Cross posted at Bloggernista

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Logo, a division of Viacom?s MTV Networks, are teaming up to present a a televised forum on LGBT issues with the leading presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The one hour live broadcast will be on August 9 at 6pm PST/9pm EST. The forum will run without commercial interruption before a studio audience. Melissa Etheridge and HRC President Joe Solmonese will moderate the discussion. All of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates were invited.

This will be the first time that presidential candidates have engaged in a live discussion focused exclusively on LGBT issues. In 2004 HRC organized the first presidential forum on LGBT issues.

From the HRCF press release:

?In the 2008 presidential election, issues of concern to the GLBT community have already been at the forefront of the national conversation,? said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. ?From the repeal of ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell? to the recent signing of a civil unions bill in New Hampshire, there is no doubt that voters will demand answers to important questions affecting our community.

??We?re honored to give the presidential candidates a historic opportunity to share their views directly with the LGBT audience,? said Brian Graden, president, entertainment, MTV Networks Music Group, and president, Logo. ?This forum continues MTV Networks? tradition of engaging vital niche audiences with voting and the electoral process.?

Viewers will be able to submit questions online through the HRC and Logo websites.