One of the areas of greatest frustration to me in this campaign cycle is that the Obama campaign has not been more visible in its support of, and its outreach to, the GLBT community.
Now it appears as though they'll be spending some of my contribution money reaching out to the gay community in Texas and Ohio, taking out full-page ads in several papers.
Flip for more.
Before Super Tuesday, when there was ample opportunity to reach out to the GLBT community in California, New York, and other large states in a visible and meaningful way, I felt that the Obama campaign fell short.
I had a long discussion with myself after the McClurkin incident, and whether or not I could continue to contribute my time and money to his campaign.
On an intellectual level, I knew why he did what he did, but in my heart, I questioned whether his past statements on GLBT rights were his true beliefs.
Eventually, I reconciled those feelings within myself and continue to support the campaign. I was, however, troubled that the campaign was not doing more visible outreach to a growing constituency in this country.
That seems to be changing with the announcement that the Obama campaign will be purchasing advertising in several gay publications before the primaries on 3/4.
From The Advocate:
The Obama campaign is lavishing some of its cash advantage on the LGBT community with targeted ad buys in Ohio and Texas leading up to the critical March 4 primaries in both states (Rhode Island and Vermont also vote that day). According to Obama LGBT steering committee member Eric Stern, the campaign has just completed an ad buy with queer newspapers in the four largest LGBT markets of those two states -- Columbus, Cleveland, Dallas, and Houston.
Full-page ads will appear starting this Friday in Outlook Weekly of Columbus, the Gay People's Chronicle of Cleveland, the Dallas Voice, and OutSmart, which is Houston-based.
According to RainbowPak, Outlook Weekly has a daily circulation of about 15,000, Gay People's Chronicle has a circulation of about 12,000, Dallas Voice has a circulation of about 16,500, and OutSmart has a circulation of about 20,000. He's going to reach almost 65,000 GLBT citizens when it counts.
The messaging, according to The Advocate will:
Stern paraphrased the message of the ad as a "call for the country to come together and unify around creating national progress toward equality for LGBT Americans."
It seems like the Obama campaign is finally going after a crucial and growing segment of the vote when it counts: before the election.
View the Obama campaign's statement on GLBT rights.
View the HRC-LOGO debate answers here.
Update [2008-2-27 21:55:7 by DemocraticOz]: - davidkc has posted a link to Towleroadin the comments where you can view a sample of the ad.
[UPDATE II] - Here's a video ArcXIX posted in the comments:
[UPDATE III] - courtesy of zonk in the comments:
Windy City Times, Chicago's Oldest GLBT newspaper, Interview during the 2004 Senate Run
LA Weekly article on two of Obama's Rainmakers - partners Jeremy Bernard and Rufus Gifford