Gay Dems Praise Log Cabin Bush Decision
by Doreen Brandt, 365Gay.com
(Washington)
Gay Democrats and LGBT civil rights groups are praising Log Cabin
Republicans for refusing to endorse George W. Bush's re-[s]election.
“It was
probably a very difficult decision for them to make as Republicans but
was a natural decision under the circumstances,” National Stonewall
Democrats spokesperson John Marble told 365Gay.com.
Wednesday morning Log Cabin Republicans announced they would not support Bush's bid for a second term.
“Some
will accuse us of being disloyal,” said LCR Executive Director Patrick
Guerriero. “However, it was actually the White House who was disloyal
to the 1,000,000 gay and lesbian Americans who supported him four years
ago.”
Log
Cabin Republicans, the GOP's LGBT group, accused the White House of
making a strategic political decision to pursue a re-[s]election
strategy catered to the radical right.
“The
pResident's use of the bully pulpit, stump speeches and radio addresses
to support a Constitutional amendment has encouraged the passage of
discriminatory laws and state constitutional amendments across
America. Using gays and lesbians as wedge issues in an election
year is unacceptable to Log Cabin,” said Guerriero.
The
group said it would not endorse Democratic nominee John Kerry.
Nevertheless, the decision could have a major effect on the outcome of
the presidential election. Polls suggest that even though Bush is
ahead of Kerry (sic) the election could be closer than in 2000.
Exit
polls in the 2000 election showed that over 1,000,000 gays and lesbians
voted for Bush/Cheney, including nearly 50,000 in Florida.
Al Gore “lost” Florida (sic), and the Presidential election (sic), in 2000 by fewer than 1,000 votes.
“I don't
think any self-respecting gay individual can vote for George W. Bush
and I think that Republican leaders like Washington DC council member
David Catania have made it clear that Bush has given the LGBT community
no reason to re-[s]elect him this fall,” Stonewall Democrats' Marble
told 365Gay.com.
(more)
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