Michelle Obama to Keynote DNC Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council

Via Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic and CBS News is word of a surprise headliner at the Democratic National Committee's gay and lesbian leadership dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan:

Michelle Obama will give the keynote address at the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Gala in New York City tomorrow night. She will be joined at the Democratic National Committee fundraiser by DNC Chair Howard Dean and New York First Lady Michelle Paterson.

How to interpret this? On the upside, gay and lesbian leaders in Chicago give Michelle Obama high praise for her outreach and accessibility. (PDF) Michelle Obama is Barack Obama's wife and most important surrogate and this could be interpreted as a strong signal that, if elected, LGBT issues will be a priority of the administration and she will continue as the ambassador to the LGBT community. Our leadership wold have a direct pipeline to the Oval Office. In addition, Michelle Paterson is an excellent ambassador to New York City's gay community and knows all the players and would serve as a great mentor.

On the other hand, after firing high profile gay staffers such as Ramon Gardenhire and Donald Hitchcock and the ongoing gay-related lawsuit against the DNC, Howard Dean does not enjoy a good reputation with the gays. Obama has regularly 'mentioned' gays and lesbians on the campaign trial during the primary, but, has yet to personally address national gay audiences or leadership. Given the realities of general election politics and the campaign's shift to the right and 'significant focus' on evangelical outreach, it probably will never happen. Oh, and there is last week's redefinition of marriage as 'one-man, one-woman'. WYSIWYG.

Choose your poison.

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Some Background ...
Obama Camp Marches in Boston, DC and Indy Prides [R20]
Obama Talks to "The Advocate" [R20]
"Christians" Opposed to Obama [R20]
Far-Right Not Interested in Disease/em>[R20]
Far-Right Not Interested in Disease Pt 2 [R20]
"Pastor Warren, Would You Let a White Supremacist Speak at Your Church?" [R20]
Obama: Not "Very Christian" to Criticize Gays [R20]
Obama Buys Ads in Gay Newspapers in TX, OH [R20]
Obama: Hospital Visitation for Gay Couples is "Not a Special Privilege" [R20]
Right-Wing Townhall.com: "Obama Would Be First Gay President!" [R20]
Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [The Advocate + PDF]
A Tale of Two Cities [The Advocate]
I Have a Dream ... Ticket [The Advocate]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
Obama Snubs Clinton at SOTU [R20]
The Advocate: Clinton vs Obama [R20]
Obama Addresses Homophobia and Anti-Semitism [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Obama Conference Call [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Morning After [R20]
Obama Meets the Press to Discuss Gays [R20]
Obama on McClurkin to "The Advocate" [R20]
Obama Resigns From Trinity [R20]
Obama "Outraged" by Wrights' "Ridiculous" "Rants" [R20]
NC Gov Endorses Clinton, NC/IN Polls Tightening [R20]
Wright at the National Press Club and Detroit NAACP [R20]
Wright on PBS: Obama "Says What He Has to Say as a Politician" [R20]
NC GOP Targets Dems with Obama/Wright Attack Ad [R20]
Teddy Endorsed Obama to Preserve JFK's Civil Rights "Legacy"? What Legacy? [HuffPo]
Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama and the Turban Non-Story [R20]
PA Debate: Meltdown and Morning After [R20]
"Bitter" Billionaire Fundraiser" [R20]
Obama Camp Provides Photo of Wright and Clinton [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]

Comments

[Patrick S]

Thanks for the update because I have not heard this anywhere else. It is certainly a good signal that the Obama campaign is participating in all the prides and Michelle Obama is being deployed as the gay ambassador. I happen to think she is a good speaker. At the same time, it reinforces Obama's perceived discomfort talking to gay audiences, his pandering to church audiences and unwillingness to explain recent remarks.

I'm keeping my options open.

[Tony DR]

What does 'WYSIWYG' mean?

[Greg G]

What you see is what you get.

In other words, the Obama you see now is likely to be the Obama you see in the White House. If he doesn't mean with gay groups now, he probably won't later. If he defines marriage as 'one man, one woman' now, he probably will later. I think Obama could be good on gay rights but we will have to keep his feet to fire and keep pushing him because his campaign is so church-obsessed, almost like Bush's was in 2000 and 2004. It's very clear he would rather mention 'gay' than talk to us face to face to answer some questions. That is very good for some, not enough for others. So far we see Obama can talk the talk. Can he walk the walk, we will see.

[Colin G]

I think Michelle Obama would be a great asset with gay audiences. I'm hopeful this will be the beginning of a strong partnership.

[sundaydinner]

Are black gay issues separate from all other gay platforms or would that only apply to the PRIDE celebrations?

[Mad Professsah]

any chance of getting some Rod 2.0 coverage on what Michelle Obama SAYS to the DNC Leadership Council?

[Mel Smith]

I think this is good news. I just want to see Obama in the Whitehouse.

[blkbandit]

how will the gay community react when obama throws them under the bus? his machiavellian antics in the past with reverend wright and public financing shows to me that he will do anything to get ahead.

[Derrick from Philly]

"how will the gay community react when obama throws them under the bus..."

Get back up and keep on keepin' on, brotha'. Obama's job will be to see that the gay community doesn't get thrown under the freight train of a far right wing Supreme Court.

[ATL KID]

'Get back up and keep on keepin' on, brotha'

Work it out, Derrick. We have disagreed on some things but you nailed it with that one.