Obama's Main Gay

Gay City News interviews with Dave Noble, who left his post as public policy and government affairs director at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, to join Obama's campaign. From the interview:

Asked specifically if Obama would reiterate his calls for action on key gay issues early in 2009, Noble was circumspect.

"I wouldn't speak for what bills he would push for in which months, and I believe there will be movement in Congress in the near future as well," he said. "With larger majorities, we will see a lot of progressive legislation on issues across the board."

. . . Obama, of course, is not a supporter of marriage for same-sex couples, but he has adopted an otherwise ambitious position that would give federal recognition to whatever legal rights and benefits couples enjoy in their home states. He also supports repeal of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. In a nation that does not even have a fair employment law, that's a tall order.

. . . Even as Noble talks about all these issues in his drive to crank up the gay vote in two weeks, he acknowledges the cynicism that often undermines LGBT confidence in the political process.

"I think it makes sense for some LGBT voters to be concerned," he said. "The fact that we are just passing ten years since Matthew Shepard's murder without a hate crimes bill is discouraging to lots of LGBT voters."

He was quick to add, however, that at no time during that decade did Democrats hold both the presidency and Congress, which will certainly be the case if Obama is elected.

Read the full interview at Gay City News.