Clinton, McCain Win California

After all the anticipation that “Super Duper Tuesday” on Feb. 5 would decisively yield the presidential nominees for both the Democratic and Republican Parties, only John McCain, the senator from Arizona, appeared to win that mantel.

In the critical delegate race, with 1, 191 delegates needed to win the nomination, McCain won 559 delegates to 265 for Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts. Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, won 169 delegates and Libertarian Republican Ron Paul won 16 delegates. In California, McCain won 42 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Romney' and 12 percent for Huckabee. BoiFromTroy blogger Scott Schmidt believes McCain benefited from the endorsement of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Democratic presidential race is far more complicated, with delegates awarded based on proportional wins in congressional districts. The magic number to win the nomination is 2,025 delegates and Clinton now leads with 783 delegates to 709 for Obama.

In California, Clinton handily won with 52 percent of the vote to Obama's 42 percent. In the CNN exit poll for California, gays registered as 4 percent of the voting population, with 62 percent going for Clinton, to 32 percent for Obama, with 2 percent going for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who dropped out. —KAREN OCAMB

Al Gore Endorses Gay Marriage

It's been a big twelve months for former Vice President Al Gore. Besides winning an Academy Award for his film An Inconvenient Truth and the Nobel Peace Prize for his global environmental advocacy, he has come out in support for same sex marriage. In a video posted Jan. 17 on the Current cable network website (a company Gore helped found), The 2000 Democratic presidential candidate said "Gay men and women ought to have the same rights as heterosexual men and women—to make contracts, to have hospital visiting rights, to join together in marriage, and I don't understand why it is considered by some people to be a threat to heterosexual marriage." Gore goes on to say in the simply shot video "Shouldn't we be promoting the kind of faithfulness and loyalty to ones partner regardless of sexual orientation?" In 2000 Gore endorsed federal civil unions, a position considered groundbreaking at the time, but resisted full support for marriage. The video posting got attention from a number of progressive and political web sites, including DailyKos.com, which pointed out Gore's stance goes beyond what current democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama are willing to endorse: civil unions but not full marriage equality.

“Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Turns 15

Time magazine was one of many media outlets to cover the 15th anniversary of the signing of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” the policy that ended the outright ban on homosexuals serving in the military, but ended up causing the same amount if not more trouble for gays and lesbians in the armed services. Since 1993, more than 12,000 service members have been forcibly removed from all branches of the military, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. "I believe if we get a Democratic President we'll get rid of the ban,” retired Navy Captain and out lesbian Joan Darrah told Time magazine Jan. 28. The younger generation doesn't care one bit." A study published Jan. 22, just days before the anniversary, showed the policy tarnishes the reputation of the U.S. armed forces, even among conservative audiences. Published by the journal Armed Forces and Society, “the data shows quite clearly that in the eyes of the American people, 'don't ask, don't tell' casts the military as being on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of the culture, even among conservatives," said author Aaron Belkin, Director of the Palm Center and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

New York City Comptroller Pushes For LGBT Employee Rights

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. and the New York City Pension Funds are calling on two dozen of America's largest companies to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. "We must work together to make sure that corporate America embraces acceptance and affords all employees the same protections, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity," Thompson said at a Jan. 29 news conference. Among the companies targeted is oil giant ExxonMobil, which has been criticized by the Comptroller's office and the pension funds for eight years. To date, 50 companies have amended their policies to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Migden secures $300,000 for Transgender Job Training

Out State Senator Carol Migden is helping transgendered men and women find gainful employment. Migden secured a $300,000 grant from California's Employment Development Department to help transgenders write resumes, hone interview skills and network for jobs, according to the Bay Area Reporter. Migden made her announcement in San Francisco, which she called “a city that prides itself on expanding our definition of inclusiveness.” “Transgenders have been victims of job discrimination in numerous cities, but this employment program is among the most far-reaching,” she added.

Liverpool Community Remembers Gays Lost in Holocaust

As part of National Homocaust Memorial Day, LGBT rights groups in Liverpool came together for a ceremony commemorating the 65,000 homosexuals who were interred in Nazi concentration camps from 1934 to 1945, the BBC reported. The Jan. 25 ceremony took place at St. John's gardens, where a pink triangle wreath was laid before two minutes of silence. "The Holocaust was one of the most horrific and evil chapters in modern history,” event organizer Gary Everett said. "It is of continuing importance that we not only remember the many lives lost, but always be vigilant that something of this magnitude never happens again."

McCain accused of employing anti-gay robo-calls

Republican presidential frontrunner John McCain is apparently taking the low road as part of his 2008 campaign, according to political news website Politico. As part of the run up to the Jan. 29 Florida primary, McCain's campaign made automated calls to potential voters criticizing rival Mitt Romney. “Mitt Romney thinks he can fool us,” the call said before stating it was paid for by John McCain 2008. “He told gay organizers in Massachusetts he would be a stronger advocate for special rights than even Ted Kennedy.” Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese criticized McCain for “surreptitiously trying to exploit anti-gay prejudice.”

Editor’s note: Mitt Romney has suspended his presidential campaign as of Feb. 7, 2008.

Out Editor Gets Top Job at Major Newspaper

There's been another break in the pink ceiling. After six years with the Arizona Republic, editor Randy Lovely has been promoted to the position of vice president/news and editor, which gives him the top job at the Phoenix area publication. Trade magazine Editor & Publisher reported that this makes Lovely the only openly gay editor at the helm of a major daily U.S. newspaper. "I have not had to be anything other than what I am,” he told Editor & Publisher. “I can't be the one to tell anyone they have to be out. But it is not something I am afraid of."

"When I first came here, people said, 'You're the first comedian to come to the Statehouse.' I say, 'I'm the first professional comedian to come to the Statehouse.' "

—Openly Gay Vermont State Rep. Jason Lorber, who moonlights as a standup when he's not legislating

Arkansas Readies for Gay Foster Parent Adoption Ban

So much for family values. The Arkansas Family Council Action Committee is waging a campaign to get a measure on its state Nov. 4 ballot that would ban unmarried couples from adopting or becoming foster parents, the Arkansas Democrat Gazette is reporting. “If the state of Arkansas is going to create families through adoption or foster care, they ought to create good ones,” Committee President Jerry Cox said. A coalition of health professionals, child advocates and LGBT rights groups have formed Arkansas Families First to counter the ban, which would also prevent private adoptions to single or unmarried parents. “They're trying to politicize a non-issue,” Families First spokeswoman Debbie Willhite said.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Leader Steps Down

After five years on the job, Matt Foreman is stepping down as the executive director of the LGBT advocacy rights group National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Foreman is taking over the Gay & Lesbian Program at the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, A San Francisco-based organization that funds LGBT groups. “I will always love the Task Force, our work, our board, and our staff,” Foreman said in a statement. “I have no doubt that the Task Force will continue to be the uncompromising progressive voice of the LGBT movement and to thrive and help lead our community to complete equality.” A search for Foreman's replacement is underway.

SJSU Suspends Blood Drives over Gay Ban

San Jose State University has suspended all campus blood drives because of the long-standing government policy that bars gay men from donating blood. San Jose State President Don Kassing says the policy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which oversees the U.S. blood supply, violates the school's nondiscrimination policy. The American Red Cross and other national organizations that regularly run blood drives have been pushing the FDA to revise the policy. Officials at local blood banks are not pleased with Kassing's decision. They say could lead to a drop in blood donations at numerous Bay Area colleges and put patients' lives at risk.