Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Exec. Dir. to Serve as WH Public Liaison

[NYCGirl]

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2009/01/08/former-victory-fund-executive-director-to-serve-as-white-house-lgbt-liaison/

The Advocate has reported that President-elect Barack Obama selected former Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund executive director Brian Bond to serve as the deputy director of the White House Office of the Public Liaison. Bond led the organization from 1997 to 2003.

In his role with the administration, Bond will have managerial and strategic responsibilities for the entire Public Liaison office as well as function as the point person on LGBT issues.

“Brian Bond is a true champion for LGBT Americans. His service to his country and this community, both at the Victory Fund and in the Democratic Party, will now continue in the White House. I congratulate Brian and President-elect Obama on this outstanding appointment,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.

Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications, told The Advocate that Bond’s experience at the Victory Fund helped prepare him for the job.

“Its mission is really to make our elected and appointed officials better policy people,” Witeck said. “So that connection — from his role at the Victory Fund into the realm of the Democratic Party and ultimately the White House — is to translate those skills into getting and keeping openly LGBT political leaders and policy makers in positions where they can do the most good.”

Bond was recommended for a White House position by the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute’s Presidential Appointments Project.

[firedupdem]

1. Thanks for this! I'm glad he's picking good people! Bond sounds

like a good person for this role!

[merh]

2. I'm happy for Mr. Bond

and this gives us another person to address when sending letters of protest to Obama's team about the Warren participation.

[NYCGirl]

3. I don't think Mr. Bond will be starting work until AFTER the inauguration. NT

[merh]

5. It doesn't matter.

He will be a voice for Obama, he is an ear that is worth tugging on.

[NYCGirl]

6. But how can you protest something that's already happened? You can complain

about it.

[merh]

7. You write him now and don't wait for him to take office.

Is isn't that difficult. If Obama hired him, he must have some connections on Obama's team, he must have some "in".

[smalll]

4. Wow! So maybe Obama DOESN'T hate gay people!

Who'd 'a thunk it? ;)

[EraOfResponsibility]

8. Too little, too late

:sarcasm:

[Number23]

15. You better be glad you had that Sarcasm tag in there because I was about to LAUNCH!!!

:fistbump: :)

[AtomicKitten]

9. Sounds like good news to me, but I can't be sure here on DU.

thanks for posting something positive and forward-looking!

:hi:

[Neshanic]

10. "Come out, come out wherever you are and meet the young man that fell from a star."

“Its mission is really to make our elected and appointed officials better policy people,” Witeck said. “So that connection — from his role at the Victory Fund into the realm of the Democratic Party and ultimately the White House — is to translate those skills into getting and keeping openly LGBT political leaders and policy makers in positions where they can do the most good.”

Hmmm. one would think that having some basic rights would help this to occur, but then again that's me.

[pinto]

11. kick

:kick:

[tandot]

12. Good news. K & R

[Balderdash]

13. That's nice.

But why do some DUers have to make it sound like "neener neener" gay
people, now will you shut up? The Warren pick is still wrong. But it
is nice that a gay person got a job.

[Colobo]

14. It does make the point that Obama does care about all Americans, including gay Americans.

[ecstatic]

16. No. It's probably due to all the posts calling Obama a homophobe

:eyes: When people stop calling Obama a homophobe and saying that he "betrayed" the gay community, then maybe there will be less threads pointing out GLBT staff picks (which I oddly enough I thought was a good thing).