ENDA: Waking Up Too Early To Possible Trans Subcommunity Erasure

by: Autumn Sandeen

Fri Oct 09, 2009 at 13:45:00 PM EDT

To my mind, this says [Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC)] would have supported the sexual orientation only bill voted on last time, but she is not sure whether she can vote for the current bill and will have to "consider" it. This is exactly the type of "supportive non-support" that got gender identity pulled from the [Employment Non-Discrimination Act] last time. This should not be tolerated in 2009 or else we will wind up back in 2007.

-Dr. Jillian Todd Weiss

For those who aren't following Bilerico, Dr. Jillian Todd Weiss -- an Associate Professor of Law and Society at Ramapo College -- is running a campaign Facebook for an Inclusive ENDA. On Bilerico, she's listing a ENDA Targeted Legislator of the Day as a means for targeting our federal legislators who have not either co-sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA - S1584) or confirmed yes votes on ENDA -- some of those who have confirmed have only confirmed their support privately.

Prof. Weiss also has her own blog: Transgender Workplace Diversity. [Did I mention that she's a transgender woman whose working not only for transgender workplace civil rights, but for broader lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community's workplace civil rights?] In that blog she explains the ENDA legislation, with heavy emphasis on how legally, a fully inclusive ENDA will impact transgender people.

Earlier this week, the ENDA Targeted Legislator Of The Day was North Carolina's Senator Kay Hagan. In response to that post by Prof. Weiss, a transgendernews reader sent a e-letter to Senator Hagan -- of whom she is a constituent -- about the Senator's position on a fully inclusive ENDA. Sen. Hagan's staff sent a response, and it's below the fold.

[Below the fold: Sen. Hagan, in Prof. Weiss's opinion, is giving us "'supportive non-support' that got gender identity pulled from the bill last time."]

Senator Hagan, stand with breast cancer survivors of NC - support a public plan

by: Pam Spaulding

Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 13:30:00 PM EDT

Millions of people want that option considered, and the stories of uninsured and underinsured women who don't receive adequate care and die from breast cancer are striking.  Eighteen thousand people die in this country each year because they lack insurance. Jane:

So I started thinking -- why do I care if there are more women in office if they don't care about women's issues?  What on earth would be the value of having a woman who saw her primary function in this battle as guarding the profitability of the insurance industry, as opposed to a man like Bernie Sanders whose commitment to a strong public plan has been one of the only firewalls in the Senate against this turning into nothing more than an insurance industry bailout?

...Women in Congress who will stand up and say "enough, there is a line I will not cross" are in short supply -- even among our friends.

So together with  BlueNC and Pam's House Blend, we reached out to my fellow breast cancer survivors in North Carolina. Women like Hazel and Connie, Juanita and Gail and Patricia and Yvette.  Dorrita, Connie, Linda and Lotie.  Mary, Pepper, Waddeah and Felicia.  Women who have triumphed, women who have fought breast cancer and won.  Women of all ages and races and sexual orientations who are not afraid to tell the truth and speak up on behalf of other women.

Because many of our sisters did not survive.  Getting early treatment is critical to recovery, and women often put off getting exams if they don't know how they're going to pay for them.  

Young African American women are twice as likely to die of breast cancer as young white women, and are five times as likely to suffer delays in getting treatment.

Kay Hagan has been the sole obstacle keeping a public plan from coming out of the Senate HELP Committee.   On Friday,  Pam Spaulding and breast cancer survivors of North Carolina will go to Kay Hagan's office carrying their signatures and those of the people who stand with them, asking Hagan to stand with us, too.  We want to get 20,000 signatures of support for them to deliver in the next 48 hours.  

Kay Hagan: the roadblock to real health care reform

by: Pam Spaulding

Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

With Ted Kennedy too sick to come down to DC and make the committee vote, Democrats will need every Senator on the HELP committee to produce a strong bill, a bill that fights for what Teddy Kennedy has been fighting for his entire life.

The last holdout is Kay Hagan, who represents a state (NC) that is one of the worst in the country in terms of percent of people without health insurance. The insurance companies are lobbying Hagan against the bill, because they don't like having to compete with a public option. My simple question is this: Teddy Kennedy is too sick to be there, Senator Hagan, so he is relying on your vote for the issue that he has fought for passionately his entire life. Will you betray him to help the insurance companies? You need to make up your mind now.

