Video: A Drive Down Elm Street

News vans, camera crews, media tents campaign volunteers and even Occupy protesters were a fairly common sight on Elm Street in downtown Manchester, N.H., on Sunday, Jan. 8.

I shot this clip driving down Elm Street between Blodget and Granite Streets around 3:30 p.m.

Welcome to Manchester

It's a few hours before the Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm's College, and I am setting myself at my parents' house in Manchester.

Above is the front page of today's New Hampshire Union Leader with a front-page picture of the crowd that greeted former Pennsylvania Gov. Rick Santorum in Manchester on Friday. Below is a video of my flight from Baltimore landing at Manchester Boston Regional Airport for anyone who is curious to know what the Queen City actually looks like.

Candidates Prepare for Final Push in N.H.

Downtown Manchester was largely quiet on this post-Christmas Monday, but Republican presidential candidates’ staffers and volunteers were hard at work 15 days before the first-in-the-nation GOP primary.

Two volunteers with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s campaign stressed that presidential candidates should stay out of the ongoing debate over a bill that would repeal the state’s marriage equality law. A vote on the proposal could potentially coincide with the Jan. 10 primary, but a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll in October found that 62 percent of likely voters oppose efforts to repeal the law that took effect in Jan. 2010.

Less than a mile south on Elm Street, staffers and volunteers were busy in former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign office. (An ad that features Romney talking about fiscal responsibility and another from Texas Congressman Ron Paul that specifically attacks the former Massachusetts governor, President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi just aired on WMUR. Another spot touted former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman as a “true conservative” compared to Gingrich and Romney. A fourth ad that features three Republicans and one Democrat who oppose the marriage equality repeal bill also ran towards the end of WMUR's 6 p.m. newscast.)

Less than two miles away, volunteers with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman were busy bringing signs and other supplies into the campaign’s Elm Street office. Signs for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Gov. Rick Perry also lined the street. Others for Paul greeted drivers at the intersection of Queen City Avenue and South Willow Street.

Hordes of shoppers who descended upon the Mall of New Hampshire seemed oblivious to the upcoming vote.

On Elm Street.

Outside the Romney campaign's New Hampshire headquarters on Elm Street.

Gingrich touts his "21st Century Contract with America" in downtown Manchester.

Huntsman's campaign headquarters on Elm Street.

Postcards from the Occupy DC Protest

The U.S. Capitol provided an arguably appropriate backdrop for the Occupy DC protesters who remained camped out across from the Wilson Building in downtown Washington, D.C., on Monday, Oct. 10.

Those with whom this reporter spoke had no expectations that Congress or President Barack Obama would take their message seriously--they contend that they continue to contribute to the country's ongoing economic malaise and increasing socioeconomic inequalities.

Do Occupy DC and other protests that have sprung up across the country in recent weeks provide a zeitgeist of angry American voters ahead of the 2012 elections?

Protesters Camp Out at Philadelphia City Hall

Protesters remained camped out on the plaza around Philadelphia City Hall on Saturday, Oct. 8, in response to what they say is corporate greed on Wall Street and the politicians in Washington, D.C., who they maintain continue to support it.

The Occupy Philadelphia protest is among a series of actions that have sprung up in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and other cities in recent weeks.

Sarah Palin Says She Will Not Run for President

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told radio host Mark Levin earlier on Wednesday, Oct. 5, that she will not run for president.

"I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States," said the former vice presidential nominee. "As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order."

Palin's announcement comes a day after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he will not enter the race. A CBS News poll that was released earlier this week found that only 23 percent of Republican primary voters would have welcomed a Palin presidential campaign.

Rick Perry’s Race Problem

Texas Gov. Rick Perry remains on the offensive after the Washington Post reported on Sunday, Oct. 2, that a rock at the entrance of a hunting camp that both he and his father once leased contained a racial slur. Perry’s campaign moved quickly to downplay the article, but Herman Cain described the offensive sign as “a sign of insensitivity” during an interview with Christiane Amanpour on “This Week.”

Presidential hopefuls subject themselves to an exceedingly harsh spotlight that often exploits unflattering details of their personal lives—news of then-presidential candidate George W. Bush’s 1976 arrest for driving under the influence near his parents’ vacation home in Maine broke less than a week before the 2000 presidential election is one of the myriad of notable examples of this predictable phenomenon. Race and politics remain a combustible mix in this country. The question remains, however, whether this controversy will prove more than another tempest in a highly polarized tea pot.

Campaigning on the End of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Will the end of 'don't ask, don't tell' prove a campaign issue in 2012?

President Barack Obama signed the repeal bill into law late last year, so it would appear in his best interest to point that out to skeptical LGBT donors ahead of the presidential election. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has already done so, citing the end of "the discriminatory 'don't ask, don't tell' law" as one of her legislative accomplishments in a fundraising appeal she sent to supporters earlier on Monday, Sept. 19.

Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown is among the six Republicans senators who supported the repeal bill. Log Cabin Republicans will honor Brown and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who also backed the measure, at their national dinner in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday Sept. 20. Elizabeth Warren announced her Senate campaign on Sept. 14.

Congressmen Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) asked Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sept. 15 to postpone the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell,' but appears as though this plea will fall on deaf ears. The vast majority of Americans remain focused on the economy, jobs and the national debt. The question of whether gays and lesbians can openly serve in the military does not factor into this bread and butter equation.

In other words, it appears unlikely that the sky will fall onto the campaign trail or anywhere else for that matter on or after Sept. 20.

