I today’s Washington Blade, former deputy director for GLBT Outreach for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Ramon Gardehire claims that party chairman Howard Dean lied to Democrats when he “stated in a questionnaire from the DNC Gay Caucus that, if elected, he would retain the office of GLBT outreach.” But, perhaps because of declining fundraising in his tenure as chairman of the DNC, the former Vermont Governor and presidential candidate abolished the DNC’s “office of GLBT outreach.” Gardehire considers Dean’s action “an affront to all progressive Democrats, GLBT or straight.” Given this “progressive” Democrat has accused Dean of dishonesty, I wonder if his supporters on the angry left will treat him as they treat another politician they claim is dishonest.
Don’t bet on it.
It sounds like the kind of thing where a couple of particularly nasty or destructive liberals are ripping each other’s eyes out and it’s fun to watch.
I think the bigger story is that Mr. Gardehire is surprised.
I don’t think this is some crazy attempt by Dean to attack LGBT Democrats. I think this is an attempt to centralize the message. It doesn’t look like LGBT Dems were singled out, as it looks like other groups were centralized as well.
This is pretty minor. Dean decided he wanted centralization. I’m mildly pissed, we’ll proabably get the office reinstated, and we’ll be much more careful to get Dean to understand that a promise is a promise.
If Dean came out against ENDA or PPIA or started introducing Anti-Gay legislation, I’d be more mad.
If the GOP were to have an office of LGBT outreach (ROTFL) and centralized it along with other minority outreach groups, I’d probably feel the same way.
I’m not sure that anyone other than people who used to work in the office (e.g., the editorialists in the Blade) and Stonewall Democrats are really upset over this. Maybe I should be angrier, but I’m not.
To be brutally honest, a real perceived problem for the Dems is not that we support LGBT rights, but rather that our message is all over the map. I don’t think its true, but if Dean is trying to rein in all of these groups, then I’m willing to let him try it.
This is really inside baseball. I could care less on the internal mechanism of the Democratic party.
Tom:
Does it hurt your back to have write like that?
Shouldnt we react like liberals and call Mr Dean a fascist, liar, and homophobe who doesnt care about all Americans? And ask to see all emails and correspondence leading up to the removeal of this essential desk at the DNC? And what was Haliburton, Scooter and Cheneys role in this anyway?
Gene, I’m sure Dean closed down the LGBT office in order to secure a large Halliburton contribution.
Not at all. Have no problem with Dean. He hasn’t done anything that bothers me yet. Lets see if it translates into any policy changes. Then I’ll be the first to complain. But until then..No problem with it..
Again, if the GOP had an internal office on LGBT rights (ok..they call it Focus on the Family..sorry couldn’t resist that one) and shut it down to coordinate their message, I wouldn’t see much difference.
What would be really outrageous would be if a DEM President refused to name a gay person to be AIDS Czar. Thank god that only the Repug Party of Hate would be so bigoted!!!
#8
So scraping up a few bucks here and there and then spending it doesn’t bother you? How about endlessly pretending that he’s still a presidential candidate with a snowball’s chance in hell? Does that bother you?
I’d be much happier with Bush/GOP if he stopped wasting HIV/AIDS funding on untested outreach with organizations completely against LGBT dignity. Or if he required recipients of HIV/AIDS education funds to use real science and to stop lying about LGBT persons in their literature and presentations (see “Dr.” Bill Frist’s tear’s cause AIDS)Furthermore, I’d be happier if he fully funded the Ryan White Act.
That being said, he did appoint an openly Gay man to a position within his administration. You’re barking up the wrong tree when you think I’m going to demand that certain positions are filled by someone who is Gay. I think that it is important that openly Gay men be represented in the policy making process (as a sound method of ensuring that messages reach targeted communities). Beyond that, if LGBT input is included in the policy, I’d be okay with a straight (un-bigoted) AIDS czar
#10 Dean has done a very good job as head of the DNC. You’re going to see the results of his rebuilding the party in 2006 when we win at least 10 house seats, 3 senate seats, and 7 governor’s mansions (That’s the low end). Dean doesn’t allow the GOP to roll over him. When attacked he defends himself and attacks back (what a concept). No problem with his leadership at all. Its nice to see some life in that post.
You’re going to see the results of his rebuilding the party in 2006 when we win at least 10 house seats, 3 senate seats, and 7 governor’s mansions…..
You’re serious, aren’t you?
And here I was, thinking for a brief, shining moment that you were actually rational. My mistake.
(That’s the low end)
Of what? Fantastical delusion? You’ll be lucky if you don’t lose any seats!!!
Dean doesn’t allow the GOP to roll over him.
Now there, you’re right. He somehow manages to do all of the damage to himself. By the time the GOP gets to him, there’s nothing left to roll over.
Oy vey, man. If you’re so determined to remain a victim, that’s your decision, but don’t start thinking you can take the rest of us with you!
Eric in Hollywood
Eric, thanks for pointing out Tom’s almost incredible loss of political consciousness and reality. I love the backbending effort to downplay earlier Democrt-inspired expectations of gaining the WH, taking both chambers of Congress, stopping the rightward tilt of the Courts, bringing home the troops, etc. Just like the promises to end poverty, rebuild our decaying Democrat cities, and soak the rich –this last fantasy of Tom’s is just that: fantasy.
Here in Michigan, the Dem’s may very well lose the governor’s mansion, lose Debbie “Beached-Whale-of-the-Senate” Stabenow and lose on ballot issues like racial quotas, hiking the minimum wage, and mandating increased funding for k-12 schools.
I don’t know if Tom is actually in Utrecht, but his political prognostications are pure ether and fantasy. Dean’s hallmark will be he took a thriving DNC and turned it into a hollow, bankrupt, ineffective political organization. And for all those who offer blithely, “It’s inside politics” –HA! He’s your poster boi for progress and it ain’t happening in this decade. Nice try on the shuffle, but you aren’t even on the dance floor yet –much less in the dance hall.
Only guilt-ridden, hand-wringing organizations have “outreach programs,” and only for their pet victims du jour. Conservatives prefer to treat people like adults, and leave the responsibility for whether they join or not up to them, rather than moaning about how they can “get more three-headed transgendered three headed lesbians of color.”
The day the GOP buys into this patronizing victim culture is the day I leave the party.
Unfortunately, rightwingprof, unless GWB pulls his head out of his ass with regard to the Katrina people, I’m afraid he’s already trying to selll the idea that the government can cure all these folks’ ails.
With regard to that entire clusterfuck and all related matters, I believe Ben Franklin made MY position on it perfectly clear a while back…
“I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.”
And that, my friends, is what I believe “compassionate conservatism” should mean.
Eric in Hollywood
See, Mom? I WAS paying attention in class!
Tom is still in Utrecht, for another 3 weeks, then transferring back home to Texas.
We’ll have to see if my prediction is incorrect. Its not much different than Cook’s forecast.
I’ll back it up – GOP seats in trouble
Congress: Shays (CT), Shaw (FL), Davis (KY), Beauprez (Open CO), Wilson (NM), Simmons (CT), Nussle (Open IA), Gerlach (PA), DeLay (TX – not gloating, but he is in serious trouble), Kolbe (Open AZ) are all seats that the Dems should pick up relatively easily. I’m not convinced yet about Cunningham (Open CA – Scandal – district sucks), Sodrel (IN), Johnson (CT), Gutknect (MN), Schmidt (OH), Ney (Scandal OH – but district is really bad for us), Hyde (Open IL – bad district – great candidates), Fitzpatrick (PA), or Taylor (NC). I’m worried about Malencon in LA (but no other Democrat). My guess is that we’ll net at least 10 of those seats. Maybe even more.
