Lesbian columnist Deb Price was one of those peeved at Barack Obama for not doing enough to promote the wide-sweeping agenda of homosexual activists. But Obama's performance last week has reassured her that sexual aberrants (of all stripes) have a very good friend occupying the White House.Standing beside a beaming first lady in the ornate East Room on Monday, Obama warmly welcomed more 250 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans "to your White House."
The inspiring guest list ranged from two men who in 1969 resisted police harassment at the Stonewall bar -- the rebellion that kicked off the modern-day gay-rights movement -- to such gutsy contemporary trailblazers as Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, former U.S. ambassadors Jim Hormel and Michael Guest, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry...
At times, the White House event sounded like the aftermath of a family intervention, with the president playing the loved one who feels compelled to issue reassurances that -- despite frightening behavior -- he really hadn't slipped off the equality wagon.
It also offered fascinating peeks into the president's strategic thinking about how he can pull off change he clearly believes in and not be outmaneuvered like President Bill Clinton...
Obama also offered a revealing glimpse at his attitude toward his Justice Department's disturbing brief embracing DOMA. Significantly, Obama used the phrase "so-called Defense of Marriage Act," distancing himself from its Orwellian title. Then he explained, "Now, I want to add we have a duty to uphold existing law. But I believe we must do so in a way that does not exacerbate old divides. And fulfilling this duty in upholding the law in no way lessens my commitment to reversing this law."
Translation: The next brief won't sound like a Pat Robertson fundraising letter.
Host and guests clearly shared a shrewd, results-oriented vision. "I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps," Obama said. "... I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration."
At that line, the Associated Press story noted below tells us, the room exploded into cheers.
Additional details from the AP:
Countering criticism that he's done little on gay rights, President Barack Obama commemorated the 40th anniversary of the birth of the modern movement by welcoming its leaders to the White House and reaffirming his commitment to their top priorities.
"I want you to know: You have our support," Obama told members of the core Democratic constituency as he and first lady Michelle Obama hosted a cocktail-and-appetizer reception in the East Room for gay pride month. It's been some four decades since the police raid on New York City's gay Stonewall Inn that spurred gay rights activism across the country.
As activists work to change minds and change laws, Obama added: "I will not only be your friend, I will continue to be an ally and a champion and a president who fights with you and for you."
Note the description above (by veteran AP reporter Liz Sidoti) of the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgendered, etc. being "the core Democratic constituency."
Golly. With other core constituencies being abortion zealots, socialists, radical secularists, Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and the blame America first crowd, this sure ain't your grandpa's Democrat Party!