But Blenders know all too well what we were getting after Chuck Schumer recruited her to run once openly gay Jim Neal tossed his hat into the ring (Hagan had publicly stated before that she wasn't interested in running). Tutored by the Dem machine, she dutifully ran middle of the road.

We had warning signs of Sen Hagan's lack of responsiveness that was reminiscent of Dole. Her campaign refused to give any substantial answers to questions from LGBT media about her stand on our issues. She completely and repeatedly blew me off, both in a BlueNC liveblog and in follow up correspondence. But she keynoted the HRC Carolinas gala. She's against marriage equality, and squeaked out support for hate crimes (haven't heard where she is now on it), but all in all, now that we see her stonewalling on a public option for health care, I'm yawning. We've been waiting for everyone else to wake up and smell the coffee.

So folks, now that Hagan has blown into town what do we do? I hope politely contacting her will bear fruit because we need a decent Senator to represent North Carolinians, and that includes support for a public option for health care.

Email:

WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6342
Fax: 202-228-2563

GREENSBORO OFFICE - STATE HEADQUARTERS
701 Green Valley Rd; Suite 201
Greensboro, NC 27408
Phone: 336-333-5311
Fax: 336-333-5331

RALEIGH OFFICE
310 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919-856-4630
Fax: 919-856-4053

TOLL FREE FOR NORTH CAROLINIANS
P: 1-877-852-9462

Here's an ad that will run in several states by Health Care For America Now:

NC: U.S. Senator Kay Hagan to keynote HRC Carolinas Gala

by: Pam Spaulding

Sat Jan 10, 2009 at 19:45:00 PM EST

Gala co-chair Michael Holmes told Q-Notes that the dinner committee was awaiting comment from Hagan's offices. No further information was available.

Hagan's 2008 campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Elizabeth Dole drew national attention. During the Democratic primary, Hagan ran against openly gay Chapel Hill businessman Jim Neal. Some LGBT activists criticized the Human Rights Campaign for their refusal to endorse Neal during the primary battle. The national organization later endorsed Hagan in her race against Dole.

Holmes said the dinner committee had already received emails addressing concern over Hagan's appearances. Holmes said the senator's willingness to speak at the dinner so soon after her swearing in was a positive sign.

Former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Neal may run for state Democratic Party chairman.

Neal, a Chapel Hill businessman, said he initially rejected the idea but has received much more encouragement in recent days. "I want to talk to some more people," he said. "I want to make sure there is widespread support for the notion. I think it could be fun and a real challenge."

The state Democratic Executive Committee is scheduled to meet Jan. 31 in Raleigh to pick a replacement for Jerry Meek, who is stepping down after two terms.

We received a pathetic Elizabeth Dole robocall tonight

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Nov 03, 2008 at 20:10:51 PM EST

FEMALE VOICE: "There are a couple of things you should consider when you go vote. For over ten years, Kay Hagan belonged to an exclusive all-white country club in Greensboro. She has taken money and attended a fundraiser at the home of the Godless Americans PAC founder. A group that wants to take "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance, and end Christmas as a federal holiday. Help send a message to Kay Hagan that she should not represent us in the U.S. Senate. Paid for by the Elizabeth Dole Committee."

Public Policy Polling's latest data suggests that Liddy's going to be taking that Empty Wig back to the Watergate where she can retire.

One race that doesn't look particularly close is that for the US Senate in the state. Kay Hagan has opened up a seven point lead over incumbent Elizabeth Dole, 51-44. "Kay Hagan's gained four points on her lead in the last week," said Debnam. "Clearly the Godless Americans ad backfired."

The race for President in North Carolina is going right down to the wire, with Barack Obama for the second week in a row leading John McCain by a single point, 50-49. Undecided independent voters seem to be moving in McCain's direction. Last week Obama had a 51-39 lead with that demographic. Now it's just 50-46, an indication that the Democratic nominee isn't necessarily losing support but McCain might be picking up the late deciders. "It looks likely to be a long election night in North Carolina," said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. "The race couldn't be much closer."

