Gay Paper: Obama Refuses To Talk With Gay Media

UPDATE: The publisher behind the anti-Obama editorial donated $1000 to Hillary Clinton's campaign, Queerty reports:

Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal's no doubt pleased with this week's edition.

His paper made a splash yesterday when it published both an extensive interview with Hillary Clinton and a big, blank middle finger to Barack Obama, who PGN accuses of avoiding the pink press. But an Obama interview isn't the only thing missing from the paper.

Segal - who did the Clinton interviewed and also penned an exhaustive editorial bashing Obama's - failed to disclose that he donated $1,000 to the Clinton campaign back in March of 2007.

* * *

The Philadelphia Gay News is hammering Barack Obama for what they say is his consistent refusal to speak to gay media outlets.

In its latest issue, the paper features a front-page interview with Hillary Clinton and a large blank space under a photo of Barack Obama, with a banner headline reading, "Clinton Talks, Obama Balks."

The paper's accompanying editorial states:

At this point in the Democratic presidential campaign, we're able to view the candidates by their actions. And we have found that Sen. Barack Obama would rather talk at the LGBT community than with them...

The fact is that Obama has spoken with the gay press only twice, and one of those interviews...was in 2004, before he became a U.S. senator. The other limited interview occurred after controversy erupted when his campaign added an anti-gay minister to his tour of the South. It has now been 1,522 days since Obama has been accessible to our community.

You can read the full interview with Clinton here, and CBS News' coverage here. Queerty has more.

UPDATE: Queerty points out that the editor and publisher is a Hillary supporter, having donated $1000 to her campaign.

Comments

[signifyingnothing]

Why is the Huffington Post even running this story? No one who's sane or self-respecting in the GLBT community ever reads these lame gay papers. They're for people who sit in gay bars all day drinking 3 dollar pints of Budweiser and drowning in their sorrows. And there is absolutely no reason why Obama, Clinton, or any other politician should have to condescend to speaking with them.

[mntnguy]

Exactly! if we had a gay media outlet that was not really a gay rag peddling the cheapest hair removal or escort services for there particular cities. it is sad totally sad that Gay and lesbian people out there are so bent on separating themselves into these cookie cutter plastic communities I have never heard of or seen the editor of this paper but I can bet you it is a rag just like the Gay and Lesbian times here in SD. Obama is about bringing people back together and full total acceptance for all of us. Even the lesbian community here in SD is supporting Obama. Hillary had one foot in the grave with us because her last name was Clinton and those of us ex military here we remember what her husband did after promising one thing he put a failed policy in action. she is a lier and so is her husband

[PhDiva]

This whole article is a lie. Obama has granted interviews to gay publications. Let Hillary campaign on THE TRUTH not on more lies about Obama. Oh yeah, and didn't her husband promote 'Don't ask, don't tell.' Who really has LGBT interests at heart. This is a sad lie.

[BenMurphyNYC]

People have the worst memories.

"Don"t Ask Don"t Tell" was an historic step for gay right - it put a stop to the witch hunts at the Pentagon - which were forcing gay soldiers and officers out of the service.

[Hillbug]

Was DOMA also a historic step for gay rights too?

[ColeSarah]

Sure that's what you think. It also made the heterosexuals more outwardly and flamboyantly heterosexual and much more outwardly homophobic.

The policy has complicated gender and sexuality to the point where it has been detrimental to the psychological well-being of our troops. Do a little search in the psychological and legal journals. Don't ask, don't tell forced our people into hiding which can be equally or more damaging!

[WaynesWhirled]

I am so sick of hearing Obama supporters try to tarnish the Clinton's record of being strong advocates for the Gay community. Everyone keeps bringing up the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, and using it to say Bill Clinton threw gays under the bus. THAT IS TOTAL BULL! Bill Clinton was the first and ONLY President to ever initiate a policy that allowed gay people to serve in the military. No presdident before him had ever attempted to stop the military's policy of discrimination against gays. Is the policy perfect? No. But Bill Clinton should absolutely be given credit for standing up for gay people back in a time when it was a very unpopular thing to do . Hillary Clinton has also pledged to eliminate the disparities under Federal law for same-sex couples, as well as end the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

Obama on the other hand talks a good game about gay rights, but then has openly anti-gay bigots like Donnie McClurkin representing his campaign. And back when the heat was on San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for Mayor Newsom's push to legalize Gay Marraige; Senator Obama refused to even have his picture taken with him, because he wanted to avoid the fallout over the Gay Marraige issue.

