John McCain taking off the gloves tonight

At a Colorado town hall last week, John McCain was asked when he was going to take the gloves off and he said, "How about Tuesday night." Huffington Post has the whole story and I, for one, cannot wait for tonight's debate.

Get OUT the gay vote

If you plan to vote in the November Election you must be registered by 5 p.m. today. It is also the deadline to update your voter record if you have changed your address.

Michelle Obama: The World As It Should Be

Over at Advocate.com, Michelle Obama states her case for why an Obama presidency would be good for gays.

The 2008 Election: Opportunities and Impacts on Nonprofits

The 2008 election is critical as voters will be electing and re-electing leaders to state and federal offices and record voter turnout is anticipated. Voters will also be asked to make important decisions on 18 initiatives and referenda to shape the future of Colorado.

There will be an opportunity to learn more about the upcoming ballot initiatives and referenda. Go to ColoradoNonProfits.org to register or for more information. The cost is $15 per person, lunch and materials included.This town hall will focus more intensively on ballot measures with the most significant impact on the broader nonprofit community particularly Amendment 59: Savings Account for Education (SAFE) but also including particular Business and Labor issues (Amendments 47, 53, 55, 56, 57), anti-discrimination and equal opportunity (Amendment 46), severance taxes to fund education, wildlife, clean energy, etc. (Amendment 58), and many more.

The town halls will also offer opportunities for nonprofits to get involved and act to ensure that voters pass those measures that benefit the nonprofit community. Besides stating the Association's position on key measures, the presentation will include a training on legislative and election advocacy, as well as strategies to engage infrequent voters in the election process.

More information after the jump.


DURANGO Monday September 22, 11 am-1 pm
Durango Community Recreation Center, Windom Room, 2700 Main Avenue Durango, 81301 http://www.durangogov.org/reccenter/index.cfm

GRAND JUNCTION Tuesday September 23, 11 am-1 pm
Western Colorado AHEC, 744 Horizon Court, Suite #220 Grand Junction, 81506 http://www.wcahec.org/map.asp

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Wednesday September 24 11 am-1 pm
Glenwood Springs Community Center, Sopris Room, 100 Wulfsohn Road Glenwood Springs, 81601 http://www.glenwoodrec.com/sitepages/pid139.php


STEAMBOAT SPRINGS Thursday September 25, 11 am-1 pm
Steamboat Springs Community Center, Community Room West, 1605 Lincoln Avenue Steamboat Springs, 80477

http://www.coloradosafedriver.com/ADOD/showLocation.php?id=111


AURORA Friday September 26, 11 am- 1 pm

The Children's Hospital, Mt. Columbia Rm. (second floor conference center) 13123 East 16th Avenue Aurora, 80045 http://www.thechildrenshospital.org/virtualtour/html/mapDirections.aspx
Parking at the Visitor Parking Structure Lot #1. Check in at front desk.



PUEBLO Monday September 29, 11 am-1 pm
Pueblo County Library, Ryals Room, 100 E. Abriendo Avenue Pueblo, 81004

http://www.pueblolibrary.org/pld_usingthelibrary/hours.asp


LOVELAND Thursday October 2, 11 am-1 pm
The Ranch, Thomas H. McKee 4-H Youth and Community Building, Fort Collins Room, 5280 Arena Circle Loveland 80538
Map to facility http://www.larimer.org/TheRanch/about_location.cfm



Map to 4-h Building

http://www.larimer.org/TheRanch/images/site_plan_590.jpg


LAKEWOOD Tuesday October 7, 11 am-1 pm
Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, Summit Room
11177 W 8th Ave, Ste 300 Lakewood, 80215

http://www.ddrcco.com/visitus.asp



To register, go to www.coloradononprofits.org/programs.cfm



Contact Mark Turner with any questions at (303) 832-5710/(800) 333-6554 ext. 203 or mturner@coloradononprofits.org



Good question

With America facing historic debt, multiple war fronts, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, skyrocketing Federal spending, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc. etc., this is an *unusually critical* election year.