UPDATE: A reader emailed that Dole has Tony Perkins of FRC on robocalls yesterday. Wow, that's bad -- reaching out to secure your base? Most average citizens don't know who the f*ck Perkins is and don't give a rip. Buh bye, Liddy...

I live in Raleigh.  Perkins repeats the "Godless Americans" fundraiser story and then either states or implies that Hagan supports a "godless agenda" and then (bizarrely, in light of the last 8 years) contends that liberals have been able to appoint too many "godless" judges, so we need to vote for Dole.  

Dole releases ANOTHER 'Godless' ad

by: Pam Spaulding

Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 20:00:00 PM EDT

Now she and her fellow sleazebags are taking another crack at it with a re-edit, removing the female voiceover "There is no God!" out and turning it into a lame  guilty by association bit:

The Hagan camp was ready with another response, and again -- where is any statement that faith is not a litmus test to serve the people in elective office?

Hagan also released a statement with comments from the Council of Churches to serve up her bonafides as a believer. I'm not kidding.

Yesterday the North Carolina Council of Churches sent a letter to Senator Dole asking her to remove her ad, saying, "As you no doubt know, Sen. Hagan is a faithful and active member and leader in the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro. To say or even to suggest that that outstanding congregation has chosen a lay leader who doesn't believe in God is appalling and should be offensive to churches and church leaders throughout the state.

Fellow Republican, consultant Alex Castellanos, responsible for the infamous "White Hands" ad in the race between Jesse Helms and Harvey Gantt said that her attack was over the line. When you're making ads that say 'There is no God,' it usually means your campaign doesn't have a prayer," he said.

A person's faith is a deeply personal matter, and every piece of evidence from Hagan's personal life leads one to believe her faith is genuine. The Dole ad clearly suggests otherwise, and, as such, is purposefully misleading and insulting. And Hagan is right that it seems a last-ditch, desperate effort by an incumbent who fears she is about to lose...Dole's ad is offensive on two counts -- it misrepresents Hagan's beliefs and insults anyone whose beliefs are not seen as mainstream.

NC: Hagan responds to 'Godless' ad; Dole's immigrant bashing

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 18:30:00 PM EDT

There has been a large dustup in the blogosphere and in the media over Elizabeth Dole's  fraudulent 'Godless' ad portraying her as cozying up to atheists, so much so that Dem challenger Kay Hagan has a new commercial out addressing the matter:

I'm Kay Hagan and Elizabeth Dole's attacks on my Christian faith are offensive. She even faked my voice in her TV ad to make you think that I don't believe in God. Well, I believe in God. I taught Sunday school; my faith guides my life. And Senator Dole knows it. Sure, politics is a tough business, but I approved this message because my campaign is about creating jobs and fixing our economy, not bearing false witness against fellow Christians.

UPDATE #2: The person standing next to Hagan in the ad, one of the alleged Godless Atheists, isn't one (The Independent Weekly):

Both ads feature shadowy photographs of Hagan standing next to a nameless gray-haired man-presumably one of those atheists to whom the Democrat is allegedly indebted. He is in fact, Charles Frederick (Rick) Stone III, who currently studies theology at the Harvard Divinity School. Until his 2007 move to Boston, Stone lived in Greensboro and taught Biblical studies at Greensboro College, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and Guilford College, which draws on Quaker tradition.

His courses have included Old and New Testament, religious law, and the teachings of Jesus. Stone himself is Episcopalian and a believer in God.

A couple of things about the "Godless" debacle trouble me, aside from the base mudslinging of Liddy in her last gasps of desperation. 1) Dole is saying there's a religious test to serve in public office; 2) Hagan has to respond in a way that affirms this, though she attempts to redirect by saying she plans to focus on the secular. It's troublesome all around that candidates have to drag personal faith into a discussion about fitness to serve office. For goodness sake, what if an atheist wants to give to her campaign? I'm sure Dole has some atheists on her mailing list of donors. Does it not occur to the surgically preserved senator that non-believers simply want to select a candidate that will address the economy or the host of other issues, given the state the U.S. is in? It's all ridiculous.

***

But back to Dole on another matter that has received scant attention in this state -- immigration. The ads have been inflammatory, full of fear-baiting. More below the fold.