Obama talks a good game, but his actions show he can't be trusted to follow through when the heat is on.

[qwr]

Donnie McClurkin got hired for his singing, not for his political views. Obama's church, on the other hand, supported same-sex unions, and Rev. Wright even set up a dating service for his gay and lesbian churchgoers. How do you think the "Family," Clinton's prayer group, feels about gays and lesbians?

[BenMurphyNYC]

The Human Rights Campaign didn't call Obama because McClurkin was a gospel singer - they called Obama because McClurkin was a well known anti-gay figure. Obama made a choice and it was to keep the event.

Obama supporters would sound more honest if they would admit he should have never held that event, that he should apologize to Mayor Newsom and do the darn interview in PA. Is that so hard? Obama is human, all humans err, therefore Obama will err.

[WaynesWhirled]

And yet Pastor Wright also teaches that the AIDS virus was created by the US government supposedly controlled by White supermacists in order to murder the entire African American race! Gay Americans know what it's like to be falsely accused of being to blame for HIV/AIDS. Everyone should be wary of a man who would use the death and suffering of millions from HIV to justify his own warped racist hatred.

[wendelgee2]

Wait.
Don't Ask Don't Tell "allowed" gays to serve in the military?
No. It didn't.
They were already serving. And they had to keep their orientations secret.
After Don't Ask Don't Tell they were still serving and keeping their orientations secret.

[WaynesWhirled]

DADT also stopped the military from questioning new recruits about their sexuality, which was standard procedure at the time. I should know. I was in the Army back then. And it did make several gay member I know proud that Bill had mad the effort. The policy isn't perfect, but Bill was the first to al least try. And if you would bother to notice, Hillary has said she would end DADT.

[Vern58]

The record belies your belief that the Clinton's are the saviors of the Gay Community. DADT was a piece of political stagecraft. It did no pracactical good to solve the problem. It was a bone thrown to the Community to assuage the Clinton administration's lack of impetus and guts to actually stand up to the Republicans and fulfill promises made. During his campaign the Clinton line was all about inclusion and the end of discrimination- i should know- i was then a true believer. There were promises made- and very few promises kept.
HRC has made some of the same promises her husband did. But once bitten-twice shy. Some of us just have long memories.
BTW, McClurkin in no way represents Obama's campaign- he is a supporter, just like HRCs supporters,like Geri Ferraro. The fallout over Obama's "refusal" to get his picture taken with Gavin Newsom is just more bunk. Newsom is a political lightning rod. Obama was running for the Senate that year, in a state with a string conservative undercurrent. This was not a snub- it was simple political calculation. And Newsom has nursed it out of all proportion. And in the same year, John Kerry refused a similar photo op with Newsom, for the same reason. Gavin Newsom has an unfortunate reputation as a "star f##ker" He has so many collateral problems that it is no wonder Obama or Kerry refused to be a part of his perrenial photo ops.

[UrbanInterloper]

Newsom is as big of a Clinton backer as the editor of the Philly Gay News. They're both doing their Tanya Harding routines for Clinton, that's all. It's just politics and angling for position, not anything meaningful. I think it's a bunch of worthless words, and I don't hold it against either of them.

My advice: ask yourself which of these two Democratic proponents of gay rights would be best able to end this damn bloody disaster in Iraq and not let Bush start another one in Iran.

[thatbeingsaid]

I am sorry to point this out to you but I dont consider having to be in the closet as being able to serve in the military. DADT was merely a typical clinton triangulation to appease both sides. The reality is that as an American, anyone should have the right to serve in the military, str8, gay, or bi. Its just sad that DADT is the best that the "freest" "democracy" can come up with. Thats why we need change at all levels of society. McCain and clinton will not do be the agents of this change. This is my opinion and it is also a fact.

