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View From Washington: The DADT Shuffle

A gay White House employee offered his very first interviews to the LGBT press while Congress took one step forward and one step back on "don't ask, don't tell" repeal in 2010.


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This week marked a first of sorts.

Brian Bond, the gay man who is deputy director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in the Obama administration, went on the record with an LGBT blogger — just one week after he also offered up a written Q&A to Q-Notes, a North Carolina-based LGBT outlet.

Pam Spaulding of PamsHouseBlend was the blogger who managed to snag Bond outside of the entirely controlled confines of a written interview. Not sure why all the love for the Tar Heel State — where Spaulding is also based — but it’s most notable because Bond has proven to be an almost invisible presence given his position in the Office of Public Engagement.

His sudden emergence leaves one wondering if administration officials sense they have a PR problem on their hands with LGBT Americans. Bond is not the highest-ranking gay official to go on record to date — John Berry, the director of Office of Personnel Management, has granted several interviews. But knowing what I do about how press-shy Bond is, I would be inclined to think he has been pushed into the spotlight by forces greater than himself.

What’s worth noting here is that none of Obama’s inner circle has agreed to an interview with the LGBT press yet, let alone the commander in chief himself — who has granted a series of interviews to other constituencies' news outlets.

During the interview Bond seemed acutely aware of the administration’s deficit there.

“I should be doing a better job of communicating some of the issues and how we're tackling certain issues out there, and I will certainly work on that,” he told Spaulding.

One area where the visibility of LGBT issues did improve markedly this week was on “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which took a central role in the confirmation hearing of Clifford Stanley as undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 11/23/2009 7:14:36 PM
    Hometown: Wappingers Falls

    Comment:

    The Republicans' advances in November's election and Obama's latest low poll numbers show that Obama's and Pelosi's pandering to the radical religious right has hurt them rather than helped them. They need to immediately repeal the unconstitutional DOMA and DADT for the good of the country and the Democratic party. Unlike the Republicans who pander to their radical right wing base, the Democrats seem to have forgotten gay/lesbian taxpayers/voters exist. I knew we were in trouble when no gay/lesbians were appointed to the president's cabinet , some of Bush's leftovers were kept on, and so few federal court judges were appointed. Unlike the Republicans who seized total control, the Democrats have missed a great opportunity, and it will all be over for them (and for us) come November.

  • Name: Roger Burr
    Date posted: 11/23/2009 5:53:13 PM
    Hometown: Marble Hill, MO

    Comment:

    They 'think they might have a PR problem'?? DUH!!!! One poster stated he thinks there could be a challenge to Obama for the nomination in 2012. I agree the possibility exists. It happened in 1912; who's to say history won't repeat itself? It would, of course, split the Democratic vote and guarantee a Republican victory, but it would CERTAINLY wake the Democrats up! I just hope Obama makes a couple more appointments to SCOTUS before then, just in case he gets tossed out. In the interim, perhaps a few reversals in the 2010 elections might just do the trick. I got a mailing from HRC today. Sent it back with a NOTE, instead of a check.

  • Name: Jester
    Date posted: 11/23/2009 12:33:26 PM
    Hometown: Oakland

    Comment:

    "Stanley’s stature as a former two-star general in the Marines is also important since many believe the Marines may present the most resistance to repeal of all the armed services." I'm surprised the marines would be the branch most insecure about their sexuality. Man up, guys!

  • Name: More Of The Same
    Date posted: 11/22/2009 8:24:00 PM
    Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

    Comment:

    The major difference between the Bush and Obama administrations regarding the GLBT community is that at least the Bush White House hated us to our face.

  • Name: Brian
    Date posted: 11/22/2009 7:17:26 PM
    Hometown: Anaheim

    Comment:

    This presidency is shaping up as a real disaster. After next Novembers blood bath, I bet either Obama does not run for a second term or another strong democrat will take him on. There is no there, there.

  • Name: aaron hunt
    Date posted: 11/22/2009 6:41:14 PM
    Hometown: washington

    Comment:

    more crap from another uncle tom.

  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 11/21/2009 1:30:48 PM
    Hometown: Tesuque

    Comment:

    Well, ya think you have a PR problem Mr President? You bet your ass you do! You've either lost or are losing an important part of your base by waffling. Don't give us this crap about working behind the scenes-that's a tired old line and excuse. In some ways, the previous post is correct you're making bush look astute. Scary.....

  • Name: doug
    Date posted: 11/21/2009 12:32:07 PM
    Hometown: vb

    Comment:

    IF...IF...IF...administration offical sense they have a PR problem with the LGBT community- IF they don't0 they are bigger idiots than Bush and crew...Obama HAS done the impossible- he's making Bush look like an astute politican



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