Let's look at the educational background of our two options:


Obama:
* Occidental College - Two years.
* Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
* Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Biden:

* University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
* Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

VERSUS



McCain:
* United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Palin:
* Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
* North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
* University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
* Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
* University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism


Now, . . . who would you "hire"?

Support Betsy Markey and put Marilyn Musgrave out of a job

Make a real difference in the lives of the GLBT community in Colorado and all across America.

Join Jim Baily, Marie Banich & Laura Edwards, Marsha Bressack & Robin Leventhal, Keith Brown & Ramon Diaz, Andrew Burwick & Casey Gallagher, Robyn Chauvin, Alex Christianian, Bonnie & Wilson Crumpacker, Chris Doran, State Representative Mark Ferrandino, Kaye Howe, Eric Karnes, Timothy Leifield, Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Noel Maye & Bob Morehouse, Mike Mills & Dave Ensign, Eugene Pearson, Carolyn Powell, Ronica Roth & Amy Zuckerman, Dorothy Rupert, Cindy Schmidt,Dominick Sekich, Gus Spheeris, Alice Swett & Libby Neumann, Michele & Bob Wells, Babes Around Denver, and The Colorado Stonewall Democrats in supporting Betsy Markey, Democratic Candidate for Colorado’s 4th District Tuesday, October 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, Colorado.

Most important election ever?

From Matthew Duckett, Communications Director for Colorado Stonewall Democrats:

You ever notice that it always seems that EVERY election cycle people are saying "This is the most important election...ever"? Though a cliche, it is hard to argue that the stakes of this election have never been so great. I know I certainly felt that way during 2006 and our fight for Ref I. I personally phonebanked and walked door to door to try and get it passed. It was a heartbreaking loss, but what was worse was the thought that maybe, just maybe if I had worked another hour or knocked on a few more doors, It could have made the difference.

Don't let that happen to you this year!

I'm writing to ask you to join me, this year in making a difference. Will you please take the time out of your very busy schedule and find a campaign, grab a friend or two (any Democratic campaign will do!) and volunteer your time. It's a rewarding experiance that you will long remember. When we look back on November 5th and we have swept Democratic candidates into the White House, Senate, US House of Representatives, Colorado State Legistlature and all down ticket offices, we can say together "We did this!".

This election will be hard fought and we have so much yet to do, but with your help we can get there together. During the election cycle Colorado Stonewall Democrats will be attempting to keep you up to date with campaign information, fundraisers, our endorsements and other issues.

Gov. Sarah Palin: Vice-President or sexy librarian?

Ok, so it's obvious what McCain's trying to accomplish by naming Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

She's young and attractive and that's supposed to balance out him being so old and doddery.

But something about her sexy librarian look just bugs me.

Like she's just dying to let her hair down and whip off those glasses.

Plus, HRC says she's pretty anti-gay.

Pretty, and pretty anti-gay.

Could it be a winning combination for McCain?

McCain's home invasion: I'm feeling Obama on this one

Hey, John McCain, "If you can't remember how many homes you and your wife own, either you have too many homes, or your memory is slipping." - via aol.com

68 percent of gay voters support Obama, yet Obama does not support our right to marry

GayWired.com reports that McCain and Obama both oppose gay marriage.

Do better, Obama.

As a fellow person of mixed-race, I know it wasn't so long ago that the powers-that-be who deny gays the rights and responsibilities of marriage perpetrated that same injustice on our mothers and fathers.

Don't be like them.

LGBT for Obama

LGBT supporters of Barack Obama have launched an online community portal for information and discussion about the campaign.

LGBTforOBAMA.com, is the idea of longtime gay activist and Democratic Party loyalist Terry Bean of Portland, Oregon.

"After devouring many polls and talking to friends, it was apparent that many GLBT people were unaware of the stark differences on our issues between Barack Obama and John McCain," says Bean. "I was appalled that George Bush got 24% of the GLBT vote in 2000 and again in 2004 and vowed to do all that I could to prevent that from happening again with John McCain."