[WaynesWhirled]

No, it's just your opinion. I was in the military back then. Were you? I know the effects it had, both pro and con. There were many gay service members like myself who were very proud of Bill for at least making an attempt. The policy isn't perfect, but before it was in place the military could kick people out just based on the rumours of Homosexuality, they didn't even need to prove it. Bill Clinton and the DADT policy was a major shift in thinking when it comes to Gays and the military. If you yourself were not gay and in the military, you opinion isn't worth JACK! You are just spouting your mouth off about a subject in which you know very little.

Which is typical of Obama supporters

[Vern58]

This is getting blown out of proportion
The PGN is a Bar Rag. (for straight folks out there, that is a local Gay publication you pick up for free on the newsrack at a bar to find out where things are and what is going on) It is not a respected national publication like the Advocate, which deals in national news and thoughtful, insightful opinion. It is a Bar Rag. Not only that it is a Bar Rag owned and published by a well known Clintonista and campaign contributor of (you guessed it) HRC.
All you have to do is go to his website to find out his position on the subject. At last report HRC does not even have a subdomain.
At the time He appeared with D. McClukin, he was running his primary campaign in South Carolina, where he is a well known black pastor. It was a smart political move on his part.
I am old enough to remember working feverishly for the Clintons the first time around, and how hopeful we were that a person so seemingly supportive of the Community was running for President. I also remember my sense of betrayal at the failure to support Us as fully as He(they?) had promised.
What we got was DOMA, Don't Ask Don't Tell, and all the other little flowers in the Clinton garden. Melissa Etheredge was right. They threw us under a bus.

[BenMurphyNYC]

Melissa Etheridge failed in the LOGO debate by not being prepared with the History of LGBT issues. Jonathan Capehart (one of the moderators) also had forget about the struggles in the 1990s and defended Clinton in post-debate discussion on MSNBC.

1). "Don"t Ask Don"t Tell" was historic - it was a pro-gay rights step made to stop witch hunts at the Pentagon - which were actively forcing gay soldiers and officers out of the service. Although it was a 1st step, Hillary Clinton recognizes that it is time to take the next step and end "Don"t Ask Don"t Tell" and replace it with better protections

2). I was part of the lobbying campaign to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004. Because DOMA was already law several conservative congressman were willing to oppose the bill enshrining a definition of marriage into the constitution. The President of the HRC, the LGBT advocacy group, gave a huge amount of credit to Hillary for helping to organize the counter effort to the FMA

3). Hillary was the first First Lady to march in a Pride Parade

4). You do yourself a disservice when you don't do your research (this took me 10 seconds to find): http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/lgbt/

5). McClurkin, a smart political move? Would scheduling an event with Apartheid be wise if the South African Blacks were calling for the event to be cancelled? Would it inspire "hope" if you kept the event? Would you be a moral person?

[MaineMike]

How do you get to http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/lgbt from the main page? I can't find the menu choice.

[OttoF]

Saying that the author of the article is a Hillary supporter may be a good technique to blunt the impact of the article, but it does not erase the truth of the article. And gay people have not forgotten how Obama included arch-homophobe Donny McClurkin in his gospel tour, and later tried to address the controversy by saying that he (Obama) was just trying to bring both sides together. Had, for example, John Edwards included in his campaign an outspoken member of the KKK, and had he later tried to say that he was just trying to bring African Americans and the KKK together, we would still be hearing about it.

Obama keeps trying to play both sides. He needed the support of black Baptists in the South, and used McClurkin to get it. The fact that they are extremely homophobic, as is McClurkin, sparked the controversy. So Obama made a speech about how blacks should abandon homophobia. Playing to both sides. When the Rev. Wright controversy erupted, Obama made a speech in which he tried to play to both sides. To me both speeches were merely examples of damage control. At least Hillary has taken a stand on gay rights and is willing to be interviewed by gay media.

