"We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall."   Thus spoke Michelle Obama as she worked hard to earn support and assure her GLBT allies that that support would be returned.  It's true that these are only words, but they're powerful words, risking flak from those among the black community who decry the notion that there is a single thing in common between the struggle for civil rights for African Americans and that for GLBT Americans.  I think it was worth nothing.  As is this sentence that Mrs. Obama used, something the AP failed to adequately note:  "states should decide for themselves how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. "

I stayed on the sidelines in the presidential primary for a while... I supported neither Hillary, nor Obama... nor Edwards, for that matter... till the day of the last primary.  But it's something a former acquaintance of mine said to me the day Hillary endorsed Obama that made me an official supporter of Obama.  And it's what Michelle said that paved the way for me to march as part of the Obama Pride contingent in yesterday's Gay Pride Parade.

[x-posted to a couple of state blogs]

First off, I am looking for people who would be willing to collaborate with me in an attempt to continue a project very similar to the round-up of gay rights legislative, judicial, and executive bodies on the federal, and state/provincial levels in the US, and even the rest of the world, as very comprehensively done by Bill Myers.  You can see one of the latest versions of it available on the web here, courtesy of The Wayback Machine.

I know that what I have to say in this diary will be unpopular with some, not only about Kucinich and the regard he is held in by Markos and some of the front-pagers, as well as some of the "back-pagers" (a take on backbenchers, a term used in the parliamentary system), but on the general effectiveness of a divided progressive blogosphere and how that dampens our ability to be effective and influence the Democratic Party as well as the overall political chess game.

By now, everyone who’s following the drive to turn New England’s Senate delegation as 100% blue as the House delegation will soon be (Chris Shays will be gone by 2009, I’ll tell you), by 2012, knows that Jeanne Shaheen has finally announced that she is running against John Sununu.  They probably have also found out a good deal about Katrina Swett, who also hoped to unseat Sununu not too long ago.  Swett is an unelected (and it now looks, perpetually aspiring) politician who is a big supporter of Joe Lieberman (even if she’s backed away from him recently, because she knows how much it hurts to be associated with him in a Democratic primary).

Now that all factions that were previously boycotting the Iraqi parliament have returned to "business", it is time for us to question exactly who's "business" they are doing -- the Iraqi people's or US interests (read: Dick Cheney).  Of course, no one ought to be surprised that there is virtually no coverage of this controversy among the "mainstream" media.  It is up to us to monitor every alternative media or internet source to find out as much information as possible and keep a watch out for the scheduling of hearings on the bill that, if passed, would "regulate" the production and rights to Iraq's oil reserves.

Virtually all of Iraq's major political parties and blocs want to put the brakes on this bill.  They are all united across sectarian lines... even the Kurds don't like it the way it is now.  I doubt most readers of Daily Kos would be surprised who it is that would love for the bill to be passed in the dead of night without discussion and debate.  Of course...  the multinational oil corporations.

With all the talk about Bloomberg, I simply refuse to let another 'moderate' escape notice under cloud of cover Bloomberg's defection from the GOP is generating in the media.

And one of them happens to be, like Bloomberg, another one of Joe Lieberman's best pals.

Only 45 votes for anti-gay side.

I have complete faith that you'll finish this diary.  Short diaries without substance are a pet peeve of mine, so I'm glad to know there's more coming.  I'll check back later.

Hehehehe...  OK, here goes.

There's very little I could add on the momentousness of today's events, so I'll add a personal story instead.

I was just watching Paula Zahn's bullshit "Out in the Open" show to see what she had to produce on the obligatory segment about Don Imus' suspension which seems to be making the rounds on just about every cable news show today.