The results of a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS shows Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have each surged nearly ten points since the first debates last week.
Harris saw the biggest increase from 8 percent support to 17 percent, and Warren jumped 8 points from 7 percent to 15 percent.
Former Vice President Joe Biden dropped a precipitous ten points from 32 percent support to 22 percent.
And Mayor Pete Buttigieg, despite getting strong response for his debate performance, dropped one percent.
Asked ‘who did the best job in the debates,” the hands-down favorite was Harris with 41 percent saying she won.
With 165 units from around the world, across the country, and from every borough of the city, New York City’s Pride March was a spectacular show of love, community, and most of creativity.
Estimated to last eleven hours before it began, the dazzling rainbow extravaganza was still going strong as the midnight hour approached with NYC Pride organizers revising their estimated finishing time to 1:00AM, or later.
Which begs the obvious question, “was anybody still watching it at that hour?” Absolutely!
According to marchers whose pride light up the night, crowds were still lining the route when one couple finished at 11pm and hadn’t gone anywhere when another couple finished at midnight.
Considering Madonna was simultaneously performing at Pride Island while Deborah Cox was closing World Pride in Times Square, it gives you some indication of the fabulously creative, spectacle of Pride winding through the streets of Chelsea and the Village.
Here’s a look at the first several hours of the largest Pride March in history, which the world gathered to witness and as they celebrated “Stonewall 50.”
Paying respect to those who were the reason for the celebration of Pride, the lead car honored two of the Community’s heroines.
With New York City hosting the first bi-annual celebration of World Pride in the US, some of the 1200 InterPride were welcomed down Fifth Avenue. Each of the 57 member units brought their own creative greeting from as far away as Australia, Germany and London; or as close to home as Nevada and Palm Springs.
Nordics for Equality
Amsterdam Pride
Many LGBT+ organizations brought the Pride, including Trevor Project, also serving as one of the Grand Marshals), New York’s own LGBT Center, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and GALA of the NYPD.
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
NYC Pride Center
Trevor Project
There has been some controversy regarding corporate takeover of the Pride March and commercialism overshadowing activism. So much so that it caused a schism and an anti-march was held.
It’s worth noting the first corporate float didn’t appear until 2:30 minutes into the March, after international and national LGBT+ groups and government officials who fight for equality and civil rights.
Certainly, there were corporations, like Deutche Bank and CapitalOne, whose presence were egregiously offensive considering they finance and launder money for and/or are a tenant of the President actively rolling back LGBT+ civil rights and promoting hate.
Pride and creativity were not only on display in the street but was everywhere in the crowd as well.
You never knew when you might spot a fabulous celebrity ally.
Longtime LGBTQ ally – film/TV/recording star Vanessa Williams
Broadway actor Jim Newman (L) enjoying the march
At some point, you gotta march!
The crowds were huge!
Some political statements were made along the way…
SAVE executive director Tony Lima suspended after praising four accused gay-bashers
SAVE, South Florida’s longest serving organization dedicated to protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination, is facing awkward questions after it appears to have honored four men accused of taking part in a violent attack on two gay men.
I reported on the attack when it occurred in May 2018 after the Miami Beach Pride Parade.
Dmitry Logunov and Rene Chalarca were severely beaten by four men as they walked home after celebrating LGBT Pride. Surveillance cameras captured the violent beating and helped lead to the four attackers’ arrests.
The four men – Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, 21, Luis Alonso-Piovet, 20, Juan Carlos Lopez, 21, and Adonis Diaz, 21 – were soon arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery and could face up to 30 years in prison.
The Miami Herald reported at the time that Miami-Dade prosecutors also filed enhanced aggravated battery with prejudice hate crime charges.
All four pleaded not guilty to the charges and the cases are still pending.
The four men accused of the 2018 Miami Beach gay-bashing
South Florida Gay News reports that at the SAVE Champions of Equality gala two weeks ago on June 14, SAVE executive director Tony Lima recognized the four men telling the crowd they were “wrongly accused.”
In a Facebook video, Lima told SAVE supporters that the father of Lopez, openly gay Juan Lopez, reached out to SAVE weeks ago to arrange for his son to volunteer with the non-profit.
The father has maintained that his son could not have committed the violent hate crime and that he “loves LGBT.”
