Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday, before a massive crowd reveling in a moment of profound racial significance, and called on Americans to confront together an economic crisis that he said was caused by "our collective failure to make hard choices."

The American Civil Liberties Union commends the Obama-Biden Transition team for including sexual orientation and gender identity in its non-discrimination policy as it prepares to assume power in January. Although President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 11478, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, there are no explicit federal protections from gender identity bias in government hiring.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin stopped by Focus on the Family head Jim Dobson’s radio show this week to assure the evangelical Christian that if elected, she’s convinced John McCain will implement more traditional Republican policies on issues including stem cell research, abortion and same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage advocates in Florida, Arizona, and California may face their toughest opponents in the wave of new, minority voters set to hit the polls next month, according to talk-show host Lowell Ponte.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, launched today a free tool for HRC members to send friends and family members a text message on Election Day reminding them to vote. Supporters are encouraged to visit TxtOutTheVote.com to set up these important reminders on this break-through tool created by CREDO Mobile.

Gov. Palin has declined to issue a formal proclamation recognizing “National Coming Out Day,” in Alaska. Heartened by the Gov. Palin’s positive comments about gays and lesbians in the Vice Presidential Debate, Alaskans Together submitted a formal request to acknowledge the day, which is observed on Oct. 11 internationally by members of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) communities and supporters.

Window Media LLC, the nation’s largest gay publishing group, today announced that John McCain, in a historic first for the gay press, granted an exclusive interview to Window Media Co-President William Kapfer, answering questions on a wide range of issues.

Last night CBS aired another exclusive Katie Couric interview with Palin during which the vice presidential candidate claimed homosexuality was a 'choice' that she 'has not made', and insisted that she read 'all' the newspapers - without naming any specifically.

For some 25 years, The New York Times exit polls have revealed that at least one in four gay voters is a Republican. This means that at least 1 million or more gay voters will cast their votes for John McCain and Sarah Palin in the 2008 presidential election.

Addressing the democratic convention last night, former president Bill Clinton declared that democratic presidential nominee, 'Barack Obama is ready to lead America and to restore American leadership in the world.' Ending weeks of speculation about a rift between the former president and the Illinois senator, Clinton not only urged his wife’s supporters to get behind Obama, but also lavishly praised and enthusiastically endorsed Obama in what was one of the most rousing speeches given at the Democratic National Convention thus far.