NC: Jim Neal on Tarheel Madness in the U.S. Senate race

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

Friend of the Blend and former Dem U.S. Senate candidate Jim Neal pointed me to an article he wrote for The Daily Beast on the state of the race here in NC between Liddy Dole and Kay Hagan. It captures the battle of the old and new South and the desperate tactics of Dole and the GOP.

Tarheel Madness

A one-time Senate candidate on how politics replaced basketball in North Carolina—and Elizabeth Dole’s strange demise.

North Carolina is swinging in the balance as America’s most quixotic battleground state. Obama and McCain are deadlocked and Sen. Elizabeth Dole is flailing fire and brimstone at the little-known state senator who’s poised to end her 40-year career as an inside-the-Beltway icon. This year, politics is the new basketball in North Carolina. And it’s shaping up as a Carolina blue election.

It may be freezing outside tonight, but the campaign trail is hot. The state has not delivered a victory to a Democrat presidential candidate in 32 years and has yet to recover from Sen. Jesse Helms’ 30-year reign of terror. Helms’ retirement in 2002 paved the way for Elizabeth Dole, recently-retired as president of the American Red Cross, to establish residency at her mother’s home in Salisbury and mount a successful campaign to succeed Helms. John Edwards is back and there are no more delusions about Chapel Hill becoming the southern White House. Suffice it to say that there’s more pent-up venom in a battle-weary Yellow Dog Democrat than a diamondback rattlesnake coiled up in a woodpile.

Elizabeth Dole unleashes outrageous 'Love of God' ad

by: Pam Spaulding

Wed Oct 29, 2008 at 13:00:00 PM EDT

Dole:

It's not just to save this seat; we are trying to save the values that we care about in America.  We're trying to save honesty and integrity and hard work and personal responsibility and love of family and love of God. That's what this is all about, and it's a serious time.

That's right.  According to Elizabeth Dole if Democrats win there will be no more honesty or integrity in this country.  Nobody will work hard ever again and we won't take responsibility for our actions.  Finally, if Democrats win there will be no more loving our families and loving God is most certainly out of the question.

Elizabeth Dole, that genteel southern belle, is spreading a message of hate and fear.  Like Robin Hayes and Virginia Fox, Dole too will fail.  Days after Hayes was caught lying about his statement about liberals hating real Americans which was made in front of a crowd of thousands, he gave Elizabeth Dole a check for $1,300.  He might have done her a bigger favor if he had tipped her off to the fact that making comments intended to feed on fear and hate aren't working as well as they used to.  Hayes might have given Dole $1,300 but his  hateful comments put over $80,000 in Larry Kissell's campaign coffers.

Folks here in North Carolina are getting tired of the hate. I don't know anyone who actually believes that those who now love God and love their families will suddenly decide to stop. Oh, I know. That whole love of God statement was code intended to feed on this "Obama is a Muslem" meme running rampant through Republican ranks. The "love of family" part was code intended to feed on anti-gay marriage sentiment found on all sides of the political spectrum here in North Carolina.

"I can't tell you how upset I am that Elizabeth Dole is attacking my strong Christian faith," Hagan said late Tuesday.

Hagan, who is an elder at First Presbyterian Church, said she is incensed by the ad because at the end it shows her picture with a female voice saying, "There is no God."

Her campaign will hold a news conference in Greensboro today to push back against the ad, and Hagan said lawyers for the campaign are preparing to send a cease-and-desist order demanding that Dole stop the ad.

Related:

* North Carolina Republican Party unleashes anti-gay mailer targeting Kay Hagan

North Carolina Republican Party unleashes anti-gay mailer targeting Kay Hagan

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 12:15:00 PM EDT

Pam - I'm close to John Edwards on this - I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and that it's fundamentally a state issue the federal government has no business getting involved in. But I take a back seat to no one when it comes to equal opportunity and fairness. I oppose ANY form of discrimination and I believe that partnerships should be protected when it comes to financial issues, hospital visits, employment, and housing issues.

A new mailer in support of incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole claims that Hagan's agenda, with the help of "liberal judges," will be to advance a "radical homosexual agenda" which includes same-sex marriage, removing "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, and forcing the Boy Scouts to accept gay and atheist troop leaders.

