The campaign of Barack Obama was busy last weekend shoring up post-primary support among a key constituency of Sen. Hillary Clinton: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters. LGBT voters are also a constituency with which Sen. John McCain holds some sway; his opposition to a federal marriage amendment has earned him the respect of some gay Republicans and independents.

On a Friday conference call with 1,200 Democrats, LGBT leaders and bloggers, Obama’s campaign staffers were direct in their plea. "We know that there are a lot of people who have supported Sen. Clinton who are on the call with us today and we greatly appreciate that," said Obama’s openly gay deputy campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand. "We know that each of you will take your time to wrap your head around the situation, to hopefully join Barack in his venture moving forward at whatever point you are comfortable doing so. We certainly recognize the pain that goes with some of this, but know that you have a welcome home here, that we need your help, that we want your help. We will take it whenever you are ready should you get to that point."

Elizabeth Birch, former executive director of the Human Rights Campaign and an ardent Clinton supporter, also spoke on the call. "What I wanted to say is congratulations to all of you who have worked for Sen. Obama, and to ask for your patience at least from me," she said. "This won’t happen in hours, but it will happen in days and we will be able to turn our hearts over to the other equally important dream."

The campaign announced key appointments of LGBT leaders, including Brian Bond as director of constituencies and musician Melissa Etheridge as a co-chair of voter-registration. Joan Garry, former executive director of Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and Kevin Jennings, founder of Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), were named as co-chairs of its LGBT finance operations. In addition, Obama issued a Pride declaration on Friday, marking the beginning of LGBT Pride activities throughout the month of June.

“I am proud to join with our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered brothers and sisters in celebrating the accomplishments, the lives, and the families of all LGBT people during this Pride season," wrote Obama. "Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core this issue is about who we are as Americans.”

Clinton garnered the support of LGBT voters in many states where exit polls measured LGBT voting patterns. For example, in California, 63 percent voted for Clinton as did 59 percent in New York. In national elections, the Democratic candidate generally secured the majority of the LGBT vote, but even President Bush was able to garner 23 percent of the LGBT vote in 2000 and 2004. LGBT voters constitute between 4 and 7 percent of likely voters nationwide.