Obama And The Gay Community

This post was written by CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder:

One reason the Rick Warren thing is a big deal is because, after Bill Clinton, the gay community is unusually sensitive to getting the shorter angle of presidential triangulation. It is hard to overstate the optimism and excitement that gays and lesbians felt in 1992. But the optimism deflated spectacularly after "Don't Ask, Don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, not to mention President Clinton's sneaky 1996 ad boasting about DOMA, which aired only on Christian radio.

Clinton was willing to say the word "gay" in public and appear in black tie at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, but, in the eyes of the gay political community, his commitment to gay rights vanished both times it counted most.

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Relative to other minority groups, the LGBT community is disproportionately dependent on the goodwill of the president, because almost all of their big-ticket agenda items are federal laws (the military, DOMA repeal, hate crimes, ENDA, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act, etc.). And relative to other minorities, gays still want and need basic reassurance that they are an ordinary part of American life and politics. So everyone is peering anxiously at Obama wondering if he is going to let them down like Clinton did.

You can read more about the growing controversy here.

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[garypaws]

My conservative friends say that Obama ran as a centrist.
So, why doesn''t he choose a more moderate preacher that agrees with him on LGBT rights?
It is time to pass ENDA the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. It needs to include gender identity so it will cover transgender employees and others who don''t adhere to society''s views of gender.
We also need to pass similar legislation against LGBT discrimination in housing and public accommodations.
ENDA passed the House last year and stalled in the Senate knowing that "still" President Bush would veto it.
This is not a complicated issue. Most Americans support non-discrimination rights for LGBT people.

Gary G. (G-CA)

[nikosk11]

You know, I am sick and tired listening all these "minority groups" bit*ching. Obama is not the "***'' President, the "Blacks'' President" or anyone else''s president. He is the "American President" so, put up or shut up.

[runningralph]

On the other hand to hear Larry Sinclair tell it, maybe Obama has a special affinity for ***. I would like to see them encouraged to join the Army and put into their own units. Maybe a battalion or brigade. I believe when put on the line they would fight well and endear themselves to the American public.

[runningralph]

I don''t know what *** expect from Obama, but Obama''s first responsibility is to US taxpayers. Splinter groups will be second.

[spinproof]

President-elect Obama was attacked pretty hard for being associated with Rev. Wright and appears to be seeking cover in the opposite extreme which is just as bad. A non controversial selection in the middle would have been better. For someone who supposedly doesn''t like drama selecting Pastor Rick Warren would indicate otherwise in this case.

[spinproof]

I''m against redefining marriage to include same s e x marriage. But I''m also against giving constituents the impression you support them in order to gain their support and votes and then throwing them under the Bus when its Politically convenient like Obama just did G A Y S. The point is had Obama made it known prior to the G A Y community supporting and voting for him that Pastor Rick Warren would give the invocation at his inauguration, Obama would not have received a single G A Y vote and he knows it! Obama is very crafty and the lesson here is that constituents should make Obama declare his support rather than assuming it!