Senate Seats – DeWine (OH), Santorum (PA – by 10 – 15 points), Burns (MT – also in a landslide) are gone for you guys. MN and NJ are trouble spots for the Dems. MO and RI are looking really problematic for you guys as well. My guess is that between MO, RI, MN, and NJ, its a wash. Steele ain’t going anywhere in MD. Neither is Bouchard in MI (he better be your candidate or Debbie will win by 25 points instead of 10-12). You guys have been getting waxed here. This should be the GOP’s year in the Senate as the races favor you guys demographically. But sorry recruiting, bad messages, and absent leadership from RSCC leader Elizabeth Dole have put you guys in the hole here.
In the Governor’s races –
GOP possible pickup – IL (only with Topinga), WI, ORE, ME, IA, PA (If DeVos is the candidate MI ain’t on that list). Only IL would be lean GOP now. I’m not really convinced that PA is going to remain in play for much longer as I think Swann’s extreme views are going to hurt him with moderates in an election year where Santorum is the big issue.
Dem possible pickup – RI, MA, OH, NY, MD, ALA, Ark, CO, NV, CA, and Alaska. MA, NY, OH, MD, and CA are strong or lean Dem now.
Unlike in the Senate races, the demographics really favor the Dems, where toss up races in WI, ME, PA, RI, Ore, and IA are all in states where Dems are slightly favored in a generic matchup.
Matchups could kill you in some of the other races where you should be blowing us out. If Roy Moore wins the GOP primary in Alabama, he will lose to Baxley by 15 points. Alaska is a real problem for you with the current matchup and it moves to leans Dem if Knowles jumps in. You did get lucky when Hickenlooper decided against running for CO governor as a Dem. But Beauprez is so lacklustre that he’ll probably lose anyway.
The long and the short of it is that this election will be played with the ball on your end of the field.
This isn’t some off the wall prediction. Its based on polls, money rased, matchups, and voting trends in those districts. Ask your buddies on the Hill (I’ve spoken to several of my GOP staffer buddies over there). They’re scared about this one.
Oops I did forget the impact of redistricting (again) in GA. I guess you can add one GA seat to leans GOP for the House.
In theory, Herseth in SD, Edwards in TX, and Bean in IL should be in trouble. But they’ll be fine.
Tom, your position is based almost entirely, by your own admission, on polls, money raised, matchups and voting trends. I’ll address those in a moment. However, with regard to your “insider” status, you’ll excuse me if I don’t ascribe a whole hellluva lot of veracity to your info. Your party has a long history of saying whatever bullshit comes to mind that you think people will believe. I’m not going to come right out and call you a liar, but I tend to think that your “GOP staffers” probably don’t exist. Sorry if that offends you, but c’est la vie. After all, I’m in weekly contact with Howie Dean’s staffers, and they tell me THEY’RE terrified the party’s in a meltdown. Sound like bullshit? Well, so do your claims to be in touch with DC staffers.
Getting back to your “polls, money raised, voting trends” theory, you’ll forgive me if I choose to toss that down the shitter as well. Unless you’re counting on some huge shift to the left, this country remains bitterly divided, with the majority of Americans voting pro-GWOT, and satisfied with the state of their individual economic situation. NO ONE is satisfied with the overall state of the national economy, but if the Old Grey Bitch weren’t so disingenuous vis-a-vis her own polls, she’d have told you that Americans aren’t terribly worried about their personal finances.
As for the rest of your hopes & dreams, I’m sorry to tell you that the utter horseshit your fearful leaders call a platform isn’t being bought into by ANYONE who hasn’t already lost their minds. The more your party continues to pray fervently for the assasination/conviction/impeachment/general downfall of the president, the more alienated the mooonbats become. If Cindy “The Lesbian From Hell” Sheehan is your idol, then I truly bemoan the death of Modern American Liberalism. Unfortunately (for you folks, at least) not a week has passed wherein the Dems haven’t screwed the pooch. Your public image is about as credible right now as Ted Rall’s. My lefty friend, I do believe it is YOU who should be scared right now.
