If you're gonna pander, you might as well go all the way...
Posted on 08/21/2008 10:05:44 PM PDT by Libloather
Gay Democrats talk strategy
Kristen Wyatt
The Associated Press
Aspen, CO Colorado
DENVER — Gay and lesbian Democrats are gathering early to prepare a strategy for next week's convention, and their marching orders are the same for all states: Make sure other delegates know who you are and what gay voters want this fall.
The Stonewall Democrats started a four-day "boot camp" in Denver Thursday. At the top of their agenda for the convention, which starts Monday, are pushing Democrats to fight proposed gay-marriage bans in three states and passing federal anti-discrimination laws.
With a record 370 lesbian, gay and transgendered delegates to this year's convention, Stonewall Democrats say they're primed to drive Democrats' plans more than ever before. The number of gay delegates is up almost 100 from 2004, and they now make up some 6 percent of all delegates. Only two states — Nebraska and North Dakota — won't send any openly gay delegates.
Stonewall Democrats spokesman John Marble said the No. 1 message of gay delegates should be that a gay-friendly agenda from Democrats will help the party as a whole. The group will argue that opposing anti-gay-rights measures on ballots in Arizona, California and Florida will help Democratic fortunes in all races in November.
"It's something our nominee should feel comfortable talking about," said Ann Baker, a Stonewall Democrat from Roosevelt, N.J.
One topic not on the table next week: a federal gay marriage push. The Democratic nominee-in-waiting, Sen. Barack Obama, has said he favors civil unions but not gay marriage, and Stonewall Democrats are unlikely to push party delegates to call for federal marriage equality.
"As far as the marriage issue, our focus on marriage is on the state and local level," Marble said. He said gay Democratic delegates will talk more about a possible federal ban on discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgendered employees.
But Marble added that Democrats have made clear they value gay and lesbian votes. Scheduled to address Stonewall Democrats this weekend are Democratic Govs. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts.
Gay Republicans are putting together a "Big Tent Event" during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis next month.
Log Cabin Republican President Patrick Sammon says there's fresh optimism among gay Republicans that they'll have a bigger influence of their party at this year's convention, though they haven't announced who will meet with them.
"We have our strongest presence ever at a Republican convention" with about two dozen delegates, Sammon said. "We are there to talk about why the party needs to be more inclusive" and push Republicans to avoid "socially divisive issues" such as same-sex marriage.
If you're gonna pander, you might as well go all the way...
But how many super gay delegates are there?
Worth the read just to see your Obama photo.
Yes you stupid-ass log cabin republicans. Adopt the democrat strategy of flase unity by ignoring controversial issues like they don’t exist.
Idiots. F#cking idiots. I am so sick to death of incrementalism destroying the republican party. Thank God I’m conservative first. Won’t hurt as bad when the party finally tanks itself or merges with the dems.
They have 3 times as many delegates as they should, given they are only 1-2 percent of the population. Sorry, 66 of you aren’t getting in.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say it won't be "More Cowbell?"
The Stonewall Democrats started a four-day "boot camp" in Denver Thursday.
Okay, I have to know why Gay Dims are called "Stonewall" Democrats. If it has anything to do with Stonewall Jackson...
Stonewall Jackson was gay?
I would actually welcome these people; they are guaranteed to embarass everyone there & turn the Dem convention into an even bigger travesty.
Not according to anything I’ve read. I knew he was devoutly religious, this is an unusual name if you ask me...
The Stonewall Democrats are named after the Stonewall bar in New York City, which is where the modern day gay rights movement took a great leap forward. In 1969, gays in the bar fought back against police who in those days would go into gay bars and hassle people, or arrest people for things like same sex kissing or sex behavior. Gays fought back against being picked on like that.
The name has nothing to do with Stonewall Jackson.
Well here is a Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Democrats
Ah, it’s a Barney Frank conspiracy, this is getting even stranger...
Okay, that makes more sense (as much sense as this topic can possibly make). Thanks.
Stonewall Bar was a homosexual hangout which was notorious for its “chicken hawk” culture-preying upon underage targets. The police made several attempts to clean up the cesspool, until finally the fags rioted.
Now that boy-loving venue is immortalized in the anals of gay history.
They are getting bolder with pushing the gay agenda.
If Dems. are so gay friendly, why is it that, at the 2004 convention in Boston, nothing at all was said about same-sex marriage? That was a perfect set-up, because the Mass. court has ordered homosexual marriage to start just a few months before that convention.
It was all set up for them to talk about the land of Paul Revere and John Adams, and comparing the liberty of homosexual marriage with the revolutionary war and John Adams, Sam Adams, and Paul Revere. But the Democrats didn’t say anything about this so called great civil rights struggle at that time.
With all this gay talk, only a handful of Dems. including Ted Kennedy and Dennis Kucinich openly favor homosexual marriage.
Stay away from Denver next week!
You might catch gay.
“But how many super gay delegates are there?”
More importantly, would anyone need a second opinion if an Obama super gay delegate says ‘I am ready to switch.’
Or, ‘I am afraid of a Hillary come-from-behind revival.’
This is going to create an interesting problem for the Dems. Even liberal California has successfully passed bans on same-sex marriages. Four liberal California supreme court judges legislated from the bench by voting to overturn the votes of 61% of all Californians. We are now in the process of voting for a constitutional amendment to make marriage between a man and a women. So even if 5 % of those that supported Proposition 22 have changed there mind, there is still a large enough majority that will vote for the amendment.
Maybe we should have nominated Crist or Lindsey Graham to get the 3% of the population that is gay or bi.
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