April 17th 2008

Dean Disses Gay Republicans!
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, former Governor Howard Dean, told an audience of the University of Wisconsin that he doesn’t understand how a gay person could become a Republican. “They can’t become more diverse,” he said. “Who in their right mind, if they were African-America or Hispanic or Asian-American, if they were gay or lesbian, would join the Republican Party?” Log Cabin Republican Club President Patrick Sammon called Dean’s statement "callous" and said that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should publicly state what they think of it. While Vermont governor, Howard Dean signed a gay civil union bill in 2000 and was very popular with the gay community during his 2004 bid for the Democratic Presidential candidate.

Million Phag March Targets Phreddie Phelps!
Well, it didn’t reach its goal of one million, but 400 phags did march at Topeka, Kansas’ Gage Park demonstrating against our good friend, the Reverend Phred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church Comedy Troupe. The park is in close proximity to the church itself. Phelps and phriends are well known for targeting public gatherings with his “God Hates Fags” messages. The organizer of the protest, Chris Love, said he “…wanted to show the Westboro Baptist Church that there is an opposing voice equally as powerful,” according to television station KSN. On a lighter note, a judge in Baltimore placed a lien on the properties owned by Phred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church and ordered his daughters to post bonds of $100,000 and $125,000 within 30 days while the church appeals a ruling in which it was ordered to pay a $5 million judgment to the father of a soldier slain in Iraq.

Hillary Hits Lavender Campaign Trail!
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been busy wooing the gay vote in Pennsylvania. Hillary appeared on the “Ellen” show where she said concerning the gay community, “We just have to make this much more fair.” She also did an exhaustive interview for the Philadelphia Gay News. “I am going to do everything I can to eliminate any disparities in any benefits or rights under our law at the federal level so that all people will have available to them every right as an American citizen that they should, and that would include immigration law.” That same newspaper scolded Barack Obama for not granting them an interview by leaving a blank space on the front page for his interview. They claim that it has been 1,522 days since Obama granted an interview to a local gay publication. Obama did, however, attend a fundraiser thrown for him by the gay community in New York City that was hosted by GLSEN founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings, which raised $170,000 for the candidate.

And Speaking of Ellen!
Ellen DeGeneres heads the list of the “50 Most Influential Gays and Lesbians” in the most current issue of Out Magazine. But as I look down the list of A-list gays, I wonder what the name Anderson Cooper is doing there. Things that make you go, “Hmmmmmm.”

China: Enormous Underwear Ad Not Indecent!
The Chinese government has declared that a 27-story tall Calvin Klein underwear ad is not indecent and may remain on the side of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Hong Kong. The ad will remain in place until April 15th when the hotel is actually scheduled for demolition.

Time to Vote
Ever since I announced that I was nominated for “Best Columnist” for the Latino Press Awards, things have gotten very dangerous for me. I remember, two weeks ago, arriving at the Hotspots office under sniper fire. I was supposed to meet one of the other employees in the back parking lot, but instead I just ran with my head down all the way to the door to get inside the building. And that’s what happened. So, we need to teach those anti-me terrorists a thing or two by voting for me online right now! I would like each and every one of you to visit latinopressaward.com and cast your vote for me in category #4. You can vote for your other favorites in the other categories at the same time. You can vote once each day.

As a reminder, and to make your life easier, you can sign up for my daily email reminders. Simply send an email to vote4bob@bellsouth.net and you will receive your personalized email along with the direct link to click to vote, along with my deepest gratitude. This is perhaps your most crucial vote this year and it’s greatly appreciated.

That’s it for this week. In fact, it’s 3 a.m. at my house and I should be safe and in bed asleep. But there’s a phone in my house and it’s ringing. Something’s happening in South Florida. I have to decide whether or not to answer that call — whether it’s someone I already know or a total stranger. It’s 3 a.m. and I should be asleep but I answer the phone: “Hello.” … “I’m in my boxer shorts, why?” … “No, I’m not touching myself!”