The myriad races you cite (as if stacking your post with beaucoup info is gonna convince anyone you’re right) aren’t indicative of a damned thing, except to reveal a DNC wishlist. But in the words of Je$$e Jack$on, “KEEP HOPE ALIVE! KEEP HOPE ALIVE!”
Eric In Hollywood
Tom, looks like you’re lookng at 2006 based on surveys most favorable to Democrats. While you may be right about a few of the House seats you mention and are clearly right about PA Senate, the Democrats won’t pick up any of those seats easily.
And you’re leaving out a number of seats where Democrats are vulnerable, including Bean (IL). She defeated an aging and increasingly incompetent Republican in ’04 and that seat should return to its GOP roots this fall.
Right now, I think Democrats will pick up between 5 and 7 in the House, but if they continue to campaign as Dean leads the party, they increase the chances of the GOP holding its own.
You’re right that Elizabeth Dole put us in the hole in the Senate. That she could not get a decent candidate to run in Florida is an embarrassment. That should be an easy pickup for the GOP. Nelson has low ratings and has shown himself to be in thrall to the left. The failure to recruit in North Dakota is also an embarrassment. Conrad is clearly concerned, but without an opponent, he’ll keep his seat.
I don’t know what you’ve been smoking. While Democrats have a chance in Montana, they won’t win that one, if they do win it at all, in a landslide. If Burns drops out, as he might, GOP holds onto the seat easily. If not, Burns could still win. While I wouldn’t bet on Santorum, if he loses it won’t be in a landslide. He has been steadily moving up in the polls and will capture at least 47% of the vote. Whether he can go beyond that in anybody’s guess.
As to Michigan, I wouldn’t be against Stabenow just yet, but she’s neither a bright nor a charismatic woman. If Bouchard gets the GOP nod, raises enough money and wages a good campaign he has a serious shot at this one as does the GOP in Washington.
Right now, if I were betting on the Senate, I would bet on a 1-2 seat GOP loss, probably PA and RI and maybe OH. But I think we’ll probably pick up NJ and MD looks good for us, but with Democratic vote fraud likely, the Democrats could pull a Gregoire there this year.
By the way, I sincerely apologize to Lesbians everywhere for the Sheehan remark.
I should have said, “The-Number-One-Reason-From-Hell-Why-I-Like-Boys”
OH! Breaking news! George Bush personally sanctioned the assasination of Coretta Scott King, Dick Cheney has been revealed as the covert CEO of Exxon, Ahh-nold has been caught raping trannies in Santa Monica, and Mitt Romney apparently whores his daughters out to Mexican drug traffickers!!!! HOORAY! The White House is almost ours, now, kids!!!!
Assholes. Petulant, shrill, underemployed assholes, all of you.
Eric in Hollywood
Again, Dan outclasses me thoroughly. sigh
Eric in Debauchery
What part of my analysis pissed you off so much? That I might actually know people that work on the right side of the aisle?
My post was my view of the election taken from CNN, the Almanac of American Politics, mydd (excellent perspective on the House races from a Democratic perspective), and declared candidate lists.
Do you have something to contribute to this analysis other than name calling?
What races do you think the GOP is going to take this year? Why do you think so?
Jesse Jackson? I love it when right wingers bring up that tired old relic from 1985. He hasn’t done anything newsworthy in 20 years. I don’t like him, his organization is very questionable on LGBT civil rights, and his son (the Congressman) is not liked by the Gay community in Chicago. I’ve never brought him up cause he is irrelevant. Exactly why is Jesse Jackson relevant here (oops I mean Je$$e Jackson).
Now – Ms. Shaheen. She is on minute 16. Meaning that her news cycle has pretty much run its’ course. She had my mild support when she was simply asking for the President to take 5 minutes out of his 5 week long vacation to meet with her and explain why he sent her son to Iraq where he died. But then she got messed up with some really freaky groups on the fringe left. I wish her peace in finding some resolution with her patriotic loss for our country. But I’ve never mentioned her here or elsewhere. Calling her a “Lesbian from Hell”? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you calling her a lesbian? What proof do you have? And even if (doubtful) true, is that a legitimate response to my posting?
