I enjoyed the whole wide-ranging conversation with Louis, but especially the frank discussion of the misogyny involved in all the Hillary Clinton campaign coverage. It IS disturbing. Amen, sister!

I’d love to hear what Barack’s and Hillary’s vagina monologues would be…

On NPR yesterday, a radio listener described Hillary’s voice as “an all-American cherry pie… made out of solid steel.” I like it.

The focus of this show was not to debate between the two candidates., it was to hear Louis’ opinion. GLBT issues have changed a lot since Bill was in office and Bill has stated he regrets supporting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Here’s an open letter to the GLBT community from Hillary:

As I have traveled around the country these past twelve months, what I sensed in my heart has been confirmed. America is embracing its LGBT sons and daughters with an acceptance and understanding as never before.

On the campaign trail, a father of a gay son will ask about ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A woman will ask why she can be discriminated against just because of who she is. Sometimes they wait furtively for the crowd to thin and then whisper their confidences in a soft voice and sometimes they stand up proudly at town meetings and want me to share my views on how I will help lead the change to assure that this country fulfills its promise to everyone.

Let me tell you what I have been telling voters across America. I am fully committed to the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans. For seven long years, the Bush Administration has tried to divide us - only seeing people who matter to them. It’s been a government of the few, by the few, and for the few. And no community has been more invisible to this administration than the LGBT community.

I will change that. The best evidence of what I will do as President is what I have already done.

I am proud of my record as First Lady, as a U.S. Senator and as a candidate for President in working toward the fair and equal treatment of LGBT Americans.

I am proud that as Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee in 2006, I worked closely with LBGT community to develop a smart strategy that defeated the Federal Marriage Amendment. I am proud of fighting the FMA as divisive wedge politics at its worst.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligation Act which would grant the same benefits (including health insurance) to domestic partners of federal employees that are currently offered to employees’ legal spouses.

I am proud to have authored the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands access to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV, and fought to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act.

I am proud that I hired a National Director of LGBT Outreach within a month of announcing my candidacy for President and to have openly gay and lesbian staffers serving at all levels of my campaign.

I am proud to have a National LGBT Steering Committee of over 130 that includes openly LGBT elected officials, Board members and opinion leaders on issues ranging from transgender rights, to HIV/AIDS, to “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

I am proud to have marched in Gay Pride parades as both First Lady and as Senator and to have spoken in front of so many LGBT audiences ranging from the Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, the Hetrick Martin Institute, PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis), and the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

I am proud to have fought Republican efforts to demonize and marginalize the LGBT community, and I will continue to do that as President.

We have so much work to do. When I am President, we will work together to make sure that all Americans in committed relationships have equal benefits and that nothing stands in the way of loving couples who want to adopt children in need. We’re going to expand our federal hate crimes legislation and pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and assure that they are both fully inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. And finally, we will put an end to the failed policy of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice – the traits that define our men and women in uniform – have nothing to do with sexual orientation.

My father was a conservative Republican, who held very traditional views for much of his life. Yet in his last years, it was a gay couple who lived next door who provided much of the compassion and comfort he and my mother needed as he grew ill. And it was that same neighbor who held his hand as he died. If my father can move, America can move.

To each and every LGBT American, I say this. You have done so much to help this country understand your lives by simply being open and honest about who you are and living your lives with dignity. Thank you for your courage. It is time that we recognize your hard work. I know that this country is ready for changes in the law that reflect the evolution in our hearts.

America deserves a President who appeals to the best in each of us, not the worst; a President who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love. I want to be that President. I want to be your President.

Hillary

If you cnafind one from Barak, I’d love to read it.

Ok I’m a little bit confused…..the show was about how we should be comfortable with ourselves as we get older, etc….but then Louis talks about all the plastic surgery he’s had done? So does that mean that the way to not feel anxiety about getting older is to get all sorts of procedures performed so we can still LOOK like we’re 25? Just thought I’d ask for clarification. Love you guys.

I totally agree with you chickengirl (great name by the way!) After these past 8 years, either Hillary OR Obama would be great. We’d make history either way.

