Monday, April 26, 2010


2009: HRC Leaders Visit

the White House 88 Times

Let's sunshine as many visits as possible by Human Rights Campaign leaders to the White House since President Obama became Commander-in-Chief.

I searched the White House visitor logs for the names of current and former HRC executives, staffers, members of the regular board, and the HRC Foundation board.

Just to get a small picture of what it is exactly HRC people do that is supposed to be worth the $40 million annual budget. Maybe also learn who had access to the White House last year, as the logs are current only through December 2009.

Visits only tell us a very limited amount of interactions between the Obama aides and HRC. There is plenty of communication through other means, including socializing and meetings outside the White House grounds.

By my estimation, HRC folks made at least 88 visits to the White House last year. A goodly number of HRC honchos were invited for a bill signing or reception, but there were also a significant number of times HRC leaders were there for serious business. And we know more visits have taken place since January 1, driving that 88 figure even higher.

This skeptic asks: What are we gays getting from all of HRC visits to the Obama White House? Would the folks listed below be willing to sacrifice their access to the White House, if it meant waging a hardball fight to win lifting Don't Ask, Don't Tell?

If someone out there can clue me to some answers to the above questions, I'd appreciate the info.

From the White House visitor logs:

Name: Joe Solmonese
Visits: 12

Name: Hilary Rosen
Visits: 10

Name: Ty Cobb
Visits: 8

Name: Terry Bean
Visits: 7

Name: David M. Smith
Visits: At least 7, maybe more.

Name: Vic Basile
Visits: 5

Name: Brian Moulton, Robert Raben
Visits: 4

Name: Allison Herwitt, Harry Knox
Visits: 3

Name: Phil Attey, Michael Palmer, Donna Payne, Judy Shepard, Mary Snider, David Stacy
Visits: 2

Name: Elizabeth Birch, Ken Britt, Marjorie Chorlins, Stampp Corbin, Darrin Hurwitz, John Isa, Dana Perlman, Elizabeth Pursell, Marty Rouse, Susanne Salkind, Meghan Stabler, Cuc Vu, David L. Wilson
Visits: 1

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