Gay Clinton Backers Defect to Obama, Eroding her Base

[AntiFascist]

Reported by Kim Chipman for Bloomberg:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080229/pl_bloomberg/a_wg4hpi71wu

``Obama has presented more detailed position papers on gay and lesbian issues than Clinton,'' said David Mixner, 61, a writer and activist who helped longtime friend Bill Clinton win over the gay and lesbian vote during the 1992 presidential race and who supported both of Hillary Clinton's successful Senate races in New York.

`The Young Reformer'

This time, Mixner is backing Obama. The Clintons have become ``a machine, and Obama's the young reformer,'' said Mixner, who joined Obama's campaign after initially supporting former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, 54, who dropped out of the Democratic race last month.

Musician Melissa Etheridge, who came out as a lesbian in 1993 at President Bill Clinton's Triangle Ball, the first ever inaugural event for gay men and lesbians, said earlier this month that she is backing Obama.

Hollywood mogul David Geffen, a one-time supporter of Bill Clinton, also is backing Obama. The openly gay Geffen, co-founder of the DreamWorks SKG movie studio, held a $1.3 million fundraiser for Obama last year.

...

More defectors listed in the article.

[IndianaGreen]

1. "The problem with the Clintons is not that they lie, but that they do it with such ease."

Those are the words of former FOB David Geffen, who also added that Bill Clinton is still engaged in reckless personal behaviour.

[Yael]

2. Ouch.

[Yael]

3. ps -- love the hebrew bumpersticker!

ata medaber ivrit?

Is that for sale anywhere?

[IndianaGreen]

4. Yes, you can buy the bumper sticker, the sticker, and the button at Obama's website

Go to the Store. There is a backlog on a lot of the items.

BTW, my car proudly displays the Barak Obama in Hebrew sticker on its rear bumper!

On edit: I can read the Hebrew alphabet, but not much besides that. Ani lomed hibrit.

[Yael]

8. metsyan!

toda raba.

:hi:

[maddiejoan]

19. I know that when I want the truth

I always check with a Hollywood Talent Agent.

:eyes:

[KLee]

5. Nice :)

Thank you for posting.

[AntiFascist]

16. Thanks, this should help offset the widespread belief that....

just because HRC provides unbounded support to 'HRC' then the entire gay community must be behind her.

[dsc]

6. a thoroughly dishonest article

Only one person in that article originally supported Hillary, a private nurse no one had ever heard of.

[AntiFascist]

9. So Mixner is lying about helping out the Clintons previously?? n/t

[dsc]

10. He never, not ever, supported Hillary for President

as he says, in clear, unambiguous language, in the article. If you make me, I will cut and paste it.

[AntiFascist]

12. He was, at one time, a big supporter of Bill Clinton...

and even helped with the transition team when Clinton was elected, so it is fair to say that he was a big-time supporter of Bill Clinton at one time.

According to Wikipedia, Mixner opposed the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, but "Mixner and Clinton later healed the rift"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mixner#Clinton_Campaign_.E2.80.93_Don.E2.80.99t_Ask.2C_Don.E2.80.99t_Tell

[dsc]

13. He was Clinton's campaign treasurer

so yes he was a big supporter of him, but he didn't at any time, in any place, for any reason support Hillary for President. He started off with Edwards and likely would have stayed there had Edwards won Iowa. So it is dishonest, totally, utterly dishonest, to say he left Hillary for Barack.

[theboss]

7. Six repsonses and not mention of McClurkin yet

I'm disappointed.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. A mention of Geffen

Is the same as a mention of McClurkin in my book. The two share many unsavory characteristics. It may shock many but Geffen has about as much in common with me as Britney has in common with say, Elizabeth Dole. His endorsment is a negative to me. His criticism is like praise. He is a bad and self absorbed man in my opinion. Wouldn't trust him to wash my car.
And anyway, it is more fun to talk about Caldwell.

[AntiFascist]

14. Perhaps you haven't heard of...

"The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Geffen_School_of_Medicine_at_UCLA

He can't be all bad, eh?

[AntiFascist]

15. Old news?

:shrug:

[davidinalameda]

25. I'm surprised

most of the gay Hillary supporters on here can't go two posts without mentioning him

[AntiFascist]

17. .

:kick:

[Cha]

18. Researching I found this interesting

piece on David Mixner's site way back in March 2007..

<snip>

Mar 8
2007
On March 3, I read in Robert Novak’s column that Greg Craig was endorsing Senator Barack Obama. Knowing a bit about Greg Craig and his relationship with the Clintons, I found his endorsement much more of a shocker than David Geffen’s high profile Hollywood split with the power couple. I thought the rest of the political press might pick up Novak’s scoop, but it seems that no one was paying attention.

<snip>

Now, I know that Greg Craig is not a house hold name and you might be scratching your head and saying, “Who the hell is Greg Craig?” You shouldn’t feel bad if his name is not on the tip of your tongue. But his desertion of the Clintons for a fresh voice should be major news. Just review his relationship with the President and Senator and you will know why this is a big deal.

<snip>

The man is not a lightweight. In addition to the President of the United States, he has represented Alexander Solzhenitsyn, The Washington Post, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and Elian Gonzalez’s father, who sought the return of his son to Cuba. A prolific attorney, he has built a portfolio that includes some of the most high profile clients and cases in Washington.

He is the ultimate FOB, or “friend of Bill,” and a consummate Washington insider. He would be among those you would expect to immediately support Senator Clinton. Having been their friend, lawyer and confidant for all this time, his early endorsement of Obama is astounding. And yes, Senator Obama is a powerful and charismatic candidate, but you can be sure there is more in play than just Craig being inspired by the good Senator from Illinois.

http://www.davidmixner.com/2007/03/novak_shocker_g.html

[AntiFascist]

20. Interesting, maybe he knows something? n/t

[Cha]

23. Yeah, he knows

too much like some of the rest of us only more so.

[FreeState]

27. Who's spreading fear now? Sheeesss... no wonder I've been taking a break from DU n/t

[ruggerson]

21. This headline does not match the information in the article

the headline is pure advocacy, not journalism.

[AntiFascist]

22. I think it is somewhat fair, considering...

that Hillary is running on her husband's record as well as her own. The 'defections' have been happening over a long time period, not just since the time that Hillary announced her own intentions to run for president.

[ruggerson]

24. Mixner and Clinton had a falling out fifteen years ago

that's hardly a "defection" from Hillary's presidential bid. Neither is Geffen nor Etheridge. They support Obama, they never switched from Hillary.

There is not one "defection" in this entire story except for one unknown nurse in Houston.

One nurse.

Who somehow gets extrapolated by this Bloomberg writer into mass defections.

It's insane.

[AntiFascist]

26. As more and more gay icons come out in support of Obama...

there will be mass defections to the Obama camp. The gay community initially threw its support behind Clinton because they were told to do so. Fortunately there are many of us who can think for ourselves.

I don't know about Etheridge, but I do recall when Geffen was supporting the Clintons and helping them raise funds.

[ruggerson]

28. That's kind of irrelevant

because we're nearing the end of this and if Obama gets the nomination the point is moot.

The only real facts we know are the exit polls which show Hillary garnering about 2/3rds of the gay vote and Obama getting 1/3rd.

As it stands now, this article has no basis in reality. It makes an assertion in its title and in the body of the text, and then proceeds to provide no substantiation whatsoever for the premise.

It's really bad journalism.

[WillyT]

29. Kick !!!

:kick:

[AntiFascist]

30. .

:kick: