No Second Term For Gay Portland Mayor Sam Adams

Openly gay Portland Mayor Sam Adams announced yesterday that he will not seek reelection.

In addition to wanting to focus on his job, Adams, who was elected in 2008, said that he's not sure he could win against opponents who are lining up to challenge him.

From the Miami Herald:

Adams said in an interview in his office that he decided not to seek re-election because he'd have to campaign and fundraise full time. He also said he wouldn't be able to work on his agenda if he had to start campaigning now.
...
Adams, who would have faced at least two prominent challengers in a re-election bid, said the prospect of a difficult campaign helped him make a decision.

"To run for mayor would be a tough race," Adams said. "It would require that I spend a lot less time on the issues and challenges Portland is facing, and I'm not just willing to phone it in as mayor."

When asked whether an easier race would have changed his mind, Adams responded, "It might have, but I've got to deal with the situation at hand."

Adams' mayoral tenure has been plagued with scandal, first from a confession that he had a sexual relationship with an 18-year old legislative aide, then because of his financial troubles, including missing mortgage payments, and two unsuccessful recall efforts.

Mayor Adams has not decided whether or not to endorse the candidates who hope to take his place.

Gay Stories: A Mayor's Coming Out

NATHAN MANSKE

Nathan Manske and Marquise Lee are halfway though a 3 month trip around the United States collecting stories for their I'm From Driftwood site. We're finally ready to start catching up with some of the stories collected over the first half of the trip along with some of the insight into what they're seeing now. 

It was early Sunday morning in Portland, Oregan, and Marquise (videographer extraordinaire) and I arrived to the location where "gay mayor" Sam Adams agreed to meet us and share a story. We were almost out of gas, running late because the Portland marathon blocked traffic, soaked from the non-stop rain and stressed out from all of the above. We saw a black SUV with two police officers inside, on the otherwise empty street corner. "This must be his entourage," I thought. I approached and made eye contact with one of them and smiled. The cop rolled down his window. "Um, hi...I'm here to, uh, meet the mayor," I said. He looked at me and cocked an eyebrow. "Okay. I'm hear to watch the marathon." Oops.

Minutes later, the mayor drives up in his own Prius, with no entourage to be found, and we followed him to a local diner to get his story. I was expecting to hear about how being gay affected his campaign, how he dealt with and overcame the challenges or something that would make him seem like he could handle anything. You know, mayoral stuff. Instead, he shared an intimate and revealing story that made him seem surprisingly vulnerable, but also refreshingly real.

In general, I typically don't want too many coming out stories on IFD. People know them and there are so many more interesting aspects to being LGBT than that one moment of coming out. And sure enough, Mayor Adams shared a coming out story. But it wasn't the teenager-coming-out-to-his-parents-and-there-were-tears story. This one took place at the workplace and it happened less than a decade ago. It stood out to me because it shows that coming out isn't a one time thing. It's a lifelong process. For every new employer, every new friend, every new co-worker, there must be an "I'm gay" moment. Even if you're a mayor-to-be.

Watch Portland Mayor Sam Adams' story, AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously...
A Survivor's Account of an Unbelievable Hell Called Home [tr]

Second Effort to Recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams Poised to Fail?

A second effort to recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams may fail, with opponents apparently struggling to collect the 32,000 signatures required by 5 pm today.

The Oregonian reports: "The recall campaign has struggled, even though it was supposed to have enough money from big-money backers to hire professional signature-gatherers. The first recall attempt, which relied on volunteers, failed in October with a reported 30,000 signatures that were never submitted."

A message on the recall website read, in part: "Thank you for your support over the past year in a movement that demands to bring open, transparent and accountable local government back to our city. The bottom line is we simply can not recall the first 'openly gay mayor' for lying, no matter how many gay men he had to bring down with him. Though, please know that Sam Adams is the one that sold out the GLBTQ community to solely protect himself. The recall has never been about taking away the hard earned rights of anyone, only about holding elected officials accountable. Through the recalls, the veil has been removed, that has for too long obscured the dysfunction of how we, as citizens, are systematically manipulated in elections."

KATU says the veracity of that message has been called into question, though chances for recall seem slim: "Over the weekend, the campaign organizers said they were still about 7,000 to 8,000 signatures short of the goal. Supporters say Adams should be recalled because he lied about his relationship with a teenage legislative intern, Beau Breedlove."

News: Nick Jonas, Bollywood, ENDA, Howard Zinn, Ugly Betty

DC Agenda: Filibuster threat makes ENDA look unlikely in 2010.

Nick Jonas does Vman.

Only in New York, folks.

How Pope John Paul II got closer to Christ: "Pope John Paul II used to beat himself with a belt and sleep naked on the floor...The late pope had a particular belt for self-flagellation and brought it with him to his summer residence, according to the book, 'Why he is a Saint: The True story of John Paul II.'"

Ugly Betty canceled.

A few days ago I posted about Wheatland High School in Wyoming and the school district's decision to remove banners promoting tolerance. The students there have begun a petition campaign to get the district to put back the "No Place for Hate" banners. Sign it here.

Historian Howard Zinn dies at 87: "Howard Zinn, the Boston University historian and political activist who was an early opponent of US involvement in Vietnam and whose books, such as 'A People's History of the United States,' inspired young and old to rethink the way textbooks present the American experience, died today in Santa Monica, Calif, where he was traveling."

Dunno Y . . . Na Jaane Kyun: Bollywood's Brokeback?

London minicab driver gets 10 years for gay sexual assault.

