White House Mad at Annise Parker?

I reject Obama because he has consistently stated throughout his public career that separate but equal is good enough for homosexuals. We can't expect anything but token efforts designed to further his own political career from someone who can look us in the face and say we should accept second class status.

Loren, in 3 years you'll be saying "He's only been in office for one term - he'll be a lame duck next time and he'll acknowledge our GLBT civil rights then." With respect to your comment regarding Obama's lack of responsibility for not taking up GLBT issues, please recall the white House DOJ brief on civil marriage equality.

You guys make me want to vomit in my pants. He has only been our president for a year. He has no way of making leglislation. We should be happy that there is someone in his position that atleast acknowledges our exsistance. So take your anger out on your represenatives or glbt elected officials who promise when running for elections promise not to "use their position to advance glbt legislation.

So let me understand this—you’re finding fault with Obama for congratulating Annise Parker? It seems that many of you who are so down on Obama probably never voted for him in the first place. If DODT and ENDA are passed within his first 4 years, I’m sure those of you bashing him now will find some other reason to not support him or the democrats then either. As for the private/public issue, I doubt anyone expects his or her voicemail messages to be posted on YouTube. Her flippant response to the administration staffer’s concern for privacy is a little disturbing.

I agree Brian, although it's a bit off topic. I too will no longer vote dnc nor will I contribute to them any longer if they cannot accomplish such simple tasks as ending discrimination in the armed services. Every day that ticks by there are American citizens being denied the right to serve their country, being denied the right to marry etc... We all know. But there is no acceptable time other than the present to take the step foreward by declaring that we are all equal.The Obama administration is in the position to make history, and they are pissing away their chance at greatness. What if Mr. Lincoln was too fickle to take a stance on slavery because he feared his popularity might go down? Change is not made by conformists or cowards. It is made by real people who have the courage to do what's right in the face of opposition.

Damn, ain't no privacy.

I wondered at the time why the President would leave a voicemail, and why Annise was not alerted to expect a call from Obama. Clearly the White House is, a a year, still getting its act together. Meanwhile, we here in Houston are very proud of our new mayor and wish her all the best.

I have always been willing to cut the White House some slack on handling LGBT issues. With this incident I now know what a sack of dung they are. I now consider myself an independent, not a Democrap, and will voting either Green or Libertarian (or barrring that staying home) in the future. The only salvation for the Democrap Party is to come up with some pro-LGBT legislation (pass ENDA, repeal DADT for starters). NO EXCUSES ACCEPTED!! Barring that I won't give them a nickel. The time for treating LGBT people like family members you have to barely tolerate is over.

what's the President calling to congratulate her for, he had NOTHING to do with it. The actions of the White House certainly do not give me any comfort that President Obama feels comfortable with issues central to the gay community. I know that he LOVES my money, and I know that he LOVES my vote but I don't think he even LIKES the issues important to me, first and foremost if Equal Protection under the laws.

Seriously, it's not like we're talking wiretap here. If you leave someone a voicemail, send them an SMS or an email, or heck just mail them a letter, then it is not reasonable to imagine that it will be "private". This is why there were so many battles over Obama's Blackberry use. What this really suggests is that Obama's handlers are extremely concerned about him appearing gay-friendly. Apparently congratulating a lesbian for winning an election might be too "controversial", especially to conservative voters in the South. This matches a lot of other White House behavior trying to keep the LGBT community at arm's length.