I am seriously flummoxed by the decision to be made -- Obama or Clinton. A lot of my progressive friends are very pro-Obama. And I find that I *want* to be on his team, too.
But I just can't make the leap. Thanks to Steel City Stonewall Democrats for links to some comparisons on LGBTQ issues, courtesy of the HRC and the Gay Men's Health Crisis. There aren't a lot of differences.
It really comes down to a few issues for me and they are all from my gut. First, the people trying the hardest to convert me to Team Obama are men who in their critique of Hillary veer a little too close to the "assertive women are divisive mentality" for my comfort.
Second, Obama had ex-gay fringe christian Donnie McClurkin on his parade o' supporters and that scares the livin' hell out of me. I am afraid that Obama is going to get caught between appeasing the homophobia of some (I say some) African-American churches and defending the civil rights of gay Americans. That's just as unappealing as Huckabee pandering to the evangelical, homo-hatin' base. Not everything can be as neatly finessed at City Councilman Ricky Burgess handling of the recent pro-gay resolution. Not that I'm okay with being finessed, but I can sure as hell see a point at which there is a clear moral line on which President Obama is going to have to stand.
You know from whom I have not heard? Progressive women supporting Obama. Women that I actually know. Progressive women who believe in a trans-inclusive ENDA and gay marrriage (the real cahuna). Are you out there in Pittsburgh, blog-reading land?
I am really sorry that the rich white Southern guy -- the one who talked about poverty -- dropped out. I hope he makes a fine Attorney General (minus the prayer circles and pro-torture memos).