Local Democrats gear up for convention, general election

With the Democratic and Republican conventions two weeks away, local politicos continue to gear up to support their respective candidates and to continue to campaign on their behalf this fall. An article I wrote for both EDGE and the Fire Island News this week details these desires... and the fact it will become all politics all the time once again.


With the Democratic National Convention less than two weeks away, Democrats and activists from across the five boroughs are slated to travel to Denver.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn [D-Chelsea], state Sen. Tom Duane [D-Chelsea], City Councilmember Rosie Mendez [D-Lower East Side] and United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten are among the nearly two dozen LGBT delegates to the convention. Doctor Marjorie Hill, chief executive officer for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York Transgender Rights Organization director Melissa Sklarz and political wunderkind Corey Johnson are among those who will travel to Denver as part of a variety of DNC committees.

In addition to preparations to attend the DNC, local, state and even national politicians have made several trips to Fire Island this summer to court potential voters and raise funds for their campaigns.

Democratic National Committee [DNC] Chair Howard Dean made his annual appearance in the Fire Island Pines on Sunday, Aug. 10, to attend a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. The former Vermont governor and 2004 presidential candidate appeared alongside openly gay Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank and DNC Treasurer and Pines resident Andy Tobias.

DNC officials had yet to tabulate the amount of money raised at the fundraiser as of press time, but Dean urged attendees to support Barack Obama this November.

"We are responsible for maintaining our own democracy-not me, but you," he said. "I believe our country is worth fighting for and this is what it’s all about."

Dean blasted President Bush on a whole host of issues that include the economy and the detention of terrorism suspects held at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. He added he feels alleged torture and other interrogation techniques used against these detainees have further jeopardized the country’s reputation abroad.

"That is the fundamental shame of what the Bush administration has done to our country and the world," Dean said.

He further criticized the administration for the way he feels it has mismanaged the War on Terror.

"We are not safer," Dean said. "We have lost 4,000 people. We are not winning the war in Afghanistan."

Dean also discussed LGBT rights. He signed the country’s first civil unions law in 2000 as governor of Vermont. These unions, domestic partnerships and marriage for same-sex couples are now legal in Massachusetts, California and more than half a dozen other states.

"The extraordinary thing has been since 2000, when George W. Bush took office, one state had marriage equivalency-mine," Dean said. "Now there’s nine. That’s amazing."

He further criticized presumptive Republican Presidential nominee John McCain. Frank specifically referred to the landmark Lawrence vs. Texas decision that overturned the country’s remaining sodomy laws in 2003 as he stressed he feels voters should elect Obama.

"It is almost certain the next president will reshape the Supreme Court," he said. "We can’t afford John McCain."

New York Sen. Charles Schumer agreed. He appeared alongside U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell [D-Wash.] at a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Aug. 2 that raised more than $120,000. The DSCC’s mission to elect a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate by supporting candidates in Alaska, Colorado, Mississippi, New Hampshire and other battleground states.

Press was not allowed to attend the fundraiser, but Schumer, who had endorsed Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign, told WNYC reporter Amy Eddings in an Aug. 7 interview he feels Democrats are poised to pick up a significant number of Senate seats this November.

"The wind is clearly at our back," he said. "People want change." Schumer further conceded a number of former Clinton supporters remain upset the former First Lady will not garner her party’s nomination. He avoided a question about whether he feels Obama would choose Clinton as his running mate. Schumer did add, however, he remains confident the former First Lady will continue to support her former campaign trail rival.

"[She] knows how important it is to take back the government," he said. "These seven years of George Bush have been a disaster."

Schumer and Dean are not the only elected officials and other politicians who have stumped for votes and money on Fire Island this summer. Long Island Congressman Tim Bishop [D-Southampton] held a fundraiser in the Pines in late June, while Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian Foley, who seeks to unseat long-time incumbent state Sen. Caesar Trunzo [R-Brentwood] and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Tim Mazzei have also raised money on the beach in recent weeks. And openly lesbian New York City Council candidate Yetta Kurland is scheduled to hold a fundraiser in the Pines on Aug. 24.

State Assemblywoman Ginny Fields [D-Oakdale] held one of the more unique Fire Island political events on Aug. 2 with the second annual Ginny Fields look-a-like contest at Heaven n’ Earth in Cherry Grove.

Lola Galore and the partner of openly gay state Assemblyman Matthew Titone [D-Staten Island] proved imitation is really the most sincere form of flattery.

"Ginny doesn’t have a purse or a clutch," Titone’s partner pointed out as he dubbed himself Ginny from the Block. "She has a suitcase. That’s what this is all about."

State Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer [D-Far Rockaway], a candidate for Queens Borough President, and Islip Town Councilman Gene Parrington also joined Titone and Fields. It quickly became clear, however, Galore had won the competition.

She reflected upon her hard fought victory.

"I’m just here to celebrate with Ginny," the 2007 Cherry Grove Homecoming Queen said. "I love her and I want to support her."

Fields added she felt flattered by the local queens’ efforts. She feels it remains important to make time to connect with her island constituents and to learn about the issues.

"It’s terrific to have an elected official set their feet on the sand and boardwalks," Fields said.

A new era

The New Hampshire primary, which took place on January 8, seems like a arguable distant memory.

The think overcast that hung over Fire Island today cannot contain the excitement of millions of Americans, myself included, over the history that was made last night. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama clinched his party's nomination after a campaign that lasted 16 months. I endorsed him earlier this year ahead of the New Hampshire primary. I continue to support his candidacy, and the site of him announcing his victory in St. Paul last night was nothing short of monumental out of the sheer fact he is the first black person in this country who could arguably become president.