I was expecting something along the lines of “Swann is going to win because…” or “But have you considered the Senate race in Nebraska?”.
I’d like to request the following.
1) A response from you explaining why you think Ms. Shaheen is a Lesbian. And if you don’t have any evidence of her being a lesbian, please explain to me why you said “lesbian from hell”. Are you implying that left of center women are all lesbians? or that lesbians can’t be Republicans (How bout San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis)? I feel that you are using the term lesbian as a pejorative term. I really hope that isn’t the case.
2) What Jesse Jackson (oops – Je$$e jAcKsOn) has to do with anything.
GPW,
I’m assuming Burns stays in. If he drops out the Dems are still favored unless the GOP Representative jumps in the race.
I guess well just have to wait on the election to find out what happens in MD.
GPW,
Oddly enough, you seem to think RI is more in play than I do. I’d put it behind PA, OH, MO, and MT. Unless the Club for Growth knocks Chafee off in the primary. Then it is a lock for the Dems.
Tom, I think you’re wrong about MT, but we’ll see. I do think RI is very much in play, given Chafee’s vote on Alito — which I think strengthens Laffey in the primary.
I’d give Talent a pretty strong edge in Missouri and DeWine less so in Ohio. But, while I see each as vulnerable, both are good fits for their states.
All that said, the GOP should not be ruled out in MN, MI and WA — and even to a lesser extent in NE. Hagel surprised Nelson in ’96. I’d still give him the incumbent the edge, but given the state’s demographics and a strong GOP challenge (which may well happen), he could find himself vulnerable come this fall.
Here in Pennsylvania, Santorum will probably hold on. It’s a marginally blue state but pro life means a lot. Casey is a great choice for the Dems but a charasmatic candidate he aint. I think the difference may be the pro Swann voters bringin out many more western Pa conservatives to swamp fast Eddies boat in a major upset in the governors race. We tend to elect a guy for two terms in Harrisburg, but Rendel has this slickness that turns people off. If Republicans win both races, govand senate I think it means Pennsylvania is followingWest Virginia and moving more and more republican.
We’ll have to see about Penna. I think that Swann will poll no better in metro Pennsylvannia than a generic GOPer. He’s be much more dangerous if he were moderate. Santorum will guarantee huge (and I mean huge turnout) in Urban Penna. Rural Penna. will be out in force too, but I don’t think its’ going to be enough (It hasn’t been in any Penna election for any conservative since Santorum’s 2000 Senate victory. Remember, Santorum wasn’t out of the closet as a far right winger in 2000 (he was one, but few knew about it and his opponent was really underfunded). Neither Rendell nor Casey will be hurting for support or money this time around.
Remember, all we know about Swann at this point is that he is a very Right Wing ex-football player.
Furthermore, outside of 1994 (and the reelection of Ridge and Santorum in 1998 and 2000) no Conservative Republican has been elected statewide in Pennsylvannia.
Tom, what makes Swann “a very right wing” republican? He’s pro life? And supports the prez? So does Santorum and Spector. And we here in PA do vote for conservatives. We knew Santorum was a conservative when he beat a sitting democrat Senator. We knew he was conservative when he won his second term. Ridge was a two term conservative governor. And our friend Sen Spector always always runs to the right to get reelected in Pennsylvania. I just want you to be well informed about what you speak. Cos you try to come off as an expert on all these state races. We are looking forward to Lynn Swann and Sen Santorum campaigning in Steeler country. The Steelers are a NFL football team that recently won a big game. They are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Just want to keep you in the loop.
With regards to Ridge and Santorum, I mentioned that they were both elected in the abnormal year of 1994. No other Conservative has been elected (they were both reelected) statewide in Penna since. But Santorum wasn’t anywhere near as open about his extremist (yea – Santorum qualifies) in 2000.
