Transgender may KO Barack dinner
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Transgender may KO Barack dinner
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Monday, June 25th 2007, 4:00 AM
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Barack Obama
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When Florida Firefighter Jennifer Lasko told Barack Obama's campaign she
wanted to have dinner with the candidate, she mentioned that she used to
be an Army soldier and an active Republican who had become an anti-war
Democrat.
The campaign, which loves to highlight support from former Republicans,
picked her as one of four small donors it is flying to Washington on
July 10 to meet Obama at a restaurant.
But Lasko, 42, didn't mention another big change: Until 2005, she was
John William Lasko.
Now, after the Palm Beach Post unearthed her past life, Lasko thinks she
should skip the dinner.
"I'm just a citizen who wants to discuss issues. I was foolish to think
I could keep it under wraps," she told the paper. "There are a lot of
close-minded people who'll make an issue of this."
Lasko, who underwent the sex change while working at Delray Beach
Fire-Rescue Department, says it's not a secret, but she doesn't want to
cause trouble for Obama.
A campaign spokeswoman said if they had known she used to be a he, it
wouldn't have mattered.
"Sen. Obama would love to have her attend the dinner. If she chooses not
to attend, Sen. Obama looks forward to meeting her and hearing more
about her thoughts on how we can change this country," said spokeswoman
Jen Psaki.
Helen Kennedy