Since that time, Lima says the men have each spent a few hours volunteering with SAVE participating in tasks like data entry for the group. Additionally, the four purchased their own tickets to the annual gala.
In response, WLRN reports that SAVE has “placed Executive Director Tony Lima on paid administrative leave” while the organization conducts a thorough review of the episode. Lima has served as executive director for SAVE since 2013.
Terry Gonzalez-Chaveza, a spokesperson for the Office of the State Attorney, has issued a statement flatly denying any mistake in charging the men. “The defendants in the case are not wrongly accused,” said Gonzalez-Chaveza, according to SFGN.
Russell Cormican, a Broward County criminal defense attorney, told SFGN that the men may have decided to volunteer in an attempt at personal penance, or perhaps to ‘put their best face forward’ hoping it might help their cases.
“We want to extend our deepest apologies first, to the victims, and equally, to the community for any insensitivity that may have been conveyed on our behalf by their attendance and mention at the gala,” read the statement.
“Our number one priority is to promote, protect and defend equality for all people, and it was never the intent of our organization to send a message that we in any way support, exonerate or justify the actions of these individuals.”
SAVE goes on to say the organization is “currently investigating this matter more thoroughly” and promises to provide “an update to our supporters and the community at large as soon as we gather all the appropriate information.”
The New York Times reports Mayor Pete Buttigieg received $24.8 million in campaign donations over the past three months.
According to the Times, that figure is triple Mayor Pete’s 1st quarter reporting, and will be one of the largest disclosed by the current Democratic presidential contenders.
Mr. Buttigieg’s haul, from more than 294,000 donors, is the clearest indicator yet of how a candidate who only months ago was little known among voters has become a formidable contender in the race for the Democratic nomination.
His strong fund-raising gives him the financial resources to build a robust campaign operation and compete with rivals who entered the race as far better-known figures, such as former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who is also expected to report a big fund-raising total for the quarter.
Mr. Buttigieg had more than 230,000 new donors in the quarter, bringing his total number of donors during his presidential bid to more than 400,000, his campaign said. The average contribution over the course of his campaign has been $47.42, according to his team.
Campaign press secretary Chris Meagher told CNN that Mayor Pete heads into the 3rd quarter of 2019 with $22.6 million in cash.
All of the candidates are required to report their fund-raising numbers to the Federal Election Commission by July 15.
Thank you to the over 400,000 of you who have invested in this campaign, and who helped us raise over $24,800,000 this quarter alone. You inspire us every step of the way, and we’re just getting started. Text SHOWUP to 25859 to keep the momentum going! pic.twitter.com/g1SIlgt4Eo
Wow. Quite a Q2 fundraising haul for @PeteButtigieg. Waiting for others to turn over their cards but this is an eye-popping number. https://t.co/6RpEQDmbop
.@PeteButtigieg will be in the top three in the most cash on hand for presidential campaigns, including the incumbent President.
His average donation is $47.
This reminds me of my old boss’s Barack Obama’s June 2007 fundraising numbers.
This man is for real.
— Christopher J. Hale (@chrisjollyhale) July 1, 2019
In related news, LGBTQ Victory Fund – a political action committee that works to elect LGBTQ politicians to office – endorsed Mayor Pete Buttigieg this weekend. The nod is the first presidential endorsement in the organization’s history.
BREAKING: Tonight, we are officially endorsing Mayor @PeteButtigieg’s campaign for President of the United States. Mayor Pete has the experience, record of service, and vision that is required to not only lead this nation – but also to defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box. https://t.co/Dmu2qpHVmT
I’m honored to have your support. My candidacy is possible only because of the hard work and sacrifice of LGBTQ activists who stood up for change 50 years ago today, and the leaders who continue that fight for equality at organizations like @VictoryFund. #Stonewall50https://t.co/rXivvf0Alh
Madonna closed out the massive World Pride celebrations in New York City last night with a 4 song set during the festival’s ‘Pride Island’ on Manhattan’s Pier 57.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, New York Pride hosted this year’s World Pride festivities.
Taking to the stage, the Queen of Pop began with a raucous rendition of her 1990 classic, “Vogue,” which was quickly followed by her 2003 hit, “American Life.”