My view comes from Lynn Swann’s website (where he prominently focuses on pro-life and abstinence – also Cong. Joe Pitts’ endorsement of Swann on Swann’s site) , the fact that he is covorting with ‘moderates’ like Alan Keyes, and the groundswell of support from the fundy right and freepers. I’m going slightly on a limb here tagging him as far-right, but I unfortunately doubt he’ll give you or me any reason to contridict me later on. Let me know if you have any indication of any his views on any social issue that is not held by the far-right.
If Penna is so conservative, how did Gore and Kerry both win there?
Swann’s history as a football player helps him. But I think this is going to be a massive turnout election again. In huge turnouts with strong candidates on both sides, it’s effectiveness is usually limited.
My guess is that people voting for candidates based on the fact that the candidate played football are evenly dispersed throughout the state. He’ll get a slight bump in Pittsburgh, but he’ll probably have some movement against him from Eagles fans for that precise reason.
The positive effect is much greater if the celebrity candidate is in sync with the electorate. Tom Osborne (what an effective politician!), Largent, Bradley, Schwartzeneggar, Watts, etc. were examples of this. Swann isn’t there yet. The fact that he is a celebrity gives him the ear of the voters. But he still needs to say something that resonates with voters for it to be effective. Its early, but I haven’t seen anything yet.
Fast Eddie Rendell is intensely disliked here in the center of the state, for lots of reasons, not the least of which was the way he stole 90% of the gasoline taxes to prop up Philly’s failing public transportation system. Swann doesn’t have an excuse not to kick Rendell’s ass all the way from here to New Jersey in the election, provided he gets off his duff and actually starts campaigning. But since Scranton pulled out, he probably will.
I think I said to someone here, only a week or so ago, that considering the risk of losing the religous-minortiy vote and considering what an incredible loser the issue was at the polls, the DNC would cut gay marriage loose by 2008. Looks like I was right early.
Where is the Republican National Committee Desk of LGBT Outreach? Lets ask ourselves that question first, before attacking the Dems for not having one.
That’s a rather interesting logical loophole, Jeremy. You attack Republicans for not having one, but whine how to attack Democrats for not having one is wrong.
Personally, I think the greater issue here is the depths to which “gay activists” will go to excuse the lies Democrats tell them — which is why gay Democrats invariably end up giving millions of dollars to promote homophobes.
Oh, and one more point, Jeremy…..why should the Republican Party waste a penny of time, effort, and money in outreach to people who insist Republicans have already built concentration camps for gays, or who insist that gay conservatives and gay Republicans want to strip gays of housing and jobs, then imprison them in selfsame camps?
Howard Dean is just making the obvious decision; there is no need for outreach to the brainwashed. As all the gay organizations tripping over themselves to call homophobe John Kerry “pro-gay” and “gay-supportive” showed in fall 2004, gays aren’t capable of processing anything other than “Democrat — GOOD”. As GPW has repeatedly shown here, they even gave milllions of dollars and endorsements to homophobes like Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who PROMISED he would support constitutional amendments to strip gays of rights. Meanwhile, they shriek about “concentration camps already being built” — which is the height of insanity, but which I have NEVER seen any gay organization refute. Zero. None.
In short, maybe when gays show we can think critically, we’ll get outreach offices. But whores like Elizabeth Birch, Matt Foreman, and others have done such a good job of lobotomizing the gay community, it isn’t hapening anytime soon.
OT: NDT, I followed your first link and here is a choice quote:
“[Mike] Rogers indicated that his efforts are part of a battle against the Bush administration and America’s right wing. “Ultimately, on November 2, I believe that our country is making a decision about good and evil,” Rogers said. “If Bush is elected, I’m leaving the country.””
Hah hah 🙂 I believe he hasn’t, so… chalk up another one to leftist hypocrisy.
And would somebody please explain why they never do? Why is Alec “I Love Commies” Baldwin still here and not in France?