Democratic candidates address gay rights

**kfrost06** · 08-08-2007, 03:30 PM

NEW YORK - The gay-rights movement reaches a milestone Thursday when its agenda is the subject of a televised Democratic presidential forum. Yet