Wow, what a shill for Hillary. Can you make a point about the candidate you support when you criticize their opponent as being ‘messianic’ but you then lionize your candidate to the point of ridiculousness? Is Louis on the Clinton payroll? Because between the fiction he was spinning about Obama and the glorification he was passing off as truth about Hillary, it certainly seemed that way.

Louis was great! Hope to hear him again soon. He is a voice of reason, without being boring…

This is a very tough question I think. He embraces the internal processes of aging while at the same time also condoning the “miracles” of modern times, basically plastic surgery. I think: If it makes you feel good, and it’s not illegal or hurt anybody - then you do it if you want to.

I think this was one of the more interesting shows in a while (now don’t get me wrong. I am a FOF convert.) I understood the guest clearly. You are given more time to think about other issues than looks and short term goals - you can actually allocate time to do things you’ve wanted to do before, and you have the time to do it! And he also talks about coming to terms with it - I think that’s a process we will never really understand [truly] until we actually go through it.

I also understood doing this surgery act of his as part of research in his career?

Great show guys…..really opened my eyes to Obama and how to age gracefully….not that I need to worry….I’M NEVER GETTING OLD DAMN IT…..NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Doug, it’s very touching. All of us are moving forward one way or another. Let’s make it rich and delicious.

I don’t get how this is not obvious: 8 years of Hillary with Obama as vice-president, then 8 years of Obama as president - booking the White House solid for 16 years for the Democrats. Doesn’t that make the most sense all-round?

As for aging: I think a lot of younger gay guys are not used to dealing with and older generation as unfortunately the first AIDS killed a lot of them and the rest seems to have withdrawn from the gay scene for the most part. But a new and very visible generation is going through their forties now and shows no sign of withdrawing, so I think the visible age ranges in the gay scene will get wider.

More Louis! More Louis!

: )

-jason

And here is a Statement From Barack Obama on the death of Lawrence King:

“It was heartbreaking to learn about Lawrence King’s death, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. King’s senseless death is a tragic example of the corrosive effect that bigotry and fear can have in our society. It’s also an urgent reminder that we need to do more in our schools to foster tolerance and an acceptance of diversity; that we must enact a federal hate crimes law that protects all LGBT Americans; and that we must recommit ourselves to becoming active and engaged parents, citizens and neighbors, so that bias and bigotry cannot take hold in the first place. We all have a responsibility to help this nation live up to its founding promise of equality for all.“

it is funny that Fausto brought up Madonna as a point of reference for coveted youth…Madonna is 49 years old!!

Loved loved LOVED this show. It’s so refreshing to discuss other aspects of our community such as aging and maturing in a youth-dominated culture. I really appreciate Louis’s honesty and articulate arguments. FoF must have him back!

I think politics are important and a legit topic on the show. I encourage it. I have to say though that I thought this episode was a real hatchet job on Obama. It\’s was unrelentingly negative about him, giving him absolutely no credit for his record or accomplishments, or dedication to public service. He\’s talked about in the episode almost like he\’s our enemy. Obama is dragged across the coals for not supporting Gay Marriage, but no mention that Hillary\’s got the less progressive view of the two. Hillary may have worked to stop the FMA, but she did not take a position of leadership on Gay marriage - If Obama is wrong then Hillary\’s position is a failure and betrayal to our community in my book. You can\’t have Obama be a failure on this issue without confronting Hillary\’s own bad record. He rails against Obama for perceived negativity towards Hillary, when the Clinton campaign has been sharply focused on negativity for the last two weeks.

Fausto in regards to negativity in the media \”those words do have consequences\”. I felt like this episode was a big Fuck You to Obama. I know that you\’re Clinton supporters, and I have no issue with us having choices in the primary, but Obama may very well be our candidate and putting out these rather unfair negative statements about him just feels like we are shitting on someone who is really our ally - not perfect - but really our ally. I think it\’s possible to discuss the reasons we prefer one of these two imminently qualified candidates over the other without acting as though either of them are our enemies, or that either of them is not qualified.

It just felt really unbalanced and unfair.

Let\’s remember who are enemies really are.