I admit I was wrong about Obama, so now what...

[Liberalboy]

I have wrestled and struggled with Obama's candidacy since I heard in October 2007 that he invited an ex-gay anti-gay preacher to be part of his tour of the South. When he did not disavow this man, and refused to kick him off the tour I got angry, and was disappointed...thinking this man who had spoken so eloquently at the 2004 Democratic Convention was nothing more then a hack.

Look, I'm a gay man, who lived in a very Conservative state (Colorado) before packing up and moving to Canada in 2006. I was tired of the hate and anger directed at the GLBT community and wanted to live somewhere where my daily existence as a human being doesn't come into question. I found a country and people who accept me and fund things like socialized medicine, gay marriage, no wars and good hockey :-) I still love my country though, and I want to be part of the electoral process...luckily the DNC allows me that chance with electing overseas delegates to the convention, and my vote in Colorado (now a swing state) will also help in November.

I found an article today ( http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid50101.asp )that answered my questions about Obama's stance on GLBT culture and society and now I am struck with a fundamental question of who to vote for. With Kucinich gone, I'm left with Obama and HRC and this one issue was helping me to colour who I would vote for; now that it is a non-issue I'm looking at two roads in front of me.

All I want to say is that I'm sorry, and I'm glad I did my research...hopefully this might help someone else who is in the same boat I found myself in.

[Prefer]

1. Just BELIEVE in HOPE and CHANGE!

The details will work themselves out later.

[Hope And Change]

4. Exactly!

:)

[goldcanyonaz]

21. How scary.

[KittyWampus]

25. or you could look at his policy positions but apparently Hillary supporters are too stupid

OOPS, I mean intellectually challenged, to do so.

Okay, they're not backwards, they're just so biased they need to lie about their opponent.

[Cha]

2. Go for hilary..

the clintons have all the class.

[Olney Blue]

3. I hope you come home again some day. We need thoughful citizens

like you. :hi:

[maddiejoan]

5. It didn't help me in October 2007

It doesn't help me now.

Obama treats this as two groups with "policy" differences.

THAT is why I have problems with it.

[Levgreee]

8. He does? He flat out tells these people that their views are wrong. nt

[maddiejoan]

14. Then why give them a voice?

especially in his campaign?

It's not a policy difference.

How would you feel if he invited some one on stage that said Jews need to be "perfected" in Christ?

[Adamocrat]

16. I hate to add a 'me too'

but "ME TOO!" That's the most succinct statement anyone has put forth.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. Not to veer off the topic, but how is life for you up in Canada? nt

[Liberalboy]

7. Great...

I've got a better job then the one I had in Denver, economy is strong, healthcare is a breeze....higher cost of living but that's cause we live in Toronto much like it would be in NYC. Now we just have to get Harper out (our Conservative Prime Minister)

[Sarah Ibarruri]

12. Sounds awesome! Thanks for responding! nt

[Bluerthanblue]

9. there is no need for you to apologize and the only thing you

need to do, is to ask yourself who the better choice is.

Your searching for truth about Obama and the McClurken issue says you aren't going to simply take "opinions" for fact.

Keep doing that-

Go to the issues that are most important to you- Look at each candidate, and their actual statements (in full context) as well as their actions which either confirm, or question their integrity.


I feel very certian that my personal choice, is a choice for the absolute best candidate- If any candidate needs people to bully or sweet talk people into voting for them, then we will likely end up with what we deserve.

I applaud your seeking out facts- and not relying on public opinion.

I believe you will bake the best choice- which only you know.

peace~

:hi:

[CoffeeCat]

10. I am glad that you found answers...

No one should feel like they don't have a political home...in their own country.

I am glad that you found peace with this issue, because it is really upsetting and
frightening to feel that the leaders in your own country--are not on your side.

As a heterosexual, middle-aged mom from the 'burbs--I want to let you know that
I am on your side, and I will fight for political leaders who are on your side
as well.

Did you hear Obama's speech during the Kennedy endorsement? He said that he
will fight for equal rights for men, women, the poor, black, white, asian,
hispanic, gay and straight.

I will say this as an Obama supporter. Sometimes the most revealing, tipping
point information about him---is almost hidden. You have to find it yourself,
but it's there.

He doesn't tout that he is a Constitutional Scholar, and that he taught Constitutional Law
and other classes, for nearly a decade at the college level. The man understands the Constitution
like no other. This knowledge guides him on: Wanting Guantanamo closed; wanting to restore Habeas
Corpus; Rewriting our nation's fuzzy stance on torture; making government more transparent; ending illegal
wiretaps. You don't really know how committed he is to all of that, unless you really
read his materials.

