LGBT lawmakers say nation is ready for gay president

[babylonsister]

LGBT lawmakers say nation is ready for gay president
By Jonathan Easley and Cristina Marcos - 05/01/19 06:00 AM EDT


LGBT members of Congress say the U.S. is ready to elect its first gay president.

Democratic lawmakers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual told The Hill that American voters have come a long way on LGBT rights, predicting that South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) wouldn’t have to deal with the levels of homophobia that might have derailed his insurgent campaign in a past election cycle.

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said a lot has changed since he ran for local office in the 1990s, even as he hailed from a community with multiple openly gay elected officials.

“People would send an article back with my face crossed out putting ‘dead faggot’ underneath it. And it was a very tough time 25 years ago,” Pocan told The Hill.

“But I think where most of America’s at is a very different place and I don’t think it should be any barrier for anyone, whether it be Mayor Pete, [Wisconsin Democratic Sen.] Tammy Baldwin or anyone else. I think that people are ready for it.”

Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said that being gay actually helps Buttigieg stand out in the crowded Democratic presidential field.

“I’m admiring of the way he speaks the language of spirituality and religion in a way that I think communicates a set of values. And I admire the way that he has appropriated a space,” Takano said.

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https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/441499-lgbt-lawmakers-say-nation-is-ready-for-gay-president

[Honeycombe8]

1. I would be. But sadly, that's not the case with many in middle America.

Whoever wrote that article needs to spend some time traveling and camping and staying in Motel 6 motels across America. S. Carolina, to TN, to Kansas and Missouri, up through Iowa, continue on to Utah and CO and Nevada. Dip down to Texas. Go camping up in Wyoming in the summer.

He'll see that there are some mighty good people in the country. He'll see that some don't give a hoot about someone else being gay. But he'll also see that having a gay President, married to another man, kissing another man on camera, is a bridge too far for many of them.

Pete also doesn't have much minority support. I wonder if this has anything to do with the strong Christian element in the Af. American and Hispanic communities. The strongly Christian community is hell bent against homosexuality, for the most part.

It doesn't look like his numbers are going to get high enough for him to be the nominee, anyway.

There are concerns about Pete beyond his sexual orientation, though. Our country would be lucky to get someone like Pete as President. Sadly, I don't think we would ever elect someone like him. Half the country won't understand what he's saying, because he talks on too high a level for them. That's not a criticism of Pete. It's just that our politicians have to dumb down their talk and speak in spin bites, for some Americans to understand.

[leftofcool]

2. I think the article is spot on

Even the most conservative shitheads in my rural KY county say they don't care about Pete's sexuality as long as he is running the country right. Pete's poll numbers are really good this far out and he is starting to rally Black support. He is willing to listen to their concerns and jump right in for some answers. He is smarter than most of the rest of the crowd and honest.