By Hunter Walker 8/06/12 9:19am

food fight

Russell Gallo (Photo: Twitter)

Assembly Candidate Encourages Chick-Fil-A To Come To Brooklyn

New York’s only branch of the controversial fried chicken sandwich chain Chick-Fil-A is located in an NYU cafeteria, but if a self-proclaimed Tea Partier running for State Assembly has his way  the restaurant will soon set up shop in South Brooklyn. As a response to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s letter asking NYU to close the campus Chick-Fil-A after the owner of the chain declared his opposition to same-sex marriage, Mr. Gallo sent a letter of his own. Mr. Gallo wrote to Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A, saying, “I would like to invite your company to consider opening a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in southern Brooklyn.”

“I want you to know that Ms. Quinn does not speak for all New Yorkers. I and many of my neighbors agree with your views on traditional family units. But more importantly, I’m sure we all could agree that no one in government should tell anyone what to believe, who to support and how to spend our money,” Mr. Gallo wrote. Read More

By Hunter Walker 7/30/12 3:01pm

food fight

Rep. Allen West (Photo: West.House.gov)

Allen West: ‘I Want To Try To Open Up A Chick-Fil-A Franchise’

Florida Congressman Allen West  had a rather interesting response to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s threats to block the fast food chain Chick-Fil-A from opening a restaurant in the Windy City due to the CEO, Dan Cathy’s, admission he doesn’t support same-sex marriage. Mr. West brought up the Chick-Fil-A controversy during an interview with CNBC’s Rick Santelli today on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade.

“I had to come up from down South because I wanted to try to open up a Chick-Fil-A franchise here in Chicago,” said Mr. West.

However, it doesn’t seem like the congressman is really putting his money where his mouth is. Read More

By Colin Campbell 7/06/12 4:34pm

lgbt

(Photo: Neighborhoodr New York)

Court Rules Against Gay Marriage Foes in New York

Opponents of New York’s 2011 gay marriage law had sought to overturn the legislation under grounds that it violated New York’s Open Meetings Law, arguing the closed-door meetings held by New York State Senate Republicans with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg constituted an illegal violation. But the State Supreme Court stymied their hopes today and ruled in favor of New York State and gay marriage supporters.

“Accordingly, we conclude that the judgment should be reversed insofar as appealed from, and judgment should be entered in favor of defendants declaring that defendant New York State Senate did notviolate the OML in enacting the [Marriage Equality Act] and that marriages performed thereunder are not invalid,” Acting Justice Robert Wiggins declared. Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/23/12 7:02pm

Love & Marriage

President Barack Obama (Photo: Getty)

National Organization For Marriage Says Polls On Gay Marriage Show Obama Will Have ‘A Big Problem’ In Swing States

Frank Schubert, political director of the National Organization for Marriage, says the Obama campaign’s newly created LGBT task force is dead wrong to dismiss polls indicating the president’s support for gay marriage could hurt his chances in November. Earlier today, the leadership of Obama Pride said they weren’t concerned about a poll showing voters in Florida, a key swing state, are less likely to support for President Obama because of his recent endorsement of same sex marriage. Mr. Schubert said NOM, one of the leading opponents of gay marriage, believes the Sunshine State poll is just the tip of the iceberg.

“That’s wishful thinking on their part,” he told us. “You saw the numbers themselves, the Quinnipiac poll showed about a quarter of people are going to vote against him for this thing. That’s a big problem and I
think he’s going to have a problem in a number of swing states.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/23/12 1:15pm

Newsweek's cover calling President Obama "the first gay president."

President Obama’s LGBT Task Force Isn’t Worried His Support For Gay Marriage Will Hurt His Re-Election Bid

Today, the Obama campaign announced the launch of “Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama.” To mark the occasion, Obama For America LGBT National Vote Director Jamie Citron, National Campaign Co-Chair Joe Solmonese and campaign spokeswoman Clo Ewing held a conference call with reporters in which The Politicker asked them about recent polls, specifically one in Florida, showing President Barack Obama’s recent announcement in support of same sex marriage may hurt his chances of re-election. Both Ms. Ewing and Mr. Solmonese said they’re not concerned about the president’s gay marriage stance having a negative impact at the polls in November.

“I’d point to a couple different things; I’d point to the fact that there’ve been a number of polls that have come out, I haven’t seen that specific Florida poll that you’re referencing, but there have been a number of national polls that have come out since the president’s statement on marriage equality,” Ms. Ewing said. “What those polls show, are … more people supporting same sex marriage than before and … pointing to the fact that same sex marriage or marriage equality is not the first, second, third, or even fourth most important issue to them as they think about November and they head in to the ballot box.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/12/12 12:14pm

Love & Marriage

Mitt Romney (Photo: Getty)

Mitt Romney Praises Anti-Gay Activists In Commencement Speech

In a commencement speech at Liberty University  this morning Mitt Romney praised anti-gay pastor Jerry Falwell and the founder of Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain that has donated millions to anti-gay groups. Falwell, who passed away in 2007, was the founder of Liberty University and an outspoken opponent of homosexuality.

“In his 73 years of life, Dr. Falwell left a big mark,” Mr. Romney said today. “The calling Jerry answered was not an easy one.  Today we remember him as a courageous and big-hearted minister of the Gospel who never feared an argument, and never hated an adversary.  Jerry deserves the tribute he would have treasured most, as a cheerful, confident champion for Christ.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/10/12 4:35pm

Deep Thoughts

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Bristol Palin Thinks Obama Made Gay Marriage Decision Based on ‘One Too Many Episodes of Glee’

Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, is horrified President Barack Obama said his young daughters influenced his decision to come out in support of gay marriage. Ms. Palin took to her blog today to bash the president for being molded by their young minds and one of America’s top rated television comedies.

“Sometimes dads should lead their family in the right ways of thinking. In this case, it would’ve been nice if the President would’ve been an actual leader and helped shape their thoughts instead of merely reflecting what many teenagers think after one too many episodes of Glee,” Ms. Palin wrote. Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/10/12 3:44pm

Ch-ch-ch-changes

President Barack Obama (Photo: Getty)

Jay Carney Describes President Obama’s ‘Evolution’ on Gay Marriage

President Barack Obama infamously said he decided to make his big announcement in support of gay marriage yesterday after “evolving” on the issue. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney briefed reporters aboard Air Force One this afternoon as the president flew to Seattle for a brief visit prior to his fundraiser this evening at George Clooney’s house near Los Angeles. During that briefing, Mr. Carney (sort of) explained when the president decided to express support for same sex marriage.

“I don’t have a specific date for you. … This was not a policy debate within the White House or the administration. This was a personal decision about his personal views,” Mr. Carney said. Read More

By Colin Campbell 5/09/12 5:43pm

gay marriagapalooza

(Photo: Getty)

Hikind: Obama’s Marriage Announcement ‘Gives Politics Such A Bad Name’

Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who’s a socially ideologically conservative power broker in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community, has one main thing to say about President Barack Obama suddenly coming out in favor of gay marriage: Yawn.

“I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone that he supports gay marriage, this whole thing, this whole notion that it was ‘evolving’ and finally the baby was born today,” Mr. Hikind told The Politicker this evening. “It’s kind of stuff that gives politics such a bad name. I think everyone knows … he supported gay marriage, everything seems so calculated.” Read More