The last 16 months have certainly exposed me to an extremely diverse range of political views. Operatives who represented the candidates on both sides of the aisle guaranteed this journalist had more than his share of material on which to base his coverage. Growing up in New Hampshire gave me a unique perspective as to how the process works--and how candidates try to home their messages, etc. And it's arguably a huge relief that this lengthy process has come to an end. But all of us--even those who backed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, who herself made history with her very strong and determined campaign--can eventually take some solace in the fact Democrats have nominated a black man as their candidate for the White House. This nomination indeed marks a new era in American politics.

LGBT New Yorkers Make Their Political Mark

Politics remains the consistent blood sport in New York with special interest groups across the city continuing to secure a seat at the ever-partisan table. This trend certainly holds true among local LGBT political organizations in the Five Boroughs as I reported this week in EDGE New York. Many Democratic activists have set their sites on reclaiming the state Senate next November after Majority Leader Joseph Bruno [R-Saratoga Springs] blocked a bill to extend marriage to same-sex couples in July. Gay Republicans are also eager to advance the LGBT agenda through the perennial log jam that is Albany. Stay tuned!


With New York politicians already jockeying up support for their upcoming re-election (or election) campaigns, local LGBT political continue their quest to secure their place at the partisan table.

Lambda Independent Democrats member and long-time Brooklyn gay politico Alan Fleishman is among those who contend these clubs will play a pivotal in upcoming local, statewide and even national elections. The former Democratic district leader for Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and other so-called Brownstone neighborhoods first became involved with the city’s highly territorial political scene in the late 1980s with former Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman’s successful New York City Comptroller campaign. Fleishman was also among the gay politicos who blasted Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz’s endorsement of former Councilmember Noach Dear [D-Borough Park] for Civil Court Judge in September.

Fleishman was quick to point out to EDGE in a recent interview that Dear opposed the city’s 1986 gay rights law. He added LID members have also joined Councilmember Letitia James [D-Fort Greene] and other local officials in opposing the sprawling Atlantic Yards project. But Fleishman added LGBT political organizations have a responsibility to point out the anti-LGBT positions among those who seek public office.

"We’ve pointed out when politicians have strayed from being friends of the LGBT community," Fleishman said. "When issues impact our community, we make sure we get involved."

Staten Island Stonewall co-founder Rosemary Palladino agreed. She added her organization and others across the city play an additional role through voter registration and even raising money for candidates who support marriage for same-sex couples and other LGBT issues.

"Our mission is to be sure Staten Island politicians understand that there is something in it for them to support us," Palladino said. "We certainly intend to play an active role."

Lew Goldstein of the now defunct Lambda Democrats of the Bronx was equally as pragmatic. He predicted LGBT political clubs will factor into the Democrats overall strategy to regain control of the state Senate next November. Republicans maintain a slim majority but Goldstein contends LGBT New Yorkers will help secure a Democratic take-over.

"We elect those who are with us... and make sure they don’t lose in the primary," he said. "Our community is very, very important in all areas."

David Verchere, president of Log Cabin Republicans of New York City, said his organization and gay Republicans in the city and across New York State will continue to help elect LGBT-friendly lawmakers in both the Senate and the state Assembly. And he added gay GOPers will continue to play an important role in lobbying Albany to support marriage for same-sex couples and other LGBT legislation.

"We’re essential advocates for our community’s legislative agenda," Verchere said.

Senate control remains the primary issue for many LGBT politicos after Majority Leader Joseph Bruno [R-Saratoga Springs] blocked a bill in July which would have legalized gay and lesbian nuptials. The Empire State Pride Agenda and other local LGBT organizations continue their lobbying efforts in Albany but many LGBT politicos contend marriage, the Gender Education Non-Discrimination Act and the Dignity in All Schools Act would advance if Democrats reclaim the Senate.

LGBT voters also account for an estimated 15 percent of the total Democratic primary turnout. This growing voter bloc could have an impact on openly lesbian Council Speaker Christine Quinn [D-Chelsea] and other probable 2009 mayoral contenders.

Melissa Sklarz, a board member for National Stonewall Democrats, for sees that LGBT political organizations will play an even more important role in local, statewide and even national politics this election cycle than in previous campaigns. She added New York Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid has further energized these groups.

"You will see a huge, huge involvement," Sklarz said. "It’s a great opportunity for queer people to get involved and make a difference in our lives to help out in 2008."

Fleishman readily agreed.

"We’re still going to continue to be involved in the process and continue to make the best judgment calls we can for the LGBT community," he said.

Primary Reporting: GLBT Newspapers Keeping Tabs on Presidential Candidates on the Campaign Trail

Politics remains my journalistic bread and butter as my feature in this month's PressPassQ newsletter indicates. Stay tuned...

With less than three months to go before the first votes are cast in the 2008 presidential election cycle, the campaign continues to generate headlines in GLBT media outlets across the country.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s apparent flip-flop on gay rights, the Human Rights Campaign and Logo-sponsored presidential forum in August, and the right wing’s obsession with former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson’s position on a federal marriage amendment are just a handful of stories that reporters in the GLBT press have covered in recent months.

Tracy Baim, publisher and executive editor of Chicago-based Windy City Times, noted that her newspaper has also covered the ongoing debate over the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and outgoing Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Peter Pace’s reassertion last month that homosexuality is immoral. This is particularly newsworthy in Chicago since Pace’s original comments about homosexuality first appeared in the Chicago Tribune.