The project has attracted the attention and support from community leaders, online bloggers and celebrities. The LGBTforOBAMA.com team currently includes:

John Aravosis - americablog.com
Chad Allen - television actor
Marti Abernathy - www.bilerico.com
Phil Attey - Netroots activist
Terry Bean - LGBT and Democratic Fundraiser
Vic Basile - former HRC Executive Director
Elizabeth Birch - former HRC Executive Director
Bil Browning - bilerico.com
Michael Crawford - bloggernista.com
Andres Duque - blabbeando.com
Terrance Heath - republicoft.com
Jeremy Hooper - goodasyou.org
Jeff Hickey - community activist
Corey Johnson - community activist
Waymon Hudson - fightoutloud.com
Robin Kane - community activist
Jake Kaskey- community activist
Eric Marcus - bilerico.com
Rod McCullom - rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline
David Mixner - davidmixner.com
Cathy Renna - rennacommunications.com
The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson
Mike Rogers - pageoneq.com
Hillary Rosen - huffingtonpost.com
Michangelo Signorile - signorile2003.blogspot.com
Pam Spaulding - pamshouseblend.com
Joe Sudbay - americablog.com
Andy Towle - towleroad.com

In addition to content provided by the blog team, user-generated content will also play a key role in LGBTforOBAMA.com. "We've integrated a number of Web 2.0 tools into the LGBTforOBAMA.com platform, allowing visitors to contribute directly to the content," said site advisor Michael Crawford. "Users can engage in discussions, comment on news items, post video testimonials, and tell the world why winning this election is vitally personal to them."

Journalists and new junkies will also benefit from the online portal. LGBTforOBAMA.com provides online aggregated newsfeeds from LGBT bloggers and news sites. There will also be live-blogging from the Democratic Convention in Denver.

"The stakes for the LGBT community in this election are enormous. The LGBT community must unite behind Senator Obama's campaign," Bean said. "LGBTforOBAMA.com is a one stop place where the LGBT community can get informed, make donations and help fundraise, in a shared effort to make Barack Obama our next President."

Gays to Obama: You got it all (over him)

Well, it's official. The latest Harris Poll shows that Obama has a 58 point lead over McCain among GLBT registered voters. I was a Hillary man myself, but now that she's out of the running, I'm one of those voters who will pull the lever, press the button, or hang the chad for Obama.

The poll says that 68 percent of GLBT registered voters support Obama, while 10 percent favor McCain, three percent go for Ralph Nader and one percent go with Bob Barr (who?). Fifteen percent are unsure (come on!), while three percent chose "other." I noticed that zero percent chose MileHighGayGuy--but being mixed race and bisexual, I must be the "other"! At least that's the box I'm always checking on all those standardized forms.

But it's pretty obvious that our community loves Obama, and the big man is going to be right here in Denver next week accepting the Democratic Party nomination. They say he's getting ready to name his vice president. I'm waiting by the phone - just in case.

Until that day, in honor of Obama, I'll be grooving to The Jets' 'You Got it All (Over Him)':


Check out the full report after the jump.


Obama Has 58 Point Lead over McCain among GLBT Registered Voters

Among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) registered voters, 68 percent of GLBT adults favor Obama while 10 percent favor McCain. Three percent of GLBT adults favor Ralph Nader, while one percent chooses Bob Barr. Three percent choose “other,” while 15 percent of all GLBT voters are not yet sure which candidate to support. Among all registered U.S. voters, Obama retains an eight point lead over Senator John McCain in the latest Harris Poll, virtually unchanged since the nine point lead he enjoyed in early July. Some polls report the voting intentions of all adults, while others report on registered voters (or those who claim to be registered) and of so-called “likely voters.” In this Harris Poll, it makes very little difference which analytic method is used. Obama enjoys an eight-point lead among all adults without using the leaner questions and a nine point lead when the leaner question is used. Among registered voters he has an eight point lead, with and without using the leaner question.

