?”
Actually, Yager laughs a lot during the 40-minute interview late Tuesday night. He seems like a confident yet humble 35-year-old man, comfortable in his own skin. More importantly, he seems happy.
Yager is one of 27 diverse quests sitting in the First Lady’s box – the only one officially representing LGBT America. Click inside to meet him.
MBNBC’s Rachel Maddow on President Barack Obama on Thursday night’s David Letterman show:
“The most interesting thing about Obama’s first year is how crazy the opposition has gone in reaction to him. And that’s been so exciting – the Sarah Palin, Michael Steel, Tea Party thing on the right – that I think that nobody’s noticed that he’s quietly put together the most legislatively accomplished first year of any president in a generation.”
The hotly debated and contested healthcare reform bill passed the US Senate this morning. But progressives are NOT happy. Sam Stein reported on Huffington Post Wednesday about a group that is now running ads slamming President Obama for his broken promise to champion the public option:
The health care reform debate may be dying down in Congress, but the ad wars continue.
On Wednesday, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee unveiled a new spot in which it all but accuses the president of abandoning the principles of his health care reform agenda. Tackling the two provisions that rankle liberals the most, the PCCC highlights footage of Obama himself rejecting the efficacy of an individual mandate and insisting that a public option for insurance be part of the final legislative package.
In observation of World AIDS Day, the Williams Institute is hosting a panel on current developments in HIV/AIDS law and public policy. Topics discussed will include HIV/AIDS policy under the Obama administration, the impact of state budget cuts on HIV/AIDS prevention and services in Los Angeles County and California, and HIV treatment and prevention in the California prison system.
Our Nation joins the world in celebrating the extraordinary advancements we have made in the battle against HIV and AIDS, and remembering those we have lost. Over the past three decades, brave men and women have fought devastating discrimination, stigma, doubt, and violence as they stood in the face of this deadly disease. Many of them would not be here today, but for the dedication of other persons living with HIV, their loved ones and families, community advocates, and members of the medical profession. On World AIDS Day, we rededicate ourselves to developing a national AIDS strategy that will establish the priorities necessary to combat this devastating epidemic at home, and to renewing our leadership role and commitments abroad.
Though we have been witness to incredible progress, our struggle against HIV/AIDS is far from over. (Click inside to read the rest of the Proclamation)
Rachael Maddow continues her important muckraking – shining a light into the Heart of Darkness known as the Religious Right. Wednesday night she addressed the ubiquitous slogan: “Pray for Obama: Psalm 109:8”
It reads:
“Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”
She points out that this casual reference to assassination is now on bumper stickers and even teddy bears. But watch for yourself. Click inside for the transcript.
Editor’s note: Rick Jacobs, founder of the Courage Campaign, gave a stirring – and very personal – speech at the end of a protest march in Los Angeles commemorating the one year anniversary of the passage of Prop 8. The march also happened to be the night after the loss of marriage equality in Maine. Click inside to read Rick’s inspirational remarks.
Editor’s note: If you are not already familiar with Pam Spaulding over at Pam’s House Blend, please check her out. Pam is one of the most highly regarded, smart and prolific LGBT bloggers in the nation and her pointed opinions – especially on issue of race – are a must-read. Click inside to read her POV.
LA Gay & Lesbian Center CEO Lorri Jean spoke via webcam with Mekahlo Medina, producer and host of a local KNBC News cable and webcast show called News Raw. The show runs live and usually unedited feeds of breaking news stories and unedited interviews. Here Lorri Jean talks about the hate crimes bill, pressuring President Obama and Congress to do more on LGBT issues, and the recent 9th Circuit Court ruling saying signatures on an official ballot petition must be public. The interview runs about 10 minutes, in between the set up and tag out.
President Obama delivers remarks at a White House reception commemorating his signing of the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act:
The Palm Center reports that Army Secretary John McHugh thinks the military is ready to lift the gay ban. But there is an interesting twist to this important announcement. There is a HUGE battle within the Republican Party over who will replace MCHugh in a special election in the conservative 23rd District Congressional seat from upstate New York. Could the timing indicate who McHugh wants to be the GOP candidate? Click inside to see the Palm Center’s press release and possible context for the statement.
UPDATED with the President’s speech. When President Obama walked out onto the HRC stage tonight – I watched on C-SPAN – he received a thunderous reception and then hugged Joe Solomonese, I thought, “Well, there’s a picture we’re going to see forever.”….
The Human Rights Campaign informs us that CNN and CSPAN will be taking the President Obama’s speech live at around 8pm – that’s 5:00pm our time. Click inside for more info.
President Obama was surprised to win the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. This will make the HRC dinner more interesting, for sure. Meanwhile anti-war groups such as LGBT ally ANSWER LA still intend to protest the war in Afghanistan. Click inside to learn about Obama’s award and ANSWER LA’s teach-in.
The Conference Report for the Defense Re-Authorization Bill just came out – and the Hate Crimes bill is in. Now it’s on to President Obama’s desk for his signature. Maybe he can sign it Saturday night at the HRC dinner????? Click inside for the notice about the Hate Crimes bill.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle celebrated International Women’s Day at a White House reception on Monday. In his remarks, Obama noted the contributions of from First Lady Abigail Adams to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and longtime African American activist, Dorothy Height. Also at the reception were actress Kerry Washington, Afghan singer Mozdah Jamalzadah and singer Katharine McPhee.
As expected, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election and a parallel star on Saturday Night Live, was a huge hit at the first Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tenn. Saturday night.
Tony Perkins, head of the antigay Family Research Council, is hosting a webcast tonight to enable “the people” to respond to President Obama’s recent State of the Union address. Since Obama spoke about working with Congress and military leaders to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – and the Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a hearing on DADT today – one might image DADT might come up during the webcast tonight. Here’s the invitation to join:
Trevor Yager is late calling in for the interview. Amid all the whoopla in the LGBT world that he’s been invited to sit in First Lady Michelle Obama’s box during Wednesday night’s State of the Union address, Yager and his partner of seven years, Tyler Murray, are also in the final stages of Home Study to qualify as adoptive parents. With the Home Study due Monday, Yager’s first priority was answering in-depth process questions for three hours.
In observation of World AIDS Day, the 
WORLD AIDS DAY, 2009
Editor’s note: Rick Jacobs, founder of the 
Editor’s note: If you are not already familiar with 
The Palm Center reports that Army Secretary John McHugh thinks the military is ready to lift the gay ban. But there is an interesting twist to this important announcement. There is a HUGE battle within the Republican Party over who will replace MCHugh in a special election in the conservative 23rd District Congressional seat from upstate New York. Could the timing indicate who McHugh wants to be the GOP candidate? Click inside to see the Palm Center’s press release and possible context for the statement. 
The Human Rights Campaign informs us that CNN and CSPAN will be taking the President Obama’s speech live at around 8pm – that’s 5:00pm our time. Click inside for more info. 
President Obama was surprised to win the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. This will make the HRC dinner more interesting, for sure. Meanwhile anti-war groups such as LGBT ally ANSWER LA still intend to protest the war in Afghanistan. Click inside to learn about Obama’s award and ANSWER LA’s teach-in. 
Subscribe to RSS
