Photos by Tracy Baim
Former presidential candidate Howard Dean, TV’s ER doc Laura Innes and Human Rights Campaign President and Executive Director Cheryl Jacques were the featured speakers at the Illinois Human Rights Campaign dinner, Turning Point, June 19, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama was the special guest at a VIP reception prior to the benefit. He and his wife, Michelle, schmoozed with the high-end donors upstairs at the Hyatt. He said the GLBT community was among his early supporters.
In the meantime, a dozen protesters were outside of the Hyatt, picketing the announcement last week that HRC was endorsing John Kerry for president, despite the fact that he does not back same-sex marriage. Obama has also been criticized for not backing full same-sex marriage rights.