Tomorrow at the Log Cabin “Convention” here in San Diego, after a just-announced visit from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, attendees will participate in a “town hall meeting” where we will be able to weigh in on “Log Cabin’s role in the presidential election.” This will be the one chance members will have to offer their input on whether Log Cabin should endorse its party’s nominee for President of the United States.
It should come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I will be speaking out in favor of Log Cabin endorsing John McCain.
While I do favor this endorsement, I wonder if it will make any difference. Four years ago, when the group failed to endorse the party’s then-nominee, the MSM made it seem gay Republicans were deserting the president in droves, when it fact, only a few abandoned Bush.
Perhaps that endorsement created the impression that Bush was captive to social conservatives. It may even have cost him support among socially liberal suburbanites and others who might have been inclined to vote for the president because of his leadership in the War on Terror.
But, it didn’t cost him the support of the overwhelming majority of gay Republicans.
Given that we know that most gay Republicans stuck with Bush in 2004 despite Log Cabin’s endorsement and with an increasing number of gay Republicans able to voice their support for the party (through blogs), it will be difficult for Log Cabin to claim it speaks for all gay Republicans. Should it fail it to endorse, honest journalists will need note how inconsequential the 2004 non-endorsement was to gay Republicans (well, given the state of the MSM, expect most journalists to leave that out).
All that said, in reading the tea leaves this year (through parsing public statements of Log Cabin officials and listening to conversations with members of the organization), I expect the group to endorse John McCain for president. This endorsement may actually make the 2004 non-endorsement a boon to the 2008 GOP nominee, as it will show that recent efforts of Democrats and left-wing blogs (and pundits) notwithstanding, our nominee retains the support or more socially liberal Republicans even as he reaches out to social conservatives.
A non-endorsement will only serve to further marginalize Log Cabin. Â
That said, I do believe Log Cabin’s Board will endorse John McCain. And those gay Republicans will join the million gay Americans who voted for George W. Bush in 2004 as well as countless Independents and numerous disgruntled Democrats in selecting this courageous veteran as our choice for the next President of the United States.
Perhaps it would be better if they didn’t
In 2004, LCR National didn’t just not endorse Bush; they produced and ran ads against him (with source of money unclear).
And they didn’t accomplish a thing. Except to show the world what craven fools worth ignoring are LCR National.
(P.S. to be clear: LCR National didn’t run “Kerry for President” ads. Just mushy ads about “fear” or something whose message was unclear, but, if you were to torture one out, it could only be that President Bush is a monster. As I said, ads against him.)
The numbers don’t lie. After the election if a significant increase in gay turnout is for McCain LCR can take some credit – Mc Cain should take some too of course. If it remains the same then it is pretty clear the gay GOP’ers are gonna vote how they want without heading calls from Washington D.C. The numbers will tell the tale.
Endorsements move people or money to candidates.
In November if LCR PAC has made significant increases to candidates and successfully bundled $ for McCain then they will be successful. It does not matter if you support LCR and its mission or not.
An increase in voters and/or money means they have influence in the GOP. A decrease means they do not. The numbers are bi partisan! We will know soon enough.
One question on the endorsement….What if Mc Cain picks Romney for his VEEP? That might be a deal breaker for me. Not sure how Patrick and the board would handle that situation. Lets hope he picks Condi or Portman.
Does your endorsement matter? LOL, no. For one thing, no one really cares about your organization. Secondly, the only effect it would have would be on the Republican Party, and since the overwhelming majority of Republicans in every poll taken on the issue, believe that homosexuality itself, and not merely homosexual marriage, should be ILLEGAL, I think it’s safe to say that an endorsement by a bunch of gays isn’t going to influence much in the GOP.
and since the overwhelming majority of Republicans in every poll taken on the issue, believe that homosexuality itself should be ILLEGAL,
BWAHAHAHAH. You guys kill me.