Baim expects to ramp up her election coverage as the primary vote nears. “Every week there’s something [about] GLBT, AIDS, or a civil rights topic that would make it relevant for us to cover,” she said.

She and her staff have paid particular attention to U.S. Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) because of their personal ties to the Chicago area. (Obama moved to Chicago in the 1980s; Clinton grew up in suburban Park Ridge.)

Also important to Windy City Times is the fact that neighboring Iowa will hold the country’s first caucuses in early January. Freelancers provide the bulk of the newspaper’s political coverage.

David Stout, associate editor for Q-Notes in Charlotte, N.C., said his publication plans extensive coverage of the South Carolina primary on Jan. 29. Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina has campaigned heavily in the Palmetto State for two reasons – he is a South Carolina native, and he won the state in the 2004 Democratic primary.

South Carolinians traditionally cast their votes on the heels of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire. Stout was quick to praise Edwards, adding his newspaper will likely endorse the native son in the primary. Stout maintained, however, that he and his staff would continue to focus on the candidates and their records as part of their campaign coverage.

Bay Area Reporter news editor Cynthia Baird said she feels the most significant election-related stories remain the anti-GLBT positions held by the majority of the Republican candidates as well as the leading Democratic candidates’ failure to support marriage rights for same-sex couples. Baird said her newspaper has published a variety of articles, columns, and commentaries on White House hopefuls from both parties in addition to coverage of presidential debates and local fundraisers.

GLBT media and columnists have scrutinized the candidates’ records on GLBT issues even before many of them officially entered the race. Gay City News and the New York Blade, for example, reported on the controversy sparked by a leaked memo that Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) executive director Alan Van Capelle wrote to his board members urging them to withhold donations from a March 2006 fundraiser aimed at Clinton’s Senate re-election campaign. The reason was Clinton’s failure to support marriage equality for same-sex couples.

And nationally syndicated columnist Rev. Irene Monroe – who is based at New England’s IN Newsweekly – has criticized Obama for using his religion to justify his opposition to gay and lesbian nuptials on the campaign trail. In response, she endured ongoing harassment from an Obama supporter. (For the complete story, see “Columnist harassed for anti-Obama comments” in last month’s issue of Press Pass Q.)

Boston-based Bay Windows has played a pivotal role in the campaign on the Republican side. The newspaper published a series of articles late last year documenting the pro-gay overtures Romney made during his failed 1994 U.S. Senate bid as well as his successful 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

Mainstream media picked up on the story, which has fed into the narrative that Romney is a “flip-flopper” on issues such as gay rights and abortion. As result, some social conservatives remain largely skeptical of his record.

Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff speculated that Romney would generate even more headlines if he does well in early caucus and primary states. “If he gains traction in Iowa and New Hampshire, well then, that’s a gay story,” he said.

Naff, who plans to launch a website dedicated to gay campaign issues by the end of the year, said his publication – based in the nation’s capital – plans to continue keeping readers informed about the candidates’ positions as the election kicks into high gear.

“We’re covering things as they develop,” he said. “[We are] really parsing [the candidates’] words on our issues to make sure their positions conform to what they’ve done in the past.”

Baim, of Windy City Times, agrees that the campaign will keep her and her staff on their toes: “Things change all the time. We’re definitely covering it as much as we can.”

GOP Candidates Shift to the Right

Politics seems the bread and butter of my writing these days as this article for EDGE clearly indicates. It focuses on former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and others who have largely abandoned their previous pro-gay overtures on the campaign trail. Candidates, especially on the Republican side, certainly veer to the right in the months leading up to the first caucuses and primaries. But the question remains: Will this strategy actually work? The answer to that query remains largely in doubt.

Leading Republican candidates seem to have one thing in common: They’re all eager to highlight their credentials as social conservatives. And the first item on that list almost always is that mysterious "gay agenda."

Although the first caucuses and primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire still loom more than four months away, observers maintain that the GOP White House hopefuls are falling all over themselves to establish--or re-establish--their conservative bona fides. In the case of at least a few of them, that means apparently backtracking form previous pro-gay stances that, they fear, are coming back to haunt them.

Primary among these former pro-gay politicians are former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Of the two, Romney arguably has the most to lose. He continues to position himself as the leading conservative GOP candidate despite apparent flip-flops on the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" military ban, the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act and especially same-sex nuptials, which roiled the state during his last years in office.

Log Cabin Republican president Patrick Sammon told EDGE in a recent interview from Boston that the GOP remains largely skeptical of Romney because of his flip-flops on gay rights, abortion and gun control. He added these arguably politically calculated strategy will ultimately fail.

"You can’t trust what he says," Sammon said. "Mitt Romney is trying to use the Karl Rove playbook from 2004... and that’s a strategy for defeat in the general election."

Romney has had a lot of explaining to do to the party’s right. He described supporters of a Federal Marriage Amendment that would write a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage as "extremists" during his failed campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy in 1994. And Romney even famously proclaimed he would advocate for gay rights more than the long-time Democratic incumbent, who was and is one of the most pro-gay senators in Washington.

Romney heavily courted gay Republicans during both his Senate his gubernatorial campaigns. He handed out pro-gay fliers throughout Boston’s Back Bay and South End neighborhoods during the city’s 2002 Pride celebrations that read, "All citizens deserve equal rights regardless of their sexual preference."

Romney all but abandoned these public statements after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued its landmark Goodridge ruling which extended marriage to same-sex couples in the Commonwealth. He largely spearheaded Beacon Hill rallies and other efforts in support of a proposed Constitutional amendment to overturn the decision.

