MSNBC On Prepping LGBT Candidates

HomoQuotable - MN Sen. Scott Dibble

"We are about to do the hardest thing that many of us have ever done in our lives.But we're up to it. We are a strong, resilient, loving people. We will replace the scorched-earth campaign tactics of our opponents with stories of the love, commitment and responsibility at the core of our families. The only thing this whole debate is about is whether people are able to have access to the things that keep all families strong ± economic, legal and civil protections. We will build an incredible coalition of allies from across the political spectrum and from every sector of Minnesota life to help us reach the hearts and minds of every Minnesota of every belief and political persuasion, across the countryside, in every hamlet, town and city." - Openly gay Minnesota state Sen. Scott Dibble, vowing to defeat the 2012 ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage.

Our First Openly Gay U.S. Senator?

Openly gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is reportedly mulling a run to replace the retiring Sen. Herb Kohl, who leaves office in 2012. If successful, Baldwin would become the first openly gay U.S. Senator in history. The Victory Fund is already promising Baldwin their full support.

“This would obviously be a top priority for us. Tammy Baldwin has been an outstanding congresswoman, and she’d be an outstanding senator,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which has endorsed Baldwin repeatedly. In 1998, when Baldwin became the first openly LGBT candidate to win election to the U.S. Congress as a freshman, the Victory Fund raised nearly a quarter million dollars for her campaign.

MINNESOTA: Openly Gay State Sen. Scott Dibble Denounces Marriage Ban

(Tipped by JMG reader Michael)

NEW YORK: Daniel O'Donnell Introduces Marriage Equality Bill In State Assembly

Openly gay New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell yesterday once again introduced a marriage equality bill to his chamber. Similar bills authored by O'Donnell have passed in the Assembly several times in recent years. He writes via press release:

"It is with great pride that I am introducing the Marriage Equality Act. Since the Assembly last passed the bill in 2009, there has been an overwhelming groundswell of support for Marriage Equality across our state. Recent poll numbers have shown a strong majority of New Yorkers now stand firmly in support of Marriage Equality. However, nowhere was this powerful belief in equality more clear than at Monday's 'Equality and Justice Day' rally in Albany, where citizens from across our state came together and demanded equality under law in one unified voice."

Fred Karger's Demon Frisbee

I guess this is openly gay GOP presidential candidate Karger's take on Carly Fiorina's much-parodied "demon sheep" campaign.

Obama Names Open Lesbian Roberta Achtenberg To Civil Rights Commission

Gay rights attorney and former San Francisco Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg has been appointed by the president to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Achtenberg co-founded the National Center for Lesbian Rights and was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1990. In 1993, she became the first openly gay or lesbian person to be confirmed for a federal appointment when the Senate approved President Bill Clinton's nomination of Achtenberg as assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She has served on the Cal State Board of Trustees since 2000.

RELATED: In 1995 Achtenberg left the above-mentioned HUD position to unsuccessfully run for mayor of San Francisco. And I voted for her even though her campaign worker totally ruined my bought-that-day suede jacket with a big sticker.

A Gay Prime Minister For Italy?

As anti-gay Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faces a confidence vote due, in part, to his infamous dalliances with numerous prostitutes, his possible replacement appears to be Nichi Vendola, the openly gay governor of the southern Italian state of Apulia. Via Washington Post:

The governor of Apulia, a region in the heel of the Italian boot, wore a gray checked suit, purple paisley scarf and glittering black shoes strapped with Velcro. From his left ear hung a sparkling diamond hoop given to him by his partner, Ed. Around his left thumb he wore a gold band, the gift of a southern fisherman upon winning his first shock-the-establishment election. "Nichi!" yelled a woman who ran up to shake the graying 52-year-old's hand. "You speak the truth!" Farther down Rome's broad Via del Tritone, a class of high school students looked up stunned and squealed, "Ciao, Nichi!" A deeper voice shouted from across the street, "Get rid of them all, Nichi!" Vendola, who nonchalantly assesses himself as "beloved," smiled the drowsy-eyed grin of a man who has seen all this adoration before. But this crisp December morning was different. Inside the Montecitorio palace, the lower house of Parliament and Vendola's destination, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced a career-threatening confidence vote. Many of the frustrated Italians gathering in the surrounding squares hoped this gay, Catholic, ex-communist poet whom the media has dubbed - partly in jest and partly in earnest - "the white Obama" would take the premier's place. Improbably, Vendola is positioned to become the next leader of Italy.

Vendola says that in Italy, Catholicism is "more cultural than religious" and he even counts nuns among his supporters. But according to the above-linked story, Vendola is a frequent target of television comedians who mock his lisp and his meandering, metaphor-laden style of speaking. A regular feature in one newspaper is a column titled, "Nichi, What The Hell Are You Talking About?"

IRELAND: Openly Gay Sen. David Norris Leads Polling For Next President

Ireland's openly gay Sen. David Norris is leading the polls to succeed Mary McAleese as that nation's next president.

The Independent Senator received the backing of 27% of those surveyed by Red C in a poll for Paddy Power bookmakers. The poll found Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness in second place, with 13% support, although this is due to the Fianna Fáil and Labour votes each being split by the inclusion of two candidates each. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern receives the backing of 12% of those surveyed, while his party colleague MEP Brian Crowley gets 10%.

The election is in October. Ireland's presidency is largely ceremonial.

(Tipped by JMG reader Vivian.)

Quote Of The Day - Barney Frank

“It’s one thing to have a gay person in the abstract. It’s another to see that person as part of a living, breathing couple. How would a gay presidential candidate have a celebratory kiss with his partner after winning the New Hampshire primary? The sight of two women kissing has not been as distressful to people as the sight of two men kissing. [And because of DOMA] it’s not clear that a gay president could use federal funds to buy his husband dinner. Would his partner have to pay rent in the White House? There would be no Secret Service protection for the paramour." - Rep. Barney Frank, responding to Jimmy Carter's contention that America is ready for a gay president.

JMG Reader Joe Shaw Elected To Huntington Beach City Council

JMG reader Joe Shaw, who comments here as "Another Joe," has been elected to the Huntington Beach, California city council and is currently the only openly gay elected official in all of Orange County. From earlier this week, here's his opening speech to the council. Congratulations, Councilman Shaw!

Lexington KY Elects Openly Gay Mayor

The Victory Fund reports that Lexington, Kentucky, the state's second-largest city, has elected openly gay candidate Jim Gray as mayor.

Vice-Mayor Jim Gray was victorious tonight in his second campaign for the city’s top job, beating incumbent Mayor Jim Newberry. This is a tremendous victory for Lexington, for Kentucky’s LGBT community and for fairness. We are proud of Jim Gray and his fantastic campaign staff who fought hard for this win,” said Chuck Wolfe, Victory Fund’s president and CEO.

Kentucky! SRSLY!

SLIDESHOW: Victory Fund Brunch NYC

Today I attended the first annual Victory Fund brunch in NYC, where headliner Rep. Barney Frank talked at length about the difficulties we face in the repeal of DADT and even getting ENDA to a vote. Comedian Alec Mapa hosted, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke, anti-Quinn activists protested outside, and a literal who's who of political homorati mingled over mimosas.

In the house: all the gay NYC council members, activist and event co-chair David Mixner, activist Corey Johnson, early DADT activist Joe Steffan, comedian Kate Clinton and her partner Urvashi Vaid, Reichen Lehmkuhl, actor Jack Noseworthy, former GLAAD head Neil Giuliano, and a boatload of probably similarly famous people that I don't know. I'll let you name them in the slideshow below, since I can't. Lots of ridiculously handsome men within. Full-screen versions of the below photos are here.

Openly Gay Providence RI Mayor David Cicilline Wins Dem House Primary

And the U.S. House moves once step closer to gaining its fourth openly gay member! Congrats, Rhode Island!

BRITAIN: Treasury Minister Resigns Over Financial Scandal Regarding Partner

British Treasury Minister David Laws has resigned after it was revealed that he had funneled government money to his partner.

He was one of the stars of the coalition's first weeks - but now, in just 18 days, he's become its first major casualty. The former City-high flyer was charged with getting a grip on public spending and implementing savage cuts. He clearly relished the task ahead and, as George Osborne's Liberal Democrat right-hand man at the Treasury, David Laws confidently grasped a job that others would have been wary of taking on. Two weeks in and he'd already found £6bn to trim. An emergency budget in a matter of weeks and a summer spending review lay ahead. But the £40,000 Mr Laws claimed in expenses for a room he rented from his partner of the past nine years, James Lundie, brought his very brief cabinet career to an untimely end. Mr Laws said he could not now escape the conclusion that what he'd done was in some way wrong, even though he didn't gain financially from keeping his relationship private. Cabinet and Liberal Democrat colleagues have been quick to describe him as an "honourable man", pointing out that he's a self-made millionaire who didn't go into politics for financial gain. But, given that, it raises the question why did he claim it at all?

Prime Minister David Cameron has already replaced Laws.

UPDATE: I've corrected the above headline and text. Laws was NOT out until the scandal broke. My apologies.

HomoQuotable - CA Sen. Roy Ashburn

"My practice in my entire political career when it came to gay issues was to prevent any kind of spotlight from being shined my way, because I was in hiding. So casting any kind of vote might, could in some way, lead to my secret being revealed. That was terrifying to me. It was paralyzing. So I cast some votes that have denied gay people of their basic, equal treatment under the law, and I'm not proud of it. I'm not going to do that again." - California state Sen. Roy Ashburn, admitting what we know to be true of any anti-gay politician. Welcome to the light, Roy. We look forward to you making amends.

VIDEO: NBC Los Angeles talks to Ashburn about his transformation.

May 20th: Campaign Fundraiser For Openly Gay NY Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell

Openly gay New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell will hold a campaign fundraiser in NYC next Thursday. As regular readers know, it was O'Donnell who successfully guided the state's marriage equality bill through the state Assembly. THREE TIMES, in fact. Embiggen the above image for details about next week's fundraiser. You can also contribute to O'Donnell's campaign via his ActBlue page. Danny's a good man and he's one of ours. Keep him fighting your battles in the New York legislature.