A post shared by Versace (@versace) on Jul 1, 2019 at 12:22am PDT
Madonna then stopped to address the weekend’s celebrations.
“It’s weird, I know we’re on a pier and this pier has a lot of history; God knows it has a lot of history,” she began, referencing the piers history as a cruising area for gay men in the 1970s and 80s.
“So, fifty years people,” she continued. “Fifty years of revolution, fifty years of freedom fighting, fifty years of putting up with discrimination, hatred and indifference, fifty years of blood, sweat and tears, fifty years of not bowing down to fear. That’s what I’m talking about.”
“We have been on this journey together, and I am so proud and honored to share this historical evening with you,” added the 6-year-old pop-star.
“Since I came to New York as a wee little girl, I have always been embraced by queer nation,” bringing the conversation to the personal. “I always felt like an outsider but you made me feel like an insider. You must know how much I love and appreciate everyone here tonight – all members of the LGBTQ community.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she concluded before launching into her latest single from Madame X, “God Control,” a controversial (what’s new?) meditation on gun violence in the U.S.
She closed with the anthemic “I Rise,” also from Madame X.
According to organizers, approximately 4.5 million people took part in the multiple NYC Pride events throughout the weekend.
Head over to Boy Culture where Matt Rettenmund has lots of fantastic pics of the 4-song set by Madge.
Throughout this past month, I’ve been sharing music from out artists that I not only really like, but feel have some message for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Whether it’s a message of acceptance, self-love or personal pride, I posted these as a musical tribute to the month and our community. You can also find them by searching The Randy Report for ‘Pride Music.’ Thanks for an amazing Pride Month everyone! As we close out Pride Month 2019, here’s this year’s playlist:
New York City high school valedictorian Mason Bleu came out as bisexual during his graduation speech to cheers from the crowd.
“I want to remind all of you to always be proud but to always remain humble,” the teen told the audience. “I’ve struggled to be proud of something all my life. Since I’m preaching about being proud today, it’d be hypocritical of me to continue hiding. I’m not someone who likes getting emotional so saying this is extremely personal and hard.”
“For a long time, I have struggled with my sexuality,” he continued. “I’ve dodged it and ignored it because I wasn’t proud of who I am. But today I’m changing that. I’m proud to be a bisexual man.”
And the crowd goes wild!
So I came out during my valedictorian speech. It was definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done but the reaction was amazing. Thank you to everyone who supported me! #Pride2019#LGBTQpic.twitter.com/u8ih03NTJd
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump
In a moment that clearly thrilled North Korea’s President Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump stepped across the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea for a photo opp that elevated the ruthless dictator in world standing.
Greeted by a beaming Mr. Kim, the president stepped across a low concrete border marker at 3:46 p.m. local time and walked 20 paces to the base of a building on the North Korean side for an unprecedented, camera-friendly demonstration of friendship intended to revitalize stalled talks.
“It is good to see you again,” an exuberant Mr. Kim told the president through an interpreter. “I never expected to meet you in this place.”
“Big moment, big moment,” Mr. Trump told him.
After about a minute on officially hostile territory, Mr. Trump escorted Mr. Kim back over the line into South Korea, where the two briefly addressed a scrum of journalists before slipping inside the building known as Freedom House for a private conversation along with President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. Mr. Trump said he would invite Mr. Kim to visit him at the White House.
President Trump accomplished something President Obama never did: Legitimize a murderous dictator by visiting him on his home turf. pic.twitter.com/9XND7gWqLI— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) June 30, 2019
While you were sleeping…
trump crossed the DMZ into North Korea and shook hands with Kim Jong-Un, professing his love at first sight for the murderous dictator.
New WH Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham got into a scuffle with the North Koreans to move members of the WH press pool into position to cover Trump and Kim, I’m told. Grisham was a bit bruised. Source called it “an all out brawl.”
A month of festivities culminates Sunday with the New York City Pride March, the biggest Pride celebration in the world.
The march begins at noon ET and is expected to draw millions of spectators. It will feature 677 contingents including community groups, major corporations and cast members from the acclaimed FX series, Pose.
You can watch ABC7’s YouTube live coverage of the parade below or by heading over their website at abc7NY.com
Organizers say they expect 150,000 people to march along the route that begins in the Flatiron District.