Some Jersey Shore castmembers on the way back.

Proposed gay retirement community in Sonoma Valley struggles financially: "The hurdles facing the Lodge show what can happen to an unusual project in even a liberal Northern California town when some residents think the pace of development has outstripped the needs of neighborhoods. The Lodge has elicited a debate over the environmental impact of development and has also prompted questions about whether homophobia is a reason for the delay."

Boo: Second campaign to recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams raises $18K.

The Cheney family responds to the State of the Union address.

Tragic murder-suicide unfolding in Abilene, Texas: "Last Friday, Jan. 22, the Rev. Karen L. Johnson, pastor of Abilene’s Unity Church of Christianity, went to the home of one of her parishioners, Renata Antoinette Monet, to counsel Monet, who was going through the process to transition from male to female. Police say that when Johnson entered Monet’s mobile home that afternoon, Monet attacked her and stabbed her to death, and then committed suicide by hanging herself. The bodies of both women were discovered Saturday morning by church members that had become concerned about their minister’s absence and went to Monet’s home looking for the two."

San Francisco vigil held for gays in Honduras: "The first vigil took place first, when five gay and HIV/AIDS activists went to the consulate’s office, only to find it closed for the special day. We spent half an hour in the hallway, talking with people from other offices on the 8th floor. We snapped a few pics and thought to leave a message for the workers, when they return tomorrow. Our signs with Walter Trochez’s visage were taped to the consulate’s door, and a few were slipped under it. A small way to express our concern for the gay citizens of Honduras, especially those who’ve been murdered, and for the full protections of human rights protocols for all Hondurans."

Beau Breedlove to Use Sam Adams Affair as Memoir Centerpiece

Beau Breedlove, the former legislative intern at the center of the scandal involving Portland Mayor Sam Adams, has decided to write a memoir about it, The Oregonian reports:

"His agent, Jon Malysiak, says they are in the preliminary stages of drafting a book proposal and hopes to have it ready in the next month. Malysiak said Breedlove plans to write it himself. 'The book is a reflection on the events of my life before, during and after the 'scandal' surrounding my relationship with Sam Adams,' Breedlove wrote in an e-mail to The Oregonian. 'In addition, the book will cover a broader look at people who have been in similar situations to mine, and how stereotypes both play into the media attention as well as are used as tools against victims. This book is a memoir, and an insight into the change that the GLBTQ community needs to see in the way we are portrayed and represented.'"

Breedlove, who posed nude for Unzipped shortly after the scandal, is currently living in Provincetown. He also has his own blog.

News: Winnipeg, Brenda Dickson, Nepal, Sam Adams, Stephen Harper

Gambino mob hitman didn't mean to tell everyone he was gay: “'He didn’t want to make an announcement to the world,' said one person with knowledge of the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the dangers facing Mr. Mormando. 'He wanted the judge to know what risks he took — why he wasn’t just your average cooperator, someone who had simply broken the code.'"

Sam Taylor-Wood's sleeping Beckham image to appear on condoms in Spain.

Why Hello There: 'Welcome to My Home' star Brenda Dickson wrongly imprisoned for four months!

Rep. Alan Grayson launches website to document those who have died because they had no health care.

James Franco makes silent appearance on SNL.

Boston DJ Barry Scott denied new trial against Provincetown police.

Nepal to seek status as LGBT tourist destination: "Nepal government has held a series of meetings with well-known international tour operators and non-profit organisations to promote Nepal as a potential destination for LGBTs, the Kantipur online said on Thursday. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) officials hope that LGBT arrivals will give a boost to the number of visitors to the country as the government mulls new way to bring in a million foreign tourists in the Nepal Tourism Year 2011."

WATCH: John Mayer's music video for "Heartbreak Warfare".

McCain supporters' testosterone dropped on election night.

Ethiopia pleas with international community for food aid.

Pee Wee Herman plans comeback: "I don't want anyone for one second to think that I am titillated by images of children."

Philadelphia Gay News serves as test run for U.S. Census ad.

LAPD cuts ties with the Boy Scouts.

Uganda bill that would penalizes gays with death put off until 2010: "Parliament was too busy, just now, to handle the important matter of the Anti- Homosexuality bill. Apparently it is very, very far ahead in the future, but that gives you time to check in with your MP and tell them how much you support the Bahati Bill." American Evangelicals are playing role in efforts there to exterminate gays...

Fatal men's bathhouse fire now a homicide investigation in Winnipeg: "The bathhouse's owner, Somchai Pengpharsuks, told the Free Press last week he believed the blaze was set by two men on the building's second floor. He said the incident was potentially hate-motivated, according to information he received, because the bathhouse is frequented predominantly by gay men. Both men died of smoke inhalation in a fire that police believe was "deliberately set," said a police spokesman.

Glee planning "all Madonna" episode.

Former Oregon senator to lead new recall effort against Portland Mayor Sam Adams: "The PAC's treasurer, Teresa McGuire said this time around opponents will use paid signature collectors, much the same as other nonprofit campaigns."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper hires homophobe speechwriter: "Referring to former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's 1969 decision to decriminalize homosexuality, Hannaford wrote in 2005, 'Fine, said lots of people. Leave gays alone? Fair enough. But, let 'em be Boy Scout leaders? Have each other's benefits? Adopt kids? Marry each other? Ridiculous. Anybody seeking political office who suggested it would have been laughed off the hustings. Yet, the Liberals are ready to legalize gay marriage. How did we get to this point?'"