Hagan's opposition to an anti-gay amendment is the focus of the mailer. "Across America," it reads, "liberal judges are overturning state laws banning gay marriage. In North Carolina a state constitutional amendment is needed to protect traditional marriage and prevent liberal judges from imposing their gay marriage agenda on the state."

UPDATE -- a reader's friend shares an exchange with Dole's office about this mailer.

Republicans play lame 'evil atheism' card on Kay Hagan

by: Pam Spaulding

Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 16:00:00 PM EDT

First the Dole campaign released a ridiculous mailer:

Blogger Robert Eldredge:

Atheists are people that North Carolinian's would not want to have over for dinner? They don't share North Carolina's values? Atheists are the most vile, radical liberals in America? The most vile? Really? The most VILE? That is complete insanity.

Liberal Kay Hagan flew to Boston to pocket campaign cash from leaders of the Godless Americans PAC. What is Godless Americans PAC? Godless Americans Political Action Committee is a left-wing organization based in Washington, DC -- dedicated to 'Mobilizing America's nonbelievers for political activism.'

Kay Hagan's friends actively support political candidates who who support their liberal agenda to remove 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance, remove any reference to God in the public arena and eliminating the Christmas Holiday.

Do-nothing Dole's going down, down, down

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Sep 29, 2008 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

Liddy's never in NC, and BlueNC features this great ad of a tour to Liddy's "residence" in Salisbury, NC and asked residents there how often they see Dole. Betsy Muse:

Elizabeth Dole's absence from North Carolina has long been fodder for discussion among Democrats.  We're prone to refer to her as a carpetbagger and talk about her 40+ year absence from the state, her voting history in Kansas, her run for president as a Kansan and her residence at the Watergate where she and husband Bob have lived since they were married in 1975.  What we don't talk about is her long history of service in North Carolina because there is no history to speak of.

You would think that after a rushed residency period and her election to the U.S. Senate as a "North Carolinian" in 2002 that Dole would start spending a little more time in this state.  Time she could use to get to know the people and our goals, dreams and hopes for the wonderful state we live in.  Time she could use to gain understanding of the challenges and obstacles we face in North Carolina.  If you honestly thought Dole was going to spend any substantive time here, you're wrong.  Dead wrong.

...Dole's campaign has claimed her assigned committees are important to North Carolina.  If that's the case, why doesn't she bother to show up very often?  If Mrs. Dole had worked a little harder on the banking committee do you think maybe she could have helped avert our current crisis?  I guess we'll never know.  What we do know is that Elizabeth Dole has certainly "worked hard" to earn her ineffectiveness rating.

Liddy Dole can't remember name of NC business she owns; ranks 93rd in effectiveness

by: Pam Spaulding

Wed Sep 10, 2008 at 06:00:00 AM EDT

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole attempted to defend herself against claims that she is not a true North Carolinian. The Kay Hagan campaign links to an entire Web site, after all, dedicated to the notion that Dole ought to return to Kansas to be with her husband.

But as Dole began detailing her deep Tar Heel roots on Monday, the Republican nearly committed a John McCain-like campaign blunder.

Dole (while laughing): I think (Hagan) has indicated many times that I'm from Kansas. But my roots are very deep in North Carolina. Very deep. Here, I grew up in Salisbury, went to the public schools, spent 11 years on the Duke board after I graduated from Duke, own a home there. I own a business in North Carolina, for goodness sake. My family roots go way, way back.
Reporters: What business do you own?
Dole: We had a family farm, which was turned into a real estate development. And it's just outside of Salisbury. It's just a beautiful development.
Reporters: What's the name of the development?
Dole: [10-second Pause followed by nervous laughter] Well...
[Another pause]
Reporters: It's fine if you ...
Dole: I have to stop and think for a moment.
[Brief pause]
Reporters: If you can't think of it, it's fine.
Dole: I'll get it for you. I will.
Reporters: Well, I also wanted to ask you about the tone of the race and your opponent's ...
Dole: It's Forest Glen. That's right. Because it's right in the forest where my dad had a little cabin and built a little pool for us as children. That's right. Forest Glen.

