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No on 8 Donations Near $1 Million a Day, Money Needs to Keep Coming

Ellen DeGeneres has stepped up her participation in the No on Prop. 8 campaign by recording a TV ad asking voters to oppose the proposed anti-gay marriage California constitutional amendment. Patrick Guerriero, campaign director for No on 8, made that announcement during a phone conference with LGBT press on Tuesday before going on to stress that of the 1 million LGBT adults in California, only 30,000 have contributed so far.


Ellen DeGeneres has stepped up her participation in the No on Prop. 8 campaign by recording a TV ad asking voters to oppose the proposed anti-gay marriage California constitutional amendment.

Patrick Guerriero, campaign director for No on 8, made that announcement during a phone conference with LGBT press on Tuesday.

"She's filmed an ad that could be used in ways that we'll determine over the next day or so. Certainly you'll see it on the Web and virally, and potentially on TV," said Guerriero, who read a transcript that he said is close to the finished product.

"Hi, I'm Ellen DeGeneres," Guerriero quoted from the transcript. "I got to do something this year I never thought I'd ever be able to do. I got married. It was the happiest day of my life. There are people out there raising millions of dollars to try to take that right away from me. You've seen their ads on TV. They're twisting the truth, and they're trying to scare you. I believe in fairness. I believe in compassion. I believe in equality for all people. Proposition 8 does not. Please, please vote no on Prop. 8."

"I think you're going to see some breakthrough gifts in the next few days," Guerriero said. Since the No on Prop. 8 campaign put out an SOS roughly a week ago, donations have been running close to $1 million per day -- a remarkable feat, he said, and one that has No on 8 poised to cross the $20 million mark shortly.

However, Guerriero stressed, donations need to keep rolling in at that rate through Election Day, at least, in order to get the pro-LGBT side back in the fight monetarily -- and of 1 million LGBT adults in California, only 30,000 have contributed so far -- and that not a single LGBT demographic or region in the state had given what would be required to win the battle.

"When you do the math, if we have a million adults and we have 30,000 donors, that means 970,000 have not given a dollar yet," he said. "That means there's not a single neighborhood, there's not a single street, there's not a single congressional district, there's not a single county where we're getting enough support from LGBT Californians." (Anne Stockwell -- The Advocate)

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Dave Marsh
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 6:08:00 PM
    Hometown: Elk Grove, CA

    Comment:

    So, just when do we expect to see Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Obama stating clearly in an ad that while they personally believe a marriage is between a man and a woman, that they both OPPOSE changing the constitution of the state of California to deny this right to LGBT people and encourage people to vote against this proposition? Or, were they just giving us lip service?

  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 5:49:00 PM
    Hometown: Fife

    Comment:

    Democracy is gay marriage's worst enemy. Every time it's been submitted to an actual vote, it gets shot down. The only reason it's allowed in California at all is because of four activist judges overturning the votes of 61% of California's population. When the people of California speak again this election day, they will once again say what they said before - no gay marriage in California.

  • Name: Rachel
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 4:16:00 PM
    Hometown: Gulfport, MS

    Comment:

    I live in MS...I know that marriage will not come to my state untill there is a federal law that allows same-sex marriage. But I also know that will never happen until big states with big influence in the courts make it legal...like CA. I find it insane that only 30k of the over 1 million LGBT that live in CA have donated! I know I won't see the fruit of this labor for years possibly decades..but I know enough to give till it hurts! Wake up CA residents! What happens in CA will have lasting effects on the rest of the country! We can take a huge step forward..or slamed on the ass backwards for years to come!

  • Name: Ted
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 4:05:00 PM
    Hometown: Kingston, NY

    Comment:

    I'm one of those 30,000 "queers" who HAS contributed and I STILL resent that Ellen has not. What kind of role model is that?

  • Name: Terre
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 3:34:00 PM
    Hometown: San Luis Obispo

    Comment:

    DONATE TODAY: noonprop8.com Please note that this year marks 60 years since the CA Supreme Court struck down the ban on inter-racial marriages as unconstitutional. Marriage bans in over a dozen states were struck down in the year that followed, but it wasn't until 1967 that the federal government changed the law to apply to the 16 states that still prosecuted whites who married blacks, natives, asians or any other race. Predictably, these were mostly southern states. The ban on marriage between gay people was found unconstitutional by the CA Supreme Court in June 2008, with a majority Republican rule applying the strictest tests. No matter what you think about marriage, no one should be discriminated against under the law. Give and vote NO ON 8.

  • Name: Zemir
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 3:08:00 PM
    Hometown: Goiania, Brazil

    Comment:

    My partner and I had to move to Brazil, my homecountry 2 years ago. After 7 years living in US which is also his own country. We decided to move because of my status, we couldn't apply even for my residence based on our relationship. Anyway.. I just wanted to say; GO ELLEN GO... WE TOTALLY SUPPORT YOU ON THIS... Zemir

  • Name: Richard Johnson
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 2:28:00 PM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    I believe the fact that Ellen is a daily role model via her TV show is a higher price than any amount of money she could donate. You wanna bitch about the perceived lack of financial support for 'No on 8' then look into your own wallet or those 970,000 queers who haven't given a dime. THAT's what you should be upset about not the lack of Ellen's money.

  • Name: Pat
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 2:27:00 PM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    Wow. I feel slapped. But I deserve it. We talked about giving $25 last night, and now we MUST! I am a student, and my wife may lose her job any day, but this is a sacrifice we all must make for our COMMUNITY!! Good for Ellen for doing so much, but really, why aren't the Hollywood people stepping up with cash??? And why two hetero guys the first celebs??! It is quite disappointing that those with the money are not coming forward with MONEY! In our own community!! GIVE UP THE VACATION SPA MONEY, DUDES! ;)

  • Name: Jake
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 2:15:00 PM
    Hometown: Pittsburgh

    Comment:

    Okaayy,,, nice article, but where is the link to donate?

  • Name: Ted
    Date posted: 10/15/2008 2:05:00 PM
    Hometown: Kingston, NY

    Comment:

    Still puzzled why Ellen has not given any money. PSA is okay but what did that cost her? She has made millions off of gays; hope she let loose of a few bucks to help you in CA.



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