Typically the Harris Poll does not focus on likely voters until after the party conventions because we believe it is too early to make sound judgments about who is, or is not, likely to vote before Labor Day. Most polls also ask people who are not sure how they would vote a so-called “leaning” question, asking people which way they lean. In many previous elections Republican candidates have done slightly better among registered voters than among all adults, reflecting the fact that they are somewhat more likely than Democrats to register to vote. The fact that there is no such difference in this poll may reflect the fact that many new voters registered to vote in the Democratic primary elections. Demographics Analysis Demographic analysis of these voting intentions shows that this is not a typical election. Indeed, some demographic groups are behaving quite atypically.

This demographic analysis also raises several warning signs for both candidates. These are some of the results from the latest Harris Poll of 2,834 U.S. adults, of whom 178 self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, surveyed online between August 1 and 7, 2008 by Harris Interactive®: Age: Obama’s lead is critically dependent on his 33 point lead among Echo Boomers, people under 32 – but they are usually are the least likely generation to actually vote. If they do not vote very heavily in November this would hurt Obama’s chances. McCain leads among “Matures,” those over 62, by nine points, the generation that is usually the most likely to vote;

Gender: There is currently no gender gap in this election. Obama’s lead is almost the same among men (+8 points) and women (+10 points);

Race: Obama currently wins virtually all the African-American vote (+91) and most of the crucial Hispanic vote (+25) but loses the white vote by eight points. In the past whites were more likely to vote than blacks or Hispanics;

Education: In many elections, those with only a high school education or less vote heavily Democratic; in this poll, McCain actually leads by four points. This is the group where Obama’s race is most likely to hurt him. Obama leads among those with some college (+16), college graduates (+14) and has his biggest lead among those with post-graduate education (+30). However because more educated people are more likely to vote these findings are not good news for McCain;

Income: There is only a modest correlation between income and voting intentions. Obama leads among all income groups, with a2017 point lead among those with less than $35,000 and six points among those earning $75,000 or more;

Party Identification: Unsurprisingly, most Democrats prefer Obama (+72) and most Republicans favor McCain (+71). The crucial Independent vote currently tilts toward Obama by 11 points;

Political Philosophy: Conservatives favor McCain by 52 points and Liberals favor Obama by 73 points. The very important Moderate vote, a larger group than either Conservatives or Liberals, currently prefers Obama over McCain by 19 points.



Register now for 2008 International Gay and Lesbian Leadership Conference

The 24th annual International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference returns to a brand new Washington, D.C. this year. After the Nov. 4 presidential election, some politicians will be packing their bags while others start to move in, making late 2008 an exciting time to be in the nation's capital for people across the country as well as international visitors.

The 2008 Leadership Conference, held Dec. 4-7 in Washington, D.C., will convene openly LGBT elected, appointed and community leaders from across the U.S. and around the world, and in an historic setting. The famed and sumptuous Mayflower Hotel has been home to some of Washington's most celebrated events, including numerous presidential inaugural balls. Located just steps from D.C.'s thriving Dupont Circle neighborhood and mere blocks from the White House, conference-goers will have plenty of options to take in the many cultural, education and professional opportunities of the national capital.

Polis win puts him on track to become first out freshman in Congress

google - via The New York Times

Congratulations, Jared!

News of the gay world

Democratic platform 'strongest ever' on gay rights - via The Washington Blade

Olympic athletes not coming out in droves - via Southern Voice

Less than 1% of worldwide HIV spending goes to gays - via The Advocate

This week with the Denver Democrats

Notice from the Denver Democrats:
If you requested a mail ballot and have not received it, call 720-913-8683 ASAP to learn if one has been mailed to you and what steps to take so you can vote in the Primary. PEOPLE WHO HAVE REQUESTED MAIL BALLOTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO VOTE AT THEIR PRECINCT LOCATION ON ELECTION DAY! So be sure to follow up on your mail ballot if you have not received it.

If you are going to vote on election day, here is the list of voting locations. You MUST vote in your own precinct’s location. If you have moved in the past two years and are unsure where you are registered, call 720-913-8683 to find out.