[KidFromVegas]

You really need to get over the "Donny McClurkin" thing. Were you just as outraged when the Clintons threw us under the bus with DOMA & DADT? The fact the Obama discusses homophobia black churches is what is really telling. It is repugnant that the only thing the Pro-Clinton GLBT folks replay over and over again is McClurkin. Your argument is as weak as HRC's delegate count. Time to move on...

[queertodaydotcom]

Obama's record is substantially more pro-gay than HIllary's. He even cosponsored a gender identity/expression discrimination bill in Illinois. Furthermore he would eliminate all of Doma while Hillary would only eliminate some of it.

Obama is bringing peopel together to talk about these issues - it is even apart of his standard stump speech - you dont' hear HIllary mentioning gay rights in her stump speech.

[UrbanInterloper]

Clinton has a good stance on gay equality, but Obama has the stronger stance. He would repeal DOMA, while she would repeal half of it and supports states' ability to deny recognition of legal marriages from other states. Obama also routinely includes "gender identity" in all of this LBGT speeches, writings, and yes, interviews in both the gay and mainstream press.

Also, the KKK/McClurkin analogy is fatally flawed. McClurkin considers himself an ex-gay and is an ex-substance abuser who found help through his religion - this fact is routinely left out of most articles about him. Viewed with compassion, one would pity McClurkin for his sad confusion and self-loathing, not damn him for his homophobic statements, as wrong as they are. First and foremost, it seems he hates himself. McClurkin is as much victim of homophobia and he is homophobe. So as for that flawed analogy, no white KKK clansman can claim salvation from once being black by becoming white. Clansmen are just hateful racists.

Bottom line: LGBT issues would probably be pretty well off with either of them in office. Consider the country lucky on that single issue and let's end this bloody disaster in Iraq already.

[LeftLeaner]

Can we talk about some real stuff?

Everywhere I turn the MEDIA is relentless in trying to discrediit Hillary Clinton.

They seem to be WORKING overtime.

Their unprofessionalism and bias is very disturbing.

[mponti]

"Leave Britney Alone"

[qwr]

Oh come on! She has discredited herself.

[WaynesWhirled]

Too many people seem ever so ready to excuse Obama's association with bigots. The Gay community hasn't forgotten Obama refused to cancel his tour through South Carolina with the anti-gay bigot Donnie McClurkin (he preahces that gay people are a disease, and that gays should be "cured"). And now all of America has heard about Obama's twenty year associaton with the anti-white, anti-Italian, anti-Jew bigot Pastor Jeremiah Wright..

Obama seems to like hanging around hate mongering bigots. What's up with that? And how come so many so called "liberals" are defending him for his bigoted friends?

[BenMurphyNYC]

Because we should judge a candidate not on what they DO but on what they SAY!

Obama Snubbed Newsom During S.F.'s Gay Marriage Fight

"I gave a fund-raiser, at his [Obama's] request at the Waterfront restaurant," (Mayor Willie) Brown told the Chronicle. "And he said to me, he would really appreciate it if he didn't get his photo taken with my mayor. He said he would really not like to have his picture taken with Gavin."

www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid52095.asp

[qwr]

Newsome is a scumbag, sleeping with his best friend's wife. SF made a big mistake when they gave into racism and went for the safe choice--Newsome.

[qwr]

Why do you say that Wright is "anti-Jew"? Because he called Israel a "terrorist state"? Israel is a terrorist state, and pointing this out says nothing about Wright's attitude toward Jews in general.

[buddhistMonkey]

((( "And now all of America has heard about Obama's twenty year associaton with the anti-white, anti-Italian, anti-Jew bigot Pastor Jeremiah Wright." )))

Your bogus characterizations of Pastor Wright notwithstanding, you're right that we all heard about Obama's association with him. And we collectively yawned. Now, just a few weeks later, Obama's poll numbers are better than ever. Your Republican smear campaign has failed spectacularly.

[suigeneris]

One perhaps more pertinent detail about the two candidates' stance on gay issues is that Obama's campaign website has had a whole section dedicated to LGBT concerns since the very beginning. Last time I checked, Hillary's site didn't mention them at all.

I take that as much more telling about the two campaign's views towards the gay community than I do one particular editor (and Hillary donor)'s personal interpretation.

[BenMurphyNYC]

I appriciate that Obama says all the right things on LGBT issues (for the most part) but his actions don't reflect his words. 1). He asked former Mayor Willie Brown to make sure he wasn't pictured with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom 2). He held an event with Donnie McClurkin despite calls from the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) for that event to be cancelled 3). He brushed off this interview in PA.

p.s. http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/lgbt/

[NYC07]

The Clintons gave us " Don' ask, don't tell" and the "Defense of Marriage Act' that's all any gay person needs to know.

[StephenS]

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/lgbt.pdf
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/lgbt/

Minor point from looking at Obama's and Clinton's positions:

When Obama says he "voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment", it's a slight embellishment.

Obama has never voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment (called the Marriage Protection Amendment when Obama joined the Senate). What Obama and Clinton voted against in 2006 was a motion to force a direct Senate vote on the amendment.

I am certain that if Senate ever does vote on FMA or MPA both Obama and Clinton would vote against it. It's just an embellishment by Obama.

When it was called the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004, Clinton also voted against a motion to force a direct vote on the amendment. So Clinton's website says "In 2004 and again, in 2006, Hillary worked to defeat the FMA."

Not as jazzy as saying Clinton voted against FMA, and again after its name changed to MPA, but more accurate than Obama.

Obama's file should change to be as accurate as Clinton and say something like: "Obama worked to defeat the Marriage Protection Amendment, ..."

[LeftLeanWing]

What Obama and Clinton voted against in 2006 was a motion to force a direct Senate vote on the amendment.

That actually kills amendment. It stops the bill from even coming up.

[whiteboyblues]

How fair

[Felicty]

I WAS RIGHT!

Several days back I said this had Hillary's stench all over it.

[anywho]

This is a personal promotion of the editors favorite, Hillary Clinton, contorted into a negative for OBAMA.

I have felt from the beginning that Hillarys gay support is for some reason irrational. I am pretty sure it isn't because of her policies, becaue OBAMA's are far more liberal.

[eurydice]

Probably a Log Cabin Republican.

[kishaaann]

I said this yesturday here it is again.

This is what people do to make up false controversies and distract us from the real issues of Iraq, a bad economy and lack of adequate healthcare

Here are some interviews, ads and blog post of Barack Obama with the LGBT media.

Obama had ads in both TX and OH gay papers
www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid52408.asp
http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003785226

Obama explains to Advocate why he is the best candidate for LGBT Americans
www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid50021.asp

Senator Barack Obama, a 2008 presidential candidate, recently granted an exclusive interview with PULSE, a magazine produced by Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD), a New York-based social service and advocacy agency.
http://adhc.wordpress.com/2007/10/24/obama-in-exclusive-interview-with-black-gay-magazine/

Barack Obama's Campaign Names His Gay/Lesbian Supporters
http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/2007/04/barack_obama_ca.html

Obama LGBT
http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

Open Letter from Barack Obama to the LGBT Community
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/open_letter_from_barack_obama_to_the_lgb.php

[StephenS]

After Obama paid for ads in 4 Texas and Ohio gay papers, Clinton gave interviews to 3 out of 4.

[personalpolitical]

Wow HuffPo, thanks for putting this in a little bit of context after days of presenting this as if it was legitimate. Although you still haven't bothered to point out the blatant lies contained within the article.

Congrats for feeding into this bullshit smear piece by an obvious Hillary supporter. I'm very disappointed in Huffington Post for being so easily manipulated.

[argent1]

andrew -gay conservative thinker- sullivan is probama. it's more about the very masculine opposed to the emasculated. more fun to be had with drag queens dressed as hillary than a deeper fantasy of barack in drag. though i wonder if cindy mccain's non-objection of lindsay graham's closeness to her husband doesn't enforce an encouraging sign of tolerance either. cindy is bitch love for all.