These efforts failed earlier this year after they did not garner sufficient legislative support. But that hasn’t stopped him.

Romney has brought his message onto the Iowa campaign trail, where he launched a radio ad last week which highlights his support for the FMA. The spot further points out that Romney remains the only leading GOP candidate who supports the proposed amendment.

"As Republicans, we must oppose discrimination and defend traditional marriage: one man, one woman," he said in the ad.

The spot debuted just days after a Polk County judge found the Hawkeye State’s ban on marriage for gays and lesbians unconstitutional (a decision that was quickly stayed, but not before one couple did, in fact, tie the knot). Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson [R-Tenn.] all oppose the FMA.

Romney, who has campaigned heavily in Iowa, continues to court the state’s influential conservative voting bloc ahead of its caucuses early next year.

The Log Cabin’s Sammon said that his organization will not endorse any candidate until the caucuses and primaries are over. He did, however, applaud Giuliani’s gay rights record.

The former federal prosecutor maintains his opposition to gay and lesbian nuptials on his campaign Web site but activists applauded Giuliani in 1998 after he signed the city’s domestic partnership bill, which extended benefits to same-sex partners of city employees, into law. The former mayor’s personal travails, however, remain New York tabloid fodder.

He moved into a wealthy Manhattan gay couple’s apartment after he and his second wife Donna Hanover separated. Giuliani made even more colorful headlines after he tried to seduce real estate mogul Donald Trump while in drag during a 2000 charity event.

Social conservatives took note of the former mayor’s gender-bending but Sammon once again defended his record.

"The tone of his campaign is one on focusing on core Republican issues and not divisive social issues," he said. "He’s trying to unite all Republicans."

Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, applauded Giuliani’s gay overtures during an interview with the Washington Post last month. But he and other gay activists criticized him in April for his opposition to a New Hampshire bill which extended civil unions to same-sex couples. Giuliani sparked further controversy in June after he appeared to back away from previous statements in support of the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" during a debate held at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.

Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson remains highly critical of Giuliani and other GOP presidential hopefuls. He announced in an e-mail last week that he would not endorse Thompson’s campaign because of his positions on marriage, campaign finance reform and other traditionally conservative issues. Dobson took a similar stance against McCain earlier this year because he opposes the FMA.

Dante Scala, associate professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire said marriage--and gay issues in general--will not receive much attention during the campaign. He added Romney and Giuliani’s apparent shift to the right is a politically calculated strategy that could potentially backfire.

"They don’t need one more issue on which to cross the base," Scala said.

Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Brad Luna agreed. Social conservatives suffered a stinging defeat at the polls last November after former U.S. Sens. Rick Santorum [R-Penn.], George Allen [R-Va.] and other anti-gay incumbents lost their re-election bids. The gay rights movement quickly spun the results as a rejection of their anti-gay rhetoric. Luna further pointed to the FMA vote last June as an attempt to deflect attention from what he described as the Republican Party’s own failures.

" Their stance on these issues is not guided on some held deeply held belief but rather political expediency," he said.

Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, remained particularly critical of Romney and Giuliani. He also singled out Democratic candidates who fail to support marriage for same-sex couples on the campaign trail.

"Inauthenticity and evasion actually harm candidates," Wolfson said. "This is true whether they are a Democrat or a Republican."

Sammon remains optimistic. He maintained attempts to drive social conservatives out to the caucuses and primaries will fail.

"If James Dobson isn’t happy; then that’s definitely a good sign for our side," he said.

Health Care Emerges As An Electoral Issue

All things apparently come up politics these days as the presidential campaign kicks into high gear. Health care is certainly no exception but the question among many LGBT activists remains: How does HIV and AIDS factor into this equation? Most quickly conclude the current administration's policy with regards to the epidemic in this country has failed as I detailed in this article for Gay.com yesterday. The candidates on both sides of the aisle have, for the most part, failed to address the epidemic in their stump speeches and various health care proposals. An estimated 1.2 million people live with the virus in this country while more than half lack access to basic health care. The math arguably speaks for itself.

As health care continues to emerge as a dominant domestic issue in the 2008 presidential campaign, a coalition of activists and organizations across the country has called upon the federal government to reform its overall AIDS policies.

More than 100 HIV-prevention and public health agencies released a statement Sept. 18 calling on Washington to implement a "successful national AIDS strategy."

The document urges the federal government to increase funding for programs specific to gay men, people of color and others disproportionately affected by the virus. It calls for "ambitious and credible" prevention and treatment goals in addition to the expansion of research initiatives.

The Gay Men's Health Crisis and AIDS Action spearheaded the creation of the coalition to coincide with the campaign. The coalition distributed copies of its recommendations to candidates on both sides of the aisle last month, but the content became public the same day U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., unveiled her long-anticipated health care plan during a campaign stop in Iowa.

Clinton's proposal does not include AIDS-specific proposals, but campaign spokesperson Jin Chon told Gay.com in an e-mail that the senator's plan reflects her commitment to fight the epidemic.

It "will be particularly important for people with HIV/AIDS," he wrote. "Hillary Clinton's plan will make sure that all Americans living with HIV and AIDS have access to the health insurance they need."

Not to be outdone by his Democratic rival, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina announced a number of specific recommendations earlier this week to fight the domestic AIDS epidemic. These include the expansion of Medicaid to cover people with HIV, the repeal on federally funded needle exchange programs and the creation of a Cabinet-level position to coordinate domestic efforts to reduce new infections among blacks and Latinos.

