The Presidential Debates Just Got a Little More Fabulous

The Democratic presidential candidates -- or at least the three front-runners plus some stragglers -- will be meeting in Los Angeles for yet another presidential debate come August 9, and it will be televised live on a cable network that practically no one has access to and even less people watch (though it will also be streamed online). Why is this news? The cable network in question is LOGO, the country's first gay television network not named Bravo, and the moderators of the debate are Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese and, you can't make this up, Melissa Etheridge!

"The panelists in a statement said they plan to cover a range of issues including relationship recognition, marriage equality, workplace fairness, the military, hate crimes, HIV/AIDS and other important issues," according to the 365Gay.com.

And of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, why LA you ask? Turns out it took more than the West Hollywood crowd to sway this placement. "Los Angeles was chosen as the site for the event because of the state’s early primary election, on February 5th, 2008."

This sounds like real progress to me, and the contrast between the parties couldn't be more clear. While public endorsements of marriage equality by the Democratic presidential field are still a pipe dream, all Democratic contenders oppose "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", a horrendous policy enacted by the husband of our front runner only 14 years ago! Naturally, all Republicans, including the supposedly "gay-friendly" Rudy Guiliani, support the current policy. And while it's unclear where some in the second-tier stand on civil unions, all three Democratic front-runners support the separate but (not really) equal institution, which is better than supporting no legal protections for the LGBTIQ set at all. And the Republicans? Romney was for gay equality before he was against it. Guiliani is a basket case on the subject too. And the rest? Let's just say most consider Sodom to be a still-standing city south of Marin and north of San Mateo.

So cheer up gay America. That rainbow hasn't been reached quite yet, but at least the Democratic presidential field considers the velvet mafia a mighty real constituency.

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