A reoccurring theme was disillusionment with the pace of President Obama's legislation on homosexual rights. Obama has repeatedly voiced his support for repealing DOMA, but has steadfastly refused to implement a timetable for doing so. Obama also has not publicly spoken out in support of the battles raging in individual states — not even as the keynote speaker for the annual banquet of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay-advocacy group.
During the rally, musician Billie Myers told the President said that she simply didn't like the speech the President had given at the dinner, saying that it didn't explain the slothlike pace he had taken on the gay rights agenda. But Kress said he understood Obama's position.
"He's working with others," he said. "He cannot do it without the House and the Senate. You just can't go in with a hot poker."
Lady Gaga, the most prominent speaker at the event, sounded mournful when she talked about the prospects for changing legislation.
"I will continue to fight for equality for us all," she said. "Bless God and bless the gays."