white house press

President Barack Obama did not directly address a question during Wednesday’s news conference on whether marriage is a civil right, referring instead to his track record on LGBT issues and his support for states to decide the issue.

President Barack Obama will host a conference about bullying prevention at the White House next Thursday. Last fall, President Obama appeared in an “It Gets Better” video following a highly publicized series of LGBT teen suicides because of bullying.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that given Republican control of the House, it would be “inordinately challenging” to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act in this Congress. Gibbs said that he was not aware of any plans for President Obama to mention DOMA or marriage equality in the State of the Union address next week.

Comedienne and out, anti-Prop 8 advocate Wanda Sykes announced she will emcee the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner this year.  The affair will take place on May 9^th in Washington D.C. with A-List gusts from the political elite, White House Press corps and Hollywood celebs. And, President Obama, of course.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that he believed President Barack Obama still intended to veto the National Defense Authorization Act if it includes funding for a controversial fighter jet engine regardless of whether a “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal measure and the DREAM Act provision are attached to the bill.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs appeared on Meet the Press and vowed that the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will end under President Barack Obama, even as the administration continues to defend the discriminatory policy in court. On Sunday, host David Gregory asked Gibbs why the president continues to defend the policy despite his declared opposition to it, and Gibbs appealed to the “process” in place for repeal in Congress. Gregory asked what the president plans to do if the Senate, which rejected a repeal provision last month, fails to act again.

The White House Office of the Press Secretary issued the following statement from President Barack Obama regarding the failed vote on the defense authorization bill that included "don't ask, don't tell" repeal and will continue to force lesbian and gay soldiers to serve in the closet. 'I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Armed Services Committee Chairman Levin, and Senators Lieberman and Collins for all the work they have done on this bill. While today’s vote was disappointing, it must not be the end of our efforts. I urge the Senate to revisit these important issues during the lame duck session.'

Although White House press secretary Jay Carney said earlier this week that he does not anticipate any revelatory statement from President Barack Obama on his gay marriage position when he takes the stage at an LGBT fund-raiser in New York this evening, a group of Democratic senators is now urging the president to support marriage equality. “President Obama has taken important steps to help the LGBT community, and I urge him to join me and millions of other Americans in supporting equal marriage rights for same-sex couples,” said Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, sponsor of the Student Non-Discrimination Act. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, lead sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, said, “I support marriage equality — this is an issue of fundamental fairness. I hope that President Obama will endorse that view and voice his support for equality for all.”

President Obama announced today that he will posthumously honor Jeanne Manford, cofounder of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, with the Citizens Medal.

Writer and lesbian guru Diana Cage ponders how Sgt. James Crowley, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and President Obama chitchatted about racism over a beer after the testosterone-fueled debacle that has the nation talking. Meanwhile, the woman who made the 911 call, Lucia Whalen, who bided her time while angry bloggers slapped her with labels of racism, was not invited to D.C. to do keg stands with the boys.

Apointee Judge Marisa Demeo has "demonstrated understanding and unwavering commitment to civil rights.  She has more than 15 years of experience working with LGBT, community, Latino, and civil rights groups such as DOJ Pride and GAYLAW." 

The Department of Justice will request a stay Thursday of a federal judge's injunction barring enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell," sources have confirmed to The Advocate. Sources said Justice Department attorneys are expected to file the request to U.S. district judge Virginia A. Phillips in Riverside, Calif., this afternoon. But Richard Socarides, a New York lawyer and former LGBT adviser to President Bill Clinton, said getting the stay on the suspension of discharges was not guaranteed and that if the court of appeals failed to grant it, the Justice Department would have to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Long-sought protections for LGBT Americans from discrimination in employment took a first step forward today as it was passed through a Senate committee on a bipartisan vote.