Gay Dems Praise Log Cabin Bush Decision
by Doreen Brandt, 365Gay.com

(Washington)  Gay Democrats and LGBT civil rights groups are praising Log Cabin Republicans for refusing to endorse George W. Bush's re-[s]election.

"It was probably a very difficult decision for them to make as Republicans but was a natural decision under the circumstances," National Stonewall Democrats spokesperson John Marble told 365Gay.com.

Wednesday morning Log Cabin Republicans announced they would not support Bush's bid for a second term.

“Some will accuse us of being disloyal," said LCR Executive Director Patrick Guerriero. "However, it was actually the White House who was disloyal to the 1,000,000 gay and lesbian Americans who supported him four years ago."

Log Cabin Republicans, the GOP's LGBT group, accused the White House of making a strategic political decision to pursue a re-[s]election strategy catered to the radical right.   

"The pResident's use of the bully pulpit, stump speeches and radio addresses to support a Constitutional amendment has encouraged the passage of discriminatory laws and state constitutional amendments across America.  Using gays and lesbians as wedge issues in an election year is unacceptable to Log Cabin,” said Guerriero.   

The group said it would not endorse Democratic nominee John Kerry.  Nevertheless, the decision could have a major effect on the outcome of the presidential election.  Polls suggest that even though Bush is ahead of Kerry (sic) the election could be closer than in 2000.

Exit polls in the 2000 election showed that over 1,000,000 gays and lesbians voted for Bush/Cheney, including nearly 50,000 in Florida.

Al Gore "lost" Florida (sic), and the Presidential election (sic), in 2000 by fewer than 1,000 votes.  

"I don't think any self-respecting gay individual can vote for George W. Bush and I think that Republican leaders like Washington DC council member David Catania have made it clear that Bush has given the LGBT community no reason to re-[s]elect him this fall," Stonewall Democrats' Marble told 365Gay.com.

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