Biden Praises LGBT Community for Advancing Rights of All Americans
Vice President Joe Biden spoke directly to the gay community Sunday, Aug. 26, thanking activists for their work in advancing the civil rights of all Americans.
Speaking to a crowd of 300 people in Provincetown, Mass., Biden told the crowd that through their efforts they are “freeing the soul of the American people.”
“If I had to use one adjective to describe this community it’d be courage. You have summoned the courage to speak out, to come out. We owe you,” said Biden, according to a press pool report.
Provincetown has a large gay population and is a popular vacation destination for gay tourists.
The vice president was in town for a fundraising event, and while he addressed political differences between President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, the state’s former governor, on the eve of the Republican National Convention, he spoke largely about civil rights.
Noting that the work of many activists had come at great personal expense, Biden said the LGBT community had advanced the “civil rights of every straight American.”
Biden, known for his appeal to heartland blue-collar voters and and for his loose lips, has secured a prominent place among gay rights activists after voicing his support for marriage equality in May.
Many speculate that Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage that soon followed was prompted by Biden’s remarks.
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