Robert Bank, chief operating officer for the Gay Men's Health Crisis, applauded these efforts. He added that the campaign provides an opportunity for his group and others to shine a renewed spotlight onto the epidemic.

"We saw this as a synergistic moment to catch the country's interest in AIDS once again, through demands to the presidential candidates to do for America what Congress requires of other countries," Bank told Gay.com. "It is critical to say to this new president that what we have is not good enough."

Nearly half the estimated 1.2 million people with HIV and AIDS in the United States lack access to health care. Bank added that a lack of mental health and other psycho-social services aggravate the problem.

"That's too high for a country that has absolute access to the best medication in the world to treat this disease," he said. "We are a country that has access to the best treatment for AIDS, and we have half a million people who are not getting it."

AIDS Action executive director Rebecca Haag, who is also a member of Clinton's LGBT advisory committee, echoed Bank. She applauded the Bush administration's efforts to combat the epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa and in other parts of the developing world. Haag quickly concluded, however, that the White House has largely failed to address the epidemic in the United States.

"We don't think we're doing a very good job in this country in addressing our own AIDS crisis," she said.

AIDS has remained a political hot potato since the Centers for Disease Control made the first diagnoses in New York and San Francisco in 1981. Clinton specifically addressed the epidemic's toll among young black women during a debate held at Howard University in Washington in June.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., opposes the Bush administration's abstinence-only approach to HIV and AIDS prevention. He has remained largely silent on how to specifically address the domestic AIDS epidemic.

A number of black LGBT activists remain critical of Obama's apparent overtures to the black church, the broader evangelical movement and other religious institutions. He raised more eyebrows in December with his appearance alongside GOP presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., at the annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church in southern California.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, on the other hand, continues to address the AIDS epidemic on the campaign trail. He attended the dedication of the Wall-Las Memorias AIDS memorial in Los Angeles this month. Richardson, who created New Mexico's first commission to review state HIV and AIDS policies during his governorship, has also indicated he would appoint his vice president to lead the Presidential Advisory Commission on HIV and AIDS.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and other Republican candidates have remained all but silent on the issue.

Haag said the candidates will continue to promote their health care proposals as the first caucuses and primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire draw closer. She remained adamant that HIV and AIDS should be part of any comprehensive plan.

"We are asking them to commit that under their presidency they will lead the nation to solve this crisis," Haag said.

Bank agreed.

"At a minimum, any presidential candidate who would be seriously considered for leading this country should address -- publicly -- the crisis of AIDS in the United States," he said. "If that person who has the privilege of leading this country talks about AIDS, then AIDS becomes a serious issue."

Presidential Candidates Continue Voting Block Courtship

The latest in a series of Presidential debates and forums took place last night in Coral Gables, Florida, with the first-ever Spanish language confab which attracted the majority of the Democratic White House hopefuls. The forum, sponsored by Univision and moderated by Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas, almost certainly provided politicos with a welcome distraction to Britney's so-called comeback train wreck at MTV's Video Music Awards in Las Vegas. The mere fact the moderators posed the questions in Spanish clearly indicates the growing influence Latino voters have during election cycles. It also highlights the lengths the Democrats will go to appeal to a wide range of so-called special interest groups for the sole purpose of securing votes.

The so-called pink vote remains a viable voting block [and lucrative source of campaign funds] in cities across the country. Last month's forum in Los Angeles clearly demonstrated the growing influence of LGBT voters within some political circles. The argument remains, however, these candidates will construct the right messages and use the correct sound bites to further attract pink supporters at the expense of specific answers as to why the majority of them fail to support marriage for same-sex couples and other issues important to many LGBT voters in this country. The nuances of politics remain many in the realm of a Presidential campaign. Voters, however, should arguably demand specific answers from candidates who seek their money and most importantly seek their vote. Spanish-language and LGBT specific forums score good PR points with those constituencies to which the candidates seek to reach out. One can conclude these constituents deserve more than simply prepackaged sound bites, photo-ops and rhetoric about the issues of the day.

The Summer That Was

The summer of 2007 is unofficially over. Fire Island's seasonal residents once again have their pristine sands to themselves. The city's annual Fashion Week kicks off this week while I finally rode the Cyclone at Coney Island this past weekend before developers erect condos at the possible expense of Astroland. Summer, especially August, remains a relatively slow news cycle. Journalists and their editors and producers often scrape the bottom of the barrel to fill their newscasts, broadcasts or issues. This summer, however, generated a number of LGBT headlines that kept the movement for LGBT rights on its. Below are five stories which kept this blogger and others busy this year.

1) Former U.S. Sen. Larry Craig [R-Idaho] resigned over Labor Day weekend after a Washington political newspaper reported the socially conservative lawmaker, who repeatedly voted for the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment and other anti-LGBT legislation, plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge after Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport police arrested him in a bathroom for alleged leud conduct in June. Craig repeatedly maintained he is 'not gay' but the broader movement for LGBT rights, which by and large ran far away from this story, certainly thinks otherwise.

2) The majority of Democratic presidential candidates participated in a largely historic forum sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and Logo last month in Los Angeles. Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson stunned the audience with his initial assertion that sexual orientation remains a choice while the majority of his counterparts who participated in the forum stuck to their talking points and sound bites about equality and fairness for all Americans. Many activists questioned the lack of journalists from LGBT media outlets in the confab while others blasted the forum's overall format and even content.

