Media Gush Over Obama Basking in 'Thundering and Sustained Applause' of Gay Community
Since his very public endorsement of same-sex marriage on May 9,
President Obama has become the unabashed hero of the LGBT community – a
fact the liberal media has openly cheered. On T
hursday's NBC Today, White House correspondent Kristen Welker described Obama being "greeted by thundering and sustained applause" at a Hollywood fundraiser Wednesday night.
Welker proclaimed that gay community had been, "newly energized after
the President's recent endorsement of same-sex marriage." On CBS's This Morning,
correspondent Bill Plante highlighted President Obama's "warm welcome
from campaign donors in the Los Angeles gay community" at the LGBT
Leadership Council Gala.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post
could barely contain its glee over the event: "...the president had to
plead with the audience to sit down after a long and emotional ovation
and chants of 'Four more years!' Twin screens on each side of the stage
displayed huge 'Obama Pride' logos."
Plante failed to mention that CBS president Les Moonves, as well as his wife and network personality Julie Chen, were also in attendance at the Council Gala.
None of the coverage questioned the convenient timing of Obama's sudden
decision to "go ahead and affirm" same-sex marriage. Obama's new
platform has been quite the money-maker for his re-election campaign. Is
it a coincidence that May has been the most successful fundraising
month for Obama and that the President has been the guest of honor at
several galas hosted by LGBT organizations in the weeks since his
announcement?
According to the Post, an additional fundraiser was hosted by
Glee creator Ryan Murphy at his home. This $1,250 per person event, was a
star-studded affair, attended by big-name Hollywood celebrities such as
Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon and Jane Lynch. And, if the $15
million that Obama raised during a fundraiser at George Clooney's home
last month is any indication, chances are that the celebrities attendees
at last night's events were more then willing to open up their
checkbooks for the President once again.
The question that the media and the gay community seem to be ignoring is, "why now?" Obama has been in office for more than three years, and until a month ago, remained silent on the issue. Suddenly during an election year, he has made up his mind, which has proved fortunate not only for his LGBT supporters, but for his bank account as well.
-- Kelly McGarey is a News Analysis intern for the Media Research Center.
