CNN VIDEO: Michelangelo Signorile and Log Cabin Republican Charles Moran Discusses Obama's Inconsistent Stance on LGBT Rights

Log Cabin Republican spokesman Charles Moran and Michelangelo Signorile discussed Obama's inconsistent stance on LGBT rights on CNN today with anchor Don Lemon.

NY Republican Leadership Won't Pressure Its Legislators to Oppose Same-Sex Marriage Bill

As Unite the Fight has already observed, a shift in the GOP towards backing off of same-sex marriage opposition is small but growing. Yesterday's announcement from the Log Cabin Republicans that the GOP's New York leadership won't pressure legislators to vote against Gov. David Paterson's same-sex legislation supports this observation. This decision will allow legislators to give a "conscience vote," which contrasts the 2007 vote on identical legislation when Republicans were pressured to vote against it.

Jeff Cook, legislative adviser for the Log Cabin Republicans said this was "significant" that "the center of gravity in both parties has shifted on this issue to where Republicans now feel like their conference needs to be neutral and Democrats feel their conference needs to be emphatic in support."

The Advocate reports:

"The development may be particularly important in the senate, where Democrats hold a slim 32-30 majority, four Democrats have already said they will vote against the marriage bill, and equality advocates will need to pick up several GOP votes in order to pass the legislation. Strategists expect the legislation to sail through the assembly, which already passed an identical bill in 2007 by a vote of 85 to 61."

Here's to hope.

Another Republican Leader Tells GOP to Back Off of Same-Sex Marriage

Yet another moderate Republican spoke at the Log Cabin Republican convention urging the GOP to get out of the marriage business. Who was it? Former New Jersey governor Christine Whitman.

"I am not saying to Christian conservatives, 'There is no place for you,'" she said. "I am saying, 'Please stop saying there is no place for us.'"

"The government should have no say about marriage, and the plank in the Republican Party platform that calls for preserving marriage between a man and a woman should be scrapped," CNSNews reported her as saying.

“Well, I am somebody who believes in the separation of church and state and that the government, frankly, ought to be out of the business of marriage entirely,” Whitman told CNSNews.com after her speech.

“It ought to be everybody – heterosexual, homosexual. When you go down and register to get married, that’s when the legal transfer of everything occurs and that’s a legal recognition of a relationship – and if you want to get married in a church, a temple, whatever, and you find one, great!” she said.

Is there a growing trend in the GOP leadership towards being more inclusive?

The National Journal did a recent insider poll about their beliefs on where their party should stand on same-sex marriage. It indicates that the Republican party is far from agreeing with the former governor.

Some specific responses from the Republicans:

My party should support it:

"Perception of complete hostility to all gay rights is killing the GOP among voters under 29. Evolve or perish, Republicans."

My party should oppose it:

"Our party's defense of traditional marriage is one of those issues that distinctly define us. But we have to argue for traditional marriage, as opposed to just railing against gay marriage."

"Homosexuality should not be encouraged, period."

Unfortunately for Steve Schmidt, Meghan McCain and Christine Whitman, not many in their party is listening. If they really want to bring effective change to the GOP, which is increasingly losing touch with the country, then they have a lot of work to do.

And I fully encourage them to keep it up.

Meghan McCain Speaks at Log Cabin Republican Convention

Meghan McCain, daughter of John McCain, already has a history of speaking up for LGBT issues, including marriage equality. She can now add to this history since she recently spoke at the Log Cabin Republican convention.



Read Meghan's full speech at The Daily Beast.

Ex-McCain Aide "GOP Should Drop Opposition to Gay Marriage"

Steve Schmidt, former McCain aide, spoke to CNN after giving a speech at the Log Cabin Republican's convention and stated his support for marriage equality.who spoke to the Log Cabin Republicans today and stated his support for marriage equality, saying the Republican party needs to embrace it.



Read the Advocate.com's article on Steve Schmidt.

Read full transcript of Steve Schmidt's LCR speech on Towleroad.

Meghan McCain, "Sexual orientation should not be a factor in how you are treated."

Meghan McCain, daughter of last November's Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, earlier appeared on Larry King Live where she stated her support of same-sex marriage. She sent the Republican Party into a tizzy while gaining many allies in the LGBT community.

Today, she posted a column on the Daily Beast to clarify her statements.

"I am a woman who despises labels and boxes and stereotypes. Recently, I seemed to have rocked a few individuals within my party by saying that I am a pro-life, pro-gay-marriage Republican. So if anyone is still confused, let me spell it out for you. I believe life begins at conception and I believe that people who fall in love should have the option to get married. Lest we forget, our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, grants the same rights to everyone in this country—“All men are created equal.” If you think certain rights should not apply to certain people, then you are saying those people are not equal. People may always have a difference of opinion on certain lifestyles, but championing a position that wants to treat people unequally isn't just un-Republican. At its fundamental core, it's un-American."

Throughout the piece, she makes clear her support for the Republican Party, that she's not straying from it but hoping to steer it back to its roots. She informs that she will be speaking at the Log Cabin Republicans' convention.

"At the end of the day, speaking at the Log Cabin Republicans' convention isn’t just about reaching out to the gay community—although I believe doing so is vital to the future success of the party. It’s also about reaching a wider base and redefining what it means to be Republican, and leaving labels, stereotypes, and negativity by the wayside. That more and more people are discussing gay rights speaks positively for the millions of young and progressive Republicans waiting for our party to return to its roots. Personal freedoms are what makes this country the greatest country in the world. And just like the civil-rights and feminist movements before this, the movement toward gay equality and gay marriage is one I have absolute faith will triumph over prejudices. Moreover, I believe the Republican Party has, at this moment, the opportunity to come forward and play an instrumental role in securing gay rights. That's why I'm speaking at the Log Cabin convention and couldn't be prouder to be doing so. And yes, I'm still a Republican. Get used to it."

If the whole of the Republican Party was more like her, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a reason not to switch parties. The Democrats in the past have offered many promises to the LGBT community only to ditch us once elected.

Calling her support for the gay community's cause "one of the ones closest to my heart," Meghan supports her words with action. If she ran for office, I may have to put my cynicism aside and actually believe her promises of equality.

If a new generation of Republicans follows Meghan's lead, it would be a mighty case of irony if the history books told about how the Republican Party brought LGBT equality to America.