It sure looks like the days when presidential candidates wanted to talk about anything but gay issues (unless it was a Republican trashing gay marriage in order to get elected) are finally over, thank God. Tomorrow night is the first-ever Presidential Forum specifically surrounding issues to the LGBT community. The forum, taking place in Los Angeles, is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and airing live on LOGO beginning at 6 p.m.
I passed on an opportunity to be on-site since press is relegated to a room with monitors and so access to the candidates face-to-face. So I'll be watching it from The Abbey to be with my peeps and hopefully get to meet Hilary Clinton who is stopping by after.
In addition to Sen. Clinton, others confirmed for the forum are Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Christopher Dodd, former Sen. John Edwards, N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson, former Sen. Mike Gravel; and Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
The moderator will be Margaret Carlson, the first female columnist at Time Magazine who is currently with Bloomberg News. Aon the panel are Pulitzer Prize winner Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post, HRC President Joe Solmonese, and Oscar-winning songwriter Melissa Etheridge.
Of course, you can't have a debate in L.A. without some star power. Reportedly T.R. Knight and Neil Patrick Harris - two of the highest-profile out actors on television and current Emmy nominees - are among those who will sitting in the live audience. It's so good to have them out, and interested.