White House Invites Gay Families to Easter Event

By GottaLaff

In light of the other positive gay rights news stories lately, I'm beginning to feeling more optimistic:

The White House is allocating tickets for the upcoming Easter Egg Roll to gay and lesbian parents as part of the Obama administration's outreach to diverse communities.

Families say the gesture shows that the new Democratic administration values them as equal to other families. And for many, being included in the annual tradition -- dating to 1878 -- renews hope that they will have more support in their quest for equal rights in matters such as marriage and adoption than under the previous administration. [...]

White House officials said that tickets for Monday's Easter Egg Roll event were distributed to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organizations, but did not specify how many or to which ones. Representatives from Family Equality Council, Human Rights Campaign, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and other groups confirmed they were invited and encouraged to have their members participate. [...]

Chrisler said Tuesday she expects more than 100 gay and lesbian-headed families to take part in the egg roll. [...]

In 2006 during the Bush administration, more than 100 gay parents attended the egg roll in part to make the statement that they should be welcome. Some conservatives accused gays and lesbians of trying to "crash" the event and turn it into forum for ideological politicking.

This year already feels different, said Colleen Gillespie of Brooklyn, who helped spark the 2006 effort.

"We feel so welcomed and embraced, and that in a very real way, I think we can just go as a family and enjoy it," said the 42-year-old assistant professor at New York University's school of medicine, who is attending with her wife and their daughters, Ella and Zelda. "We don't have to fight for our right to exist and be treated fairly."

Leah McElrath Renna, managing partner at a D.C. communications firm:

"Under Bush, it felt a bit like we were crashing our own party. But this year it feels like we're equally honored guests," Leah McElrath Renna, 44, said. "It's more celebratory."

Under Bush, it felt like simply living in America was crashing our own party.

OBAMA wins North Carolina!

By GottaLaff

(click on image to make him do the Happy Dance)

MSNBC just called it.

The 'L' word: Obama on track to a Landslide

By GottaLaff

(Click on image to make it dance)

I just heard Craig Crawford use the L word on MSNBC, too. Are you ready for The Happy Post-O'-The-Day?:

Barring a dramatic change in the political landscape over the next three weeks, Democrats appear headed toward a decisive victory on Election Day that would give them broad power over the federal government.

The victory would send Barack Obama to the White House and give him larger Democratic majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate — and perhaps a filibuster-proof margin there.

That could mark a historic realignment of the country's politics on a scale with 1932 or 1980, when the out party was given power it held for a generation, and used it to transform government's role in American society.

Insert Smiley Face here.

The Democrats are also widely expected to take big gains in House and Senate races. Like Obama, they're reaching deep into once solid Republican territory. Even such stalwarts as North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, could be in jeopardy.

Building on the Democrats' sweeping wins two years ago when they seized control of both chambers of Congress, big gains this year would be reminiscent of the Republican gains in 1978 and 1980 that delivered "the Reagan Revolution."

Insert Happy Dance here. Former Reagan political adviser Ed Rollins:

"Barack has met the threshold," Rollins said. "Once Reagan met the threshold, people wanted to get rid of Carter and they did in a landslide. This is going to turn into a landslide."

Insert cartwheels here. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia:

"It could hardly look better for the Democrats."

Insert cheers here. Independent analyst Charlie Cook:

But as of this week, Obama now leads in enough states to secure more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.

He could lose some of those leads, of course. There's still one more presidential debate on Wednesday. And events could change. A terrorist attack, for example, could turn voters back to McCain's political strength: his standing on foreign policy and national security.

"But I don't know if even that would work," Cook said. "It's not like people would forget their pocketbooks."

Insert back flip here. Stuart Rothenberg:

"Republicans appear to be heading into a disastrous election that will usher in a very bleak period for the party. A new generation of party leaders will have to figure out how to pick up the pieces and make their party relevant after November."

Insert champagne toast here.

PPP Poll: Obama Expands Lead in Michigan

Timeout for mini happy dance, now back to work dammit!!

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Michigan shows Sen. Barack Obama has opened up a ten point lead over Sen. John McCain, 51% to 41%.

The two main factors:

• 69% of Michigan voters -- higher than in any other competitive state PPP has polled -- list the economy as their top issue. Obama has a 54% to 37% lead with those respondents
• Sarah Palin has also seen her popularity in the state decline by 14 points over the last three weeks