Obama appoints record number of gay officials
By SAM HANANEL
The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 26, 2010; 3:11 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/26/AR2010102600558.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/26/AR2010102600558.html)
WASHINGTON -- Less than halfway through his first term, President Barack Obama has appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in history.
Gay activists say the estimate of more than 150 appointments so far - from agency heads and commission members to policy officials and senior staffers - surpasses the previous high of about 140 reached during two full terms under President Bill Clinton.
"From everything we hear from inside the administration, they wanted this to be part of their efforts at diversity," said Denis Dison, spokesman for the Presidential Appointments Project of the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute.