Why Didn't the White House Put Out Obama Gay Rights Speech?

Last evening at the Washington Convention Center, President Barack Obama spoke before a crowd of 3,000 at the 13th Annual Human Rights Campaign dinner.

The event was covered live not only on C-Span but ran live on CNN and was covered in full by MSNBC. This was huge -- an event committed to ending discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people ran live through two of the most important news and policy networks in the country. That is change.

But guess what? When it comes to White House internal priorities, Bo the Dog gets higher billing than the president articulating a human rights agenda before a GLBT audience.

The White House, thus far, has nothing about the President's speech on its main site. Nothing at "Speeches and Remarks."

And even on the official White House Blog, there is a suspicious gap between an entry yesterday titled "Happy Birthday Bo!" and a one-minute-past-midnight posting on the President's weekly address on health care.

President Obama said to the assembled, powerhouse crowd of gay Americans, Tipper Gore, the cast of Glee, Matthew Shepard's parents -- Dennis and Judy, Lady Gaga, Frank Kameny, Office of Personnel Management Chief John Berry, US Ambassador designate to New Zealand David Huebner, and others:

I'm here with you in that fight. My commitment to you is unwavering.

Great words from the president. Obama acknowledged those who feel that he has not yet done enough.

You can watch the speech here on MSNBC, but you can't read those words on the White House website -- at least not yet.

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What's the issue here? Why is this Obama public statement being treated differently from other major statements he makes?

Last night at 5:30 pm, I called White House press and asked to make sure that I got an emailed copy of the remarks which would probably be time embargoed. I left email and phone number as the phone recording requested, but there was no follow up.

I ran into Brian Bond, the capable Deputy Director of White House Public Liaison, before Obama's speech last night and was told that we would get the speech and not to worry.

Thanks to C-Span and MSNBC, folks can watch the speech -- so it's not completely out of public view, and the White House did distribute the "pool reporting" on Obama's 25 minutes at the HRC Dinner in which he reported that he had really made it as the opening act for Lady Gaga.

But on a serious level, a speech of this magnitude should be distributed to the media and made available to the public in the same timely way that other Presidential speeches are. We who were writing about this should have received an embargoed copy of the remarks "as prepared," and then a follow up set of remarks "as given."

But nothing yet on the White House web page -- and nothing in my in box about Barack Obama's commitment to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and his commitment to pass an exclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which were hight points of his remarks.

This is meant to be a friendly critique -- but while the gay community at the HRC dinner was enormously enthusiastic that Barack Obama was the first president since Bill Clinton in 1997 to speak at its annual event, we don't want the important remarks the President gave hidden so as not to make the weekend news cycle.

Note to White House Communications office, please get the speech on the White House website and distributed to the media and American public.

Obama's remarks were important.

I'll be watching my inbox.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Update: The White House has finally distributed to a few people President Obama's speech. You can read here.

 

 

Follow Steve Clemons on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCClemons

Comments

[suejester]

whose surprised that Obama is still in the closet. he can't openly admit he gave a speech to the glbt. absolutly disgraceful. doesn't he know this is national coming out month

[will4]

LOL

[ajaxvaneyndhoven]

They did put this speech on they're youtube channel yesterday. i follw the white house cloely, and it always takes about 48 hours for the videos to go up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F_BODrAwSE

This is another manufactured news story!

[JeffE]

Obama can't end DADT by executive order. It is a law that must be overturned by Congress. So, come on, guys. He's taking a stand. Let him get health care reform passed. Then, he'll deal with this.

[boredwell]

Well, as I have learned, life does creep in its petty pace from day-to-day. Then, it seems, just when you least expect it - BOOM! - there's a change, something so significant and surprising you are running to catch up. Whether that change is quotidian going, for example, from unemployment to employment; marriage to divorce; sickness to health change does come. Eventually. Progress in civil rights, aka equal rights for all regardless of gender preference or color, has been a social and philosophical continuum. The president given his roots has a visceral experience the effects of the predominant culture's mindset. Therefore, it is perplexing why he is reluctant to pick up his pen and sign the executive order abolishing DADT! I wish his actions spoke louder than his words.

[Chris1962]

>>>>it is perplexing why he is reluctant to pick up his pen and sign the executive order abolishing DADT!>>>>

I'm beyond perplexed. I'm officially suspicious. This repeal should have been done by now.

[Puddin]

Everything should have been done by now. This is the only president in how many years that has even considered addressing the issue. Folks need to calm down and relax. If you want change then do something about it, help the cause...help the President!

[CLNX]

Steve, the speech was Saturday night (I saw it live on CNN); the transcript, including spontaneous 'I love you bacK' from the president (just as he used to respond on the campaign trail) was posted on the 'Speeches & Remarks' section of WH dot gov on Sunday. Could you really not wait 24 hrs to criticize Pres. Obama? Name another American president who included the phrase 'gender identity' in a speech at all, much less one broadcast live on CNN. Please don't contribute to the stereotype that the left destroys its own. Looking forward to hearing more from you.

[IQ]

Between Congressman Joe Wilson and his LGBT 'supporters',
President Obama is gonna need a
hearing aid from all the shouting at he's receiving.

[Puddin]

It really is getting to be a bit much. President Obama is one man and he will need the help of everyone who want change to do their part, not just sit back and scream. My word, one thing I can say for the Republicans, they stick together. They don't take theirs toys and go home when they can't/don't get their way.

[DJ23]

Speech is up on White House youtube page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F_BODrAwSE

[Dailyfare]

Nit. Pick.

[wonketteRAWKS]

Steve, it would be interesting to get your opinion on MSNBC's John Harwood report.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33268417#33268417

[cuthbertallgood]

Thanks for posting this. I spent all weekend looking for a transcript., as I avoid the spoken version to avoid the theatrics and dramatics that Obama is so in love with. They distract and bore me. I like to read the words spoken, on all issues. This one was hard to get.

[octopi]

It isn't even news anymore that the Obama Administration is homophobic. They so far consistently undermine his "fierce advocacy" by suppressing any mention of gays on his website after key events until they can safely be buried in the intertubes.

[FrenchWomenDont]

Makes one long for the pro g.ay Bush admin. 2010 I'm sure the rebublicans will have your interests at heart.

[amipoetry]

All Americans should have equal rights...period. But, I don't see how you can say that his not being more vocal or pushing harder for LGBT Americans means his administration is homophobic. The percentage of LGBT Americans is somewhere between 3-5% of the entire population of the US - we have more people unemployed and uninsured, more people fighting and some dying in Iraq/Afghanistan. I understand how important these rights are to you because they are very very important, but please keep in mind that the administration is trying to prioritize the best way they can and some things just aren't going to come first because other things will impact more Americans. I asked a gay family member what he thought about Obama not pushing harder for his right to marry or be openly gay in the military, and he said that these things don't really matter if he or his partner was unemployed or dying because of lack of healthcare. We just need some perspective and some patience…

[Tom95134]

I'm not sure they are homophobic but so far they've only provided "lip service" to an issue that was a major item used to win LGBT votes during the campaign.

[Puddin]

Can you spell "patience?" Do you know what patience mean? Do you understand the concept of "working together for change?"

[globalcitizenlinda]

Sometimes people can really attack the people advocating for them and then end up with turnig off their supporters or even the un-intended consequence of someone who will reverse all the gains made by their advocate - so keep the President Obama attacks coming and you may get preisdent palin

[Dupree]

I have a gay family member and know first hand the struggles of his plight and recognize that he is a human being and therefore he is endowed with inalienable rights whether straight or gay is incidental. I also have been a strong advocate for treating all human beings with respect. I am also one that do not necessarily feel the need to continually focus on what a person sexual preference is for quite frankly.....I do not care...for we all are more than just who we decides to mate with on the basis of their particular gender....opposite or same. But I will confess that I find myself more and more annoyed with the constant whining and bemoaning about every single issue that can be raised to a controversial platform which inadvertently diminishes the real legitimate concerns that are worth highlighting.

I am totally consistent in this posture for I feel the same identical emotions....as an African American / Native American woman if I found that those of my same race that may seek to use our race as an issue for every issue....I take a stand back. For like any issue...one must be cognitive of the fact that if it is misused or misappropriated it will loses its significance in the quest for equality and freedom for it will create an automatic knee jerk reaction that would lead the committed advocate...tone deaf to the cries that has been reduced to a snarl.

[JoeSausage]

After all the sniping on the left, on every issue, every day, I think you DO deserve
President Palin.

[PatA]

~~ globalcitizenlinda I'm a Fan of globalcitizenlinda I'm a fan of this user 55 fans permalink

People are looking for all reasons to bash President Obama but this one is right up there with the most ridiculous and totally intended to create a snub where none exists.~~

Thank you, GCL........I knew there would be moaning and gnashing of teeth for something after his speech. I was thinking of it days ahead of time. What will someone bitch about now.........well, I know now.........

[globalcitizenlinda]

People are looking for all reasons to bash President Obama but this one is right up there with the most ridiculous and totally intended to create a snub where none exists.

I am one of those people who checks the White House website mulitple times on each and every day. I can tell you that President Obama's speeches and events that occur are not immediately up loaded - even if they are made to government agencies or within the White House itself.

In fact events that happen over the weekend are usually uploaded on the next available week day.

The author of course did not notice that even President Obama's speech to the Congresssional Black and Hispanic caucuses were not uploaded on the website until many days after they happened - I know because I was looking for them but no one regarded this as a snub.

One thing particularly reflective of the pettiness that some people have gained about President Obama is this author probabably does not know that President Obama's speech to the LGBT community was streamed live through the White House website as it happened - I know because I listened to it through this stream on saturday evening.

In fact, the speech to the LGBT community was handed exactly the same way as that to the Congresssional Black and Hispanic caucuses - streamed live and later uploaded.

Please have some credibility when you make these accusations because they divide the country and attack President Obama for

[Chris1962]

>>>>I am one of those people who checks the White House website mulitple times on each and every day. I can tell you that President Obama's speeches and events that occur are not immediately up loaded - even if they are made to government agencies or within the White House itself.
In fact events that happen over the weekend are usually uploaded on the next available week day.>>>

Check the blog and read all about what Obama did on Saturday night: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/
And after you discover that the dog's birhthday was deemed newsworth, but the HRC march and dinner were not, kindly explain why not.