Below the fold is the latest DSCC ad on Dole - she ranks 93rd in effectiveness in the U.S. Senate -- and it shows.

The Empty Wig's flipped: proposes naming AIDS bill after Jesse Helms

by: Pam Spaulding

Tue Jul 15, 2008 at 22:30:00 PM EDT

SA 5074. Mrs. DOLE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 2731, to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: On page 1, line 5, strike ''and Henry J. Hyde'' and insert '', Henry J. Hyde, and Jesse Helms''.

The way I see Liddy Dole is simple: She's a three time loser. First she drove the American Red Cross into the ground. Then she displayed extraordinary fundraising incompetence as Queen of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. And now, working with the Decider, she has gotten the US mired in never-ending debt, never-ending war, and a full-fledged economic meltdown.

Anyway, it looks like it's going to come down to turnout; there has been a massive increase in registration thanks to Barack Obama's nationwide effort to bring in new voters, but it's not clear that they'll cast a ballot for Hagan when in the booth. Certainly there's zero incentive to vote for Dole -- unlike the man whose name she wants to attach to that AIDS bill, she's got a horrible reputation for constituent services.

UPDATE: Joe Jervis of Joe.My.God says it all:

Jesse Helms, the man who in 1987 described AIDS prevention literature as "so obscene, so revolting, I may throw up."

Jesse Helms, the man who in 1988 vigorously opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS research bill, saying, "There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy."

Jesse Helms, the man who in 1995 said (in opposition to refunding the Ryan White Act) that the government should spend less on people with AIDS because they got sick due to their "deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct."

...Many people hold Ronald Reagan responsible for adding to the early AIDS death toll by his inaction on the pandemic, but it was Helms' actions in thwarting early research that inarguably hastened the demise of many thousands of Americans.  How many of my friends, of your friends, would be alive today if the life-saving medications had arrived just one fucking year earlier?

Q of the day: NC Dems party like its 2004

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:00:00 AM EDT

Anyway, the post-mortems over at BlueNC have included "thank you" posts by nearly every candidate who has participated in liveblog sessions over there during this cycle, and the one for Kay Hagan took a bizarre, contentious turn when the subject of those now-infamous questions I asked of the state senator during her liveblog came up.

More below the fold, including an important Q of the day that I hope generates a lot of discussion and feedback I can take back to the folks at BlueNC.  

A page turns....and thank you from Jim Neal

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu May 08, 2008 at 17:00:00 PM EDT

Jim Neal may not have won the NC primary, but down here in the Tar Heel state, he gave progressives and LGBTs and allies here a big victory in so many ways. He send on this nod to everyone here at the Blend. Thank you Jim.

Firstly, I want to again congratulate Senator Hagan on her nomination as the candidate to beat US Senator Dole in the 2008 senatorial race. I have told Kay that she has my full support and encourage you to work hard on her behalf.

To the staff, volunteers and bloggers who made our campaign so vibrant I thank you. We were a lean organization running a 21st century grass roots campaign. We took almost 20% (about 250,000) of the votes cast despite our lack of resources and the fact that nobody in NC had a clue who Jim Neal was 7 months ago. I am very proud of each and every person who volunteered their time and contributed to our campaign.

I've become a fan of this site and the blogosphere in general as a fantastic communications medium: the emergent Fifth Estate. Online activism is the future of politics and social change. I believe that the power of the blogosphere is only at the tip of the iceberg (and that iceberg is melting...) so keep your involvement and your voices in the debate.

Remember that the campaign was never about Jim Neal. It was about you. You are the voices of change. Change is only going to come from the bottom up.

Many of you have emailed me and asked "what's next?" Well, I've got a lot of people to thank and a campaign to wind down. Thereafter I'm taking some time, after 7 months and 35,000 miles on the road and not much sleep and too many pounds shed, to reflect. I don't know what the next chapter in my life will be. I do know, however, it will involve continuing to work for empowering the voiceless many most in need. I have heard them. They have made me a richer person. They still have my ear and I'm not about to walk away from them.

We all have a lot of work to do.

Thank you.