Fri. Aug 8th - Early Voting for the Primary Election (last day!)
Time: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Location: 13 Locations throughout the city (Here’s the list)

Downtown Democratic Forum Breakfast
Time: 6:45 am – 8:00 am
Location: Baur’s Ristorante, 1512 Curtis St.
Topic: National Convention Event: Celebrate 1908
Cost: $13 with reservation, includes breakfast
RSVP: 303-861-8050 or jmasdenver@att.net

Ba-Rock On! with House District 4
Evening of Art, Entertainment, Comedy and Fun
Time: 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Oriental Theatre, 4335 W 44th Ave.
Suggested Donation: $10 (Benefits HD4 Democrats)

Sat. Aug 9th – House District 1 Monthly Meeting
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Sooper Credit Union

Sun. Aug 10th – Coffee with Cindy Lowery (candidate: HD8)
Time: 9:30 – 11:00
Location: Dazbog Coffee, 12th & Clayton

Tue. Aug 12th – PRIMARY ELECTION
Polls are open 7 am – 7 pm
For a list of voting locations: Click Here

Wed. Aug 13th – Fundraising Committee Meeting
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Democratic Party of Denver, 789 Sherman St.

Sat. Aug 16th – House District 3 Monthly Meeting
Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Location: Friends Meeting House, 2280 S. Columbine St.

House District 8 Monthly Meeting
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Whittier Community Center, 2900 Downing St.

Future Events to Look Forward to:

Aug 25th-29th – Democratic National Convention
Aug 26th – Convention Party hosted by Democratic Party of Denver
Note: There will be several events during the National Convention in which the Democratic Party of Denver will play a role. Check our website and calendar regularly for updates.
Oct. 2nd – Annual County Central Committee Meeting
Nov. 4th – GENERAL ELECTION

For more details on any of these, or other upcoming events, please visit the Denver Democrats’ website and calendar: DenverDemocrats.org

DNC Mediamockracy

Listen Productions presents the multimedia event “DNC Mediamockracy”. Using original video footage from the Democratic National Convention, media coverage of the DNC, live satire and interactive media “DNC Mediamockracy” will investigate how the relationship between media and the political system impacts our democracy. The project includes 18 live performances at Buntport Theater, an interactive website, and a High Definition video documentary.

“DNC Mediamockracy” opens September 26, 2008 and runs through October 25, 2008 at Buntport Theater (717 Lipan in Denver). Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $20, and available at 720-290-1104. Thursday performances are 2-for-1 admission. For more information visit DNCMediamockracy.com.

You better work!

The Denver Elections Division has approximately 12 paid temporary positions for Democrats (these are positions that require equal numbers from each party). These positions are for the Resolution Board which is part of the process of counting paper ballots. These are 8-hour per day shifts Monday-Friday starting Monday, Aug 4th. The pay is standard temporary worker pay for the office (currently between $11 and $12 an hour).

If anyone is interested in these positions they should contact Alton Dillard at the Denver Elections Division 720-913-8683. Be sure to tell him you are calliing for the Resolution Board positions. Let's get some gay representation working the elections, people! Otherwise, who knows what kind of shenanigans might result? Anybody remember a little something called the 2000 Presidential Election?

Equal Rights Action

Equal Rights Action is a new small donor committee dedicated to supporting candidates for the state legislature and statewide offices that support equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Equal Rights Action is a powerful tool for highlighting the political contributions of the GLBT community in Colorado and rewarding those incumbents and candidates that support our issues.

“Small Donor Committees” are a special kind of political action committee under Colorado law. More and more groups are creating small donor committees to take advantage of their favorable treatment under state laws regulating political campaign contributions. Small donor committees may accept individual contributions of no more than $50 per calendar year. Unfortunately, contributions are not tax deductible, and contributions from corporations, unions or other political committees are prohibited. But small donor committees are authorized to give contributions to candidates that exceed the dollar limits that individuals or PACs may give. Just as the name suggests, small donor committees take small contributions and bundle them together into something much larger than any other entity is legally permitted to give. Small donor committees empower ordinary people to make an extraordinary impact in political fundraising.

Equal Rights Action is a non-partisan organization. It will support candidates that support the GLBT community, regardless of party affiliation. The group will be very judicious in determining which candidates to support, with a bias toward supporting only a handful of candidates each election cycle with contributions larger than other individuals or entities are permitted to give. The number of candidates and size of contributions depends in large part upon the number of small donors that make an annual gift of $50 to Equal Rights Action.

Please consider making a $50 donation to Equal Rights Action today. If you’d prefer to give $25 now and $25 later, that would also be appreciated. But by making a $50 donation to Equal Rights Action, you’ve “maxed-out” for the year and the group can’t ask you for another gift until January. $50 per year is a small price to pay for the significant impact our combined contributions can have.

There are other ways for you to support Equal Rights Action. The group is in the process of forming a board of directors and finance committee. If you would be interested in serving on the board or committee, email pat@mendezsteadman.com. Responsibilities include annual fundraising and making decisions about which candidates to support in the election year.

Please send your $50 donation to:

Equal Rights Action
c/o Pat Steadman
1370 Pennsylvania St. #400
Denver, CO 80203

Obama Leads McCain by 46 Points Among GLBT Adults

With just six weeks to go until the Democrat and Republican Presidential conventions, the general election is almost officially here. Results from a new Harris Poll show that:

In a four way race, Barack Obama leads John McCain among registered voters 44 percent to 35 percent, while Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate and Ralph Nader each receive 2 percent. Sixteen percent of registered voters are not sure who they will vote for yet.

Read the rest after the jump.


Among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) adults (though not specifically registered voters) 60% of GLBT adults favor Obama while 14% favor McCain. Three percent of GLBT adults favor Barr, while 1% choose Nader. Six percent choose “other,” while 17% of all GLBT voters are not yet sure which candidate to support – comparable to the general population.
John McCain is holding onto just slightly more of his base as just over three-quarters of Republicans (77%) say they will vote for him versus just under three-quarters of Democrats (74%) who will vote for Barack Obama; and,
Among Independents, Obama has a 12-point lead (38% to 26%), but one-quarter of Independents (25%) are not sure, 4 percent would vote for Bob Barr and 3 percent for Ralph Nader.
These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,690 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive® between July 3 and 11, 2008. Like all polls conducted well before an election, this should not be read as a prediction, but rather as a snap shot of the presidential “horse race”. Additional results include:
Half of Matures (those over 63) say they would vote for John McCain, while three in ten (29%) would vote for Senator Obama, indicating that some of McCain’s strongest support comes from this generation;
Half (51%) of the youngest generation or Echo Boomers (those aged 18-31) would vote for Barack Obama while just one-quarter (24%) would vote for Senator McCain;
Ninety percent of African Americans are voting for Senator Obama, as are six in ten Hispanics (60%). Whites, however, are leaning towards Senator McCain over Senator Obama (40% versus 34%);
Over two in five men (42%) and women (43%) say they would vote for Senator Obama, while over one-third of men (36%) and three in ten women (30%) would vote for Senator McCain. This suggests that the gender gap doesn’t really exist this year; and,
Half of single women (51%) would vote for Senator Obama while just one-quarter (25%) would vote for Senator McCain. Married women are more closely divided – 37 percent would vote for Obama and 36 percent would vote for McCain.
So What?
While Americans are thinking of summer vacations and the beach, November 4th may seem like eons away. However, in reality, the election is just 15 weeks from now. That means that everything from this point on in time definitely matters.

Regina Corso, Director of The Harris Poll, said, “Senator Obama’s lead seems solid, but there are some troubling spots to watch for in his campaign. First, Matures are solidly behind John McCain, and this is a group that goes out and votes in the strongest numbers among all age groups. Further, the divide among married women is also extremely close. With almost one-quarter of this group (22%) undecided, the candidate that can win the lion’s share of those undecided Americans can move these overall numbers.”