Art Galleries in the Carolinas
From oils & photography to 3D images
page 33
Interview
S.C. Profile
Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King
Harriet Hancock
page 33
page 19
Noted. Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Volume 22 . Number 08 www.q-notes.com August 25.2007
'^Irack t
Obama
LOGO hosts historic presidential candidates forum
All Democratic candidates offer
monumental support for LGBT
equality
by Donald Miller
While showing support for ending the mili
tary ban and other LGBT-friendly poUcies, top
Democratic presidential contenders Sen. Hillary
Clinton, John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama
failed to fully explain their opposition to mar
riage for same-sex couples at the gay presiden
tial forum held Aug. 9 in Los Angeles. Also at the
event, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson seemed
to indicate he believed homosexuality was a
choice, but later retracted his comments via a
statement from his campaign.
Hosted by Time and CNN journalist
Margaret Carlson, a small audience filled the
Los Angeles studio for “The Visible Vote ’08: A
Presidential Forum.” Panelists for the event were
Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart,
singer Melissa Etheridge and Human Rights
Campaign (HRC) President Joe Solmonese.
During the course of the two-hour show
the candidates appeared in the order they had
personally chosen, which matched the order
they had confirmed their appearances. Sen.
Obama kicked off the event, followed by
Edwards, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel,
Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Clinton. “I’d like
to thank HRC and LOGO for setting this up,”
Sen. Obama offered at the outset. “It’s a his
toric moment for the LGBT community and
America. I’m glad I’m participating and glad I
got the ball rolling.”
He gave his support for same-sex civil
unions, but also indicated that he felt churches
should not be forced to recognize the unions.
“My sense is that civil unions would be great
progress.” When pressed on the prevalence of
homophobia in the black community and
questioned as to whether or not he talked
about LGBT issues in non-gay related forums,
he was quick to respond. “I talk about LGBT
issues in many forums, not just HRC,” he
offered. “At a forum for black ministers in
Tennessee, I talked about how the notion of
gay marriage has been used to divide and dis
tract. I specifically asked that if there was a
pastor out there who has seen a marriage bro
ken up by seeing two men or two women
holding hands, please tell me because I’ve
seen no evidence of that. I also told them that
if they thought that was more important than
the fact that there were so many black men
out there without a job, that I profoundly dis
agreed with them.”
Sen. Obama was warmly received and insist
ed that gays and lesbians could count on his sup
port for dvil unions, non-discrimination policies
and hate crime laws, thougji he did not endorse
same-sex marriage. “I have a track record of
working with the LGBT
community^’ said Obama.
“I will continue to work to
make sure there is equality
for all.”
Former N.C. Sen. and
’04 vice presidential can
didate Edwards raised the
ire of some anti-gay
groups with his response
to Etheridge’s question
regarding educating stu
dents about the reality of
children with same-sex
parents. “Do you think we
should teach kids about
LGBT families in public
schools?” she asked.
“Sure [we] should.
Kids in public schools
need to understand that
families with same-sex
parents are American
families. Just like every American family. I do
think it’s important that their peers understand
what’s happening. That’s a good thing and
something that we as Americans embrace.”
HRC’s Solmonese cornered Edwards on ear
lier comments he had made regarding same-
sex marriage. “You have said that you opposed
,-B
Miocp - »ionp
/
r* '" r
Karl Rove abandons Bush and the White House
Despite his
alignment
with the
extreme
right-wing,
Rove
reportedly
‘did not
consider
himself a
Christian.’
Bush’s top advisor, like several
others, leaves his post now that the
president’s last months in ojfice are
approaching
by Jack Kirven . Q-Notes staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Karl Rove, affec
tionately called “Turd Blossom” by President
George W. Bush, announced in mid-August
that he would be stepping down from his
post at the end of the month. Rove is credited
with the election and re-election of George
W. Bush, as well as the accompanying majori
ties that Republicans enjoyed in the govern
ment during the first half or more of the
president’s tenure.
During his years in Washington, Rove
has also developed a reputation for being a
singularly gifted and forward thinking
strategist.
One reported example of his long-term
tactics includes a 1995 interview with politi
cal columnist John B. Judis. During the inter
view Rove is said to have spoke highly of the
candidate he was currently campaigning for
see rove on 5
LOGO’S “The Visible Vote ’08:.A Presidential Forum” forum
was hosted by Time and CNN Journalist Margaret Carlson,
seen here with presidential hope^l Dennis Kuncinich (right).
Panelists for the event included Washington Post columnist
Jonathan Capehart, singer Melissa Etheridge and Human
Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.
same-sex marriage,” Solmonese offered. “Could
you talk about what is it — in your religion —
that is leading you to this position?”
“1 shouldn’t have said that,” Edwards
replied with a chuckle. “I believe to my core in
equality. My campaign for the presidency is
about equality, across the board. It makes per
fect sense to me that gay and lesbian couples
would feel that civil unions stop short of full
equality. As a president, I would not impose
my religion on the American people.”
“I believe in the seperation of church and
state,” Edwards continued. “I think we should
get rid of DOMA and ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ It
was wrong when it was imposed. I believe in
all of these things and that’s where I am. I
strongly support civil unions.”
Like Sen. Obama, Edwards confirmed that
he does not support same-sex marriage.
Rep. Kucinich, who quite probably repre
sents one of the best candidates for president
see candidates on
LGBT survey results in
page 26
Center. White Rabbit relocating
page 5
UPS extends benefits
page 29