Ke$ha’s Presidential Platform: Gay Rights and ‘Whiskey for All’

Swept up in the glitzy presidential fever that has consumed the nation’s capital, Ke$ha displayed a sense of patriotism in her own glittery, unique way during the evening’s festivities Jan. 21. Appearing before the RIAA’s inauguration celebration concert at Washington D.C.’s famed 9:30 club, the pop star donned a light red pantsuit, including a jacket adorned with her name and several stars bedazzled in a seemingly homespun design.

When it was suggested that the outfit seemed appropriate for a run for office, she lit up at the idea. “Sure, I’d be the funnest president ever,” the 25-year-old singer said with a laugh. Her platform? “Whiskey for all!” As for what she’d do if she got to meet President Barack Obama, she replied, “I’d probably kiss him first.”

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But just as Obama struck a serious note during a long weekend devoted to revelry, so did Ke$ha.

“Then I would just encourage him to look at equal rights and animal rights,” she continued. “Those are two things I feel very strongly about. But especially him addressing equal rights today was moving for me. A lot of my friends and family are gay and lesbian, and it’s an issue that’s very close to my heart.

“A lot of my fans have to struggle with their own issues — and so did I growing up — and anything you can do to help people look at each other in a nonjudgmental way, I think it’s a positive thing.”

Through her platform as a platinum-selling singer, Ke$ha has been an active advocate of equality for LGBT individuals; her song “We R Who We R,” a response to a rash of gay teen suicides in 2010, became an anthem for the community. She also expressed concerns about gun control and health care, though was clear about her top concern.

“Being a celebrity is kind of silly, except for when you get to talk to lots of people about something that’s dear to you,” she said. “And in this case, it’s equal rights.”

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