3) New York City activists expressed outrage in various manifestations after the city denied Pride Fest's permit applications to relocate its annual street fair to Chelsea. The Radical Homosexual Agenda and other LGBT organizations staged a protest at the New York City Council's annual LGBT Pride commemoration in June. New York's annual Pride march attracted more than half a million people despite the controversy surrounding Pride Fest's cancellation.

4) An Iowa court ruled late last month the prohibition of marriage for gay and lesbian couples violated the Hawkeye State's Constitution. Tim McQuillan and Sean Fritz remain the only same-sex couple to tie the knot before Polk County District Judge Robert Hanson suspended his own decision on August 31. Iowa continues to draw both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates ahead of its first-in-the-nation caucuses early next year [or later this year]. The impact of this ruling should remain minuscule outside of social conservative circles despite the fact it remains the latest salvo in the broader initiative to secure marriage for same-sex couples.

5) The ejection of a lesbian from a popular New York restaurant following the city's LGBT Pride parade in June sparked widespread outrage among local activists. Khadijah Farmer, 27, said a bouncer at the Caliente Cab Company in the West Village ejected her from the women's restroom after he said she was actually a man. The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund joined Farmer, her parents and others in a press conference outside the eatery on July 2. The Queer Justice League and other activists boycotted Caliente Cab Company following the alleged incident.

What do you think are the top LGBT news stories from the summer of 2007?

Boy in Bushwick Recaps LGBT Debate

Democratic presidential candidates sought to highlight their pink credentials during the first LGBT-specific debate last night in Los Angeles which aired on Logo. The format bordered on clunky with rather predictable questions about marriage for same-sex couples, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and other LGBT hot topics of the days. The candidates, for the most part, stuck to pre-packaged sound bites and to a broader degree the Democratic National Committee's official platform. The confab, however, did mark a historical milestone for the movement for LGBT rights because it marked the first time White House hopefuls took part in an LGBT-specific forum during any campaign cycle. That said; below are some more memorable points from the evening.

- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson candidly and rather stupidly told singer Melissa Etheridge he believes homosexuality is a choice. She initially thought he misunderstood the question but he rather quickly tried to deflect attention away from his gaffe. "I'm not a scientist," Richardson nervously responded. "It's... it... I don't see this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as people. I don't like to categorize people or answer definitions like that perhaps grounded in science or something else I don't understand."

- Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina applauded his wife Elizabeth's direct challenge to conservative columnist Ann Coulter last month. "What Ann Coulter does is the worst kind of political discourse," he said. "It is intended to go to the lowest common denominator of the American people and divide us." Edwards further admitted his previous and current struggles on marriage for same-sex couples and other LGBT-specific issues. He bridged this personal introspection to his broader 'two Americas' message which continues to resonate with many potential voters.

- U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois echoed the movement for LGBT rights' broader strategy not to compare its charge to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. "I'm always very cautious to get into comparisons of victimology," he said in response to a question Margaret Carlson asked on the possible similarities. "The issues faced by gays and lesbians today are different than the issues faced by African Americans under Jim Crow."

- Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska remained steadfast cheerleaders for LGBT Americans and the host of issues about which they care. "I stand for full equality," Kucinich said. "This is really part of the American tradition."

- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York once again emerged as the Democratic front runner. The ties between her and the movement for LGBT rights appeared loud and clear. Logo even panned away from her as she prepared to kiss Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Joe Solmonese on the cheek as she walked onto stage. Hilary Rosen, who has endorsed Clinton's campaign, also co-produced the forum. Clinton once again came out in favor of civil unions. She further blasted President Bush and the GOP in yet another partisan attack. Clinton concluded, however, the Democrats with her in the White House will continue to advance the cause for LGBT rights. "We have made it very clear in our country we believe in equality," she said. "How we get to full equality is the debate we are now having."

Democrats Take Part in First LGBT Political Debate Tonight

Yesterday's tornado -- a twister Mom! -- in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, overshadowed the growing excitement over tonight's LGBT. Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Joe Solmonese, Washington Post Editorial Writer Jonathan Capehart and Grammy-winner Melissa Etheridge will ask the Democratic candidates questions during the forum hosted by Logo and the HRC.

The candidates will almost certainly face difficult questions about their records on LGBT issues. Senator Hillary Clinton, for example, may face questions about her continued failure to support marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, on the other hand, may have to explain his 'maricon' comparison that came to light in June. Some pundits and activists may conclude tonight's confab may produce more feel-good sound bites and blanket statements in support of equality for LGBT Americans. Others may speculate actual fireworks may erupt between the candidates who participate as they seek to secure the pink vote. Yet more may conclude the movement's own inbred politics and infighting may come to the surface. All of these scenarios remain a possibility. The fact remains, however, the debate marks a significant milestone for the whole movement for LGBT rights and to an equally important extent LGBT Americans.

Presidential Hopefuls Pressed on Gay Issues

Political speculation remains an art form which never seems to go out of style as indicated from this article I wrote for EDGE this week. It remains a safe bet the candidates -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in particular -- will continue to face difficult questions about their own records on gay rights as they outline their positions with their target constituents in the coming months. All of this political posturing will certainly provide journalists and politicos alike a multitude of new headlines and topics to discuss around the water cooler.

With the 2008 presidential campaign in overdrive, candidates from both sides of the aisle continue to stake out positions on marriage equality, hate-crimes legislation, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and other issues as they court potential voters and donors across the country. Although the first primaries and caucuses are more than six months away but skeptics, gay activists and even some politicos have already pressured White House hopefuls to define or further explain their positions on gay rights.