[Liberalboy]

19. Thank you...

I do hope I can come home one day

[More Than A Feeling]

11. Do some more research. The gap between what Obama says in that article

and what actually happened is pretty large:

http://news.lavenderliberal.com/2007/10/29/the-homobamaphobia-tour-preacher-donnie-takes-the-stage/

[thevoiceofreason]

13. It might also help to know that Obama's church

Is a member in the United Church of Christ. It (we) are open and affirming -- as a stated and public mission of our church community. So, when you hear about Barack's faith, it is not the Falwell kind of bullshit faith that condemns people, but the brave faith of an inclusive community.

[Mojambo]

15. There's little difference between them. Vote for the one you find most electable. n/t

[Adelante]

17. Good luck with your decision

But don't be sorry, be glad :)

[flpoljunkie]

18. Have you also read this from the LAWeekly?

Closing paragraphs from Obama's Gay Gold Mine...

Obama's Gay Gold Mine

A new breed of power broker is staking out the White House. Their names are Bernard and Gifford
By PATRICK RANGE MCDONALD

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 - 5:58 pm

These days, Bernard and Gifford have realized the race has become very personal. "Usually you like to keep some distance in case your candidate loses," says Gifford, "but this one has been different."

They started to feel a true fondness for the candidate back in August, when he appeared at a gay forum televised on the LOGO cable network. After the show, Bernard and Gifford organized a gay fund-raiser at Area, a nightclub on La Cienega Boulevard. In just a few hours, they raised more than $100,000 from 400 gays and lesbians, and Obama gave a speech that some saw as exceptional.

"It was truly phenomenal," says Gifford. "He equated all social injustices with the injustices gays and lesbians have to face."

Just before Obama vanished into his motorcade that warm evening last summer, he draped his arms around Bernard and Gifford and asked them if he did them right. Bernard looked at him, "Senator, you always do us right. This time, you did us proud."

Gifford, the urban sophisticate, started to choke up. Not only did he realize he was finally doing something that would matter, but he seemed to be getting results. On that August night, he thought, possibly the next president of the United States was standing there for all to see, literally embracing him and his lover.

http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/obamas-gay-gold-mine/18247/?page=1

[Liberalboy]

20. Thanks

I will definitely check this out

[ruggerson]

22. Hi Liberalboy

I have been a supporter of Clinton's but this really made me proud:

http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/Hillary_Clinton_addresses_gay_teen__0125.html

Watch video and watch her reaction to the question. It is at approx 3:20 into it.

She is the only candidate to have directly addressed the question of gay teens, as far as I know.

It really strengthened my resolve that she is the right candidate.

Let me know what you think.

[Liberalboy]

24. Excellent...

As a social worker and former homeless gay teen, that amazes me that she has a grasp on that topic. Thanks for pointing it out

[ruggerson]

30. Let me know what you think

after you view it

[demo dutch]

23. There are other differences, I didn't like Obama's "Aye" on Cheney's energy bill

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00213

[Coexist]

26. do what I did

hop in an be glad.

I just did some phonebanking for Obama (through MoveOn) today, and it felt so good to be back in the mix!

[KittyWampus]

27. Compare their Health Care policies, their Foreign Policy records, what other issues concern you?

[Liberalboy]

29. Environment, Health Care and the Economy are my top three eom

[KittyWampus]

31. Health Care- main difference is in mandating insurance. O's plan keep costs down

and subsidies to make it affordable.

Hillary's uses mandates.

There are upsides and downsides to both these programs.

[ginchinchili]

28. Don't "just believe in hope and change." Please do much more than that.

The truth is we don't know how Obama will deal with the gay marriage issue. He probably won't. He likes it both ways (hey! no pun intended). But he's very non-committal. To more conservative audiences he presents himself as a more traditional marriage guy. With more progressive audiences his tent automatically expands. He's like that on a lot of issues. Take gun control. He was out west today assuring audiences that he comes from a state where hunting is a big deal and that he has no intention of taking away anyone's guns. But his record shows that he's voted many times for gun control and limits on how many and how often people can buy guns. Point being, we don't know what we're getting. Personally, I think we'll be getting someone who is politically expedient. I'll give you another example. He didn't make it for the vote on declaring Iran's elite military force a terrorist organization, yet he attacked Hillary for doing so. Now, I agree that Hillary made the wrong choice, but to me Obama lost the moral authority to criticize her by deciding it wasn't important enough for him to show up for. Obama's supporters will say it's because he was on the campaign trail, but so was Clinton, Biden, and Dodd--the latter two voting against it--and they all felt it was important enough to return to Washington for--and Obama had a heck of a lot more money to do so than Biden or Dodd.

[CorpGovActivist]

32. Thank you for the link and the thoughtful analysis.

Where in Canada did you move? My partner and I have the opportunity to live abroad (his work) and a few Candadian cities are on the list.

- Dave