Jim

NC: Jim Neal and Kay Hagan spar in only televised debate

by: Pam Spaulding

Thu May 01, 2008 at 07:00:00 AM EDT

On LGBT Civil Rights, the candidates were asked their positions on the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the U.S. Armed Forces and hate crimes legislation.

Hagan, who has been accused of sidestepping questions on LGBT issues and refusing to openly discuss LGBT equality publicly, loosened up and spoke frankly regarding her policy positions on DADT and hate crimes.

"We have lost a lot of good people who have been doing good service to our country," Hagan said. "We need good capable people serving us in the military. I think we ought to do away with that policy. I also support hate crimes legislation."

In the past, the Hagan campaign has refused to answer questions regarding the senator's gay rights positions when asked by Q-Notes staff. Hagan has also not spoken directly to LGBT media, standing in stark opposition to Neal's consistent and open discussion with a wide array of LGBT-focused outlets. Hagan also refused to answer direct questions regarding equality issues from Durham, N.C., blogger Pam Spaulding during an April 1 BlueNC.com live blog.

Hagan has also stated she believes marriage should be reserved for heterosexual couples, but that the issue should be left up to the states.

...Neal, who is openly gay, called DADT "flawed legislation" and said he was against "any kind of discrimination, against any person, for any reason." He said he is against the nation forcing its citizens to lie about their identities in order to serve their country.

Neal also noted the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loving v. Virginia, reminding Williams, an African-American, of the history of discrimination in North Carolina and America, especially as it related to constitutional marriage prohibitions.

Flaming hot DKos thread on HRC and Jim Neal

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 23:00:00 PM EDT

HRC's decision not to endorse in the NC U.S. Senate race, where openly gay candidate Jim Neal is running, has clearly ticked off a lot of folks down here in NC and elsewhere.

Take a look at the comments in this diary by spnj889, Human Rights Campaign REFUSES to Support Gay Candidate in North Carolina. In the absence of a rational explanation, this is what results -- it looks like the HRC phones will be ringing and the email boxes will be filling with questions tomorrow.

HRC releases endorsements, mum on NC U.S. Senate race

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 13:30:00 PM EDT

gauge the political landscape of each state, donate to candidates, access the latest news and information on LGBT issues in the campaigns and view a report card on where the candidates stand on key issues in the race for the White House.

Democratic strategist Paul Begala joined Solmonese on the call and discussed the state of the national electorate and stressed the importance of electing pro-civil rights leaders.

"The political tides have shifted in our direction but were not taking anything for granted this year," Solmonese told reporters. "Since 2004 we've held key votes in employment non-discrimination and hate crimes legislation. HRC working from the ground up to increase our margin of pro-equality leaders in Washington."

Begala said the tide in favor of LGBT equality is being pushed by an "all out rejection" of the Bush Administration and its failures. He claims Sen. John McCain is following right in Bush's footsteps.

What do people think of when they think of the word "change," Begala asked. "Is the mental image you conjure up a 70-year-old white man who's been in Washington for 30 years?"

Kay Hagan's blind spot

by: Pam Spaulding

Sat Apr 26, 2008 at 21:00:00 PM EDT

The NC GOP clearly wasn't invited to the RNC strategy team that brainstormed about how to handle the Nouveau Southern Strategy -- it went straight for lowbrow "undisciplined messaging." That or they were simply willing to be the patsy bigot brigade for McCain and the RNC.

John McCain slyly condemned the ad and the wingnut party here still plans to run it, though many local stations have rejected it. Today he was asked about the NCGOP bucking him.

"They're not listening to me because they're out of touch with reality and the Republican Party. We are the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan and this kind of campaigning is unacceptable."

But asked if the NC GOP's decision to air the spot anyway raised questions about his leadership, McCain didn't have quite as sure-footed an answer:  "I don't know exactly how to respond to that."

Dole said in an interview she didn't want to get involved.

"I am concentrating on getting my work done here in the Senate, and I'm just not going to get into refereeing a third party political ad that has nothing to do with my race," she said.

Anyway, what I really wanted to get to was this choice bit of irony -- NC State Sen. Kay Hagan, who is running against Jim Neal for the Dem nom for the U.S. Senate issued a press release on the NC GOP ad and Elizabeth Dole.