Former North Carolina Senator and Democratic hopeful John Edwards went on the defensive late last month after the Washington Post reported he told Democratic strategist Bob Shrum in 1998 he is "not comfortable with those people" in response to a question about gay rights. Edwards quickly dismissed the comments but has publicly maintained his opposition to marriage for same-sex couples.

Senator Hillary Clinton and other Democratic presidential hopefuls--as well as Republican former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, considered the most gay-friendly of the GOP major candidates currently in the race--also oppose marriage for same-sex couples. New York public radio host Brian Lehrer told Edge that the North Carolina native’s tone on this issue remains different than other candidates. He speculated this difference could help Edwards attract moderate voters.

"Edwards does own his personal discomfort with gay marriage in his public statements," he said. "He says he’s just not there yet unlike [other] Democrats who just say they’re not for gay marriage. This avoids getting him too far out in front of the population."

The Democratic National Committee platform officially calls upon each state to define marriage. It also opposes the FMA. The majority of Democratic candidates continue to tout their party’s line in their stump speeches and public statements on the issue.

"That federalist dance is pretty much what the leading Democratic [candidates] are doing on gay marriage," Lehrer said. "They say they oppose legal gay marriage but oppose a Constitutional ban and the Defense of Marriage Act."

As the political editor of Rollcall, a magazine that exclusively covers Capital Hill, Josh Kurtz has been watching the developing races with a knowing eye. Democrats often moderate their positions on marriage and other potentially divisive social issues which could polarize target constituencies, he said, adding that candidates cannot appear too liberal if they hope to garner support from moderate voters.

"Democrats have to move to the left during the primary season but move to the center during the general election," he said. "At this level, candidates are walking a kind of tight rope. They have to find themselves as close to the center as they can get."

Among Republicans, social conservatives continue to challenge former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s previous statements in support of gay rights. Romney famously described FMA supporters as "extremists" during his failed campaign to unseat popular incumbent Sen. Ted Kennedy in 1994. The former governor heavily courted gay and lesbian Republicans during his 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

Romney later expressed support for the FMA after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued its landmark Goodridge decision to allow marriage for same-sex couples in the commonwealth. He spearheaded the campaign in support of a proposed Constitutional amendment in the state but observers agree his own record presents a significant challenge to his campaign as he continues to position himself as a viable conservative candidate.

"It’s already a liability for his campaign," Kurtz said. "To get elected in Massachusetts, he had to present himself as a moderate on social issues. He is running away from that record as fast as he can."

Lehrer agreed. He said Romney has lost credibility among social conservatives as a result of his apparent flip flops on gay rights, abortion and other issues. "A huge challenge for him is the way he’s done a full 180 on a number of things," Lehrer said. "He has a lot of explaining to do on a lot of issues."

Social conservatives continue to question Giuliani’s record in light of his opposition of the FMA, a bill he signed into law in 1998 which extended benefits to same-sex partners of city employees and other aspects of his political and private life. Among other things, Giuliani famously shacked up with an affluent Manhattan gay couple when he moved out of the mayoral residence during a break-up with his second wife.

Kurtz said this scrutiny appears to have had little impact on the former mayor’s campaign. "Giuliani has been a little more adept at walking the right rope than Romney has," he said. "He hasn’t had a whole sale 180 degree turn on some critical social issues."

Candidates will continue to outline their positions as the first caucuses and primaries approach. Observers said the majority of voters will pay less attention to these issues during this campaign cycle. They added this dynamic could change if a state court issues a pro marriage for same-sex couples ruling or if New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg or another potential third party candidate enters the race. Bloomberg, a Republican, has very publicly bucked his party’s platform by advocating for gay marriage.

Lehrer concluded, however, that social conservatives and other potential voters will continue to focus on Iraq, health care and other issues and the candidates’ positions on them.

"Because of the gravity of the world situation and what Americans perceive as an existential threat to the country [and to our democracy], the gay marriage issue should recede in importance for people on the right this year."

New York Governor Introduces Marriage Bill

Governor Eliot Spitzer kept his promise to LGBT advocacy organizations today and introduced a marriage equality bill in Albany. Spitzer, who took office in January, became the first governor in the country to introduce such legislation.

"Today is a watershed moment in our community's struggle to win the freedom to marry in New York and have our relationships treated the same as any other relationship under the law," Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle said in a statement. "We are extremely proud to have a Governor who understands that all New York families need access to the protections and responsibilities that the state provides through marriage."

This bill is a monumental move many activists and same-sex couples in New York State will continue to praise over the coming days and weeks. ESPA will certainly have a lot to celebrate next week as it brings hundreds of LGBT New Yorkers to Albany for its annual lobbying day but it, and other groups, have a responsibility to manage expectations based on current political realities.

Spitzer has certainly proven himself a strong ally for LGBT New Yorkers in their quest for equality. But the New York State Senate, controlled by Republican Joseph Bruno, poses a very significant challenge to the success of this bill as an April 24 editorial in the New York Times correctly pointed out. The senate Majority Leader has repeatedly expressed his opposition to marriage for same-sex couples. His counterpart in the state Assembly, Sheldon Silver [D-Manhattan], has yet to publicly take a position on the bill. This political reality underscores the uphill battle activists face as they work with the governor to advance the bill. They will continue to polish their messages, talking points and sound bites to convince New Yorkers across the state that marriage equality is an important issue. But these groups also need to clearly articulate to their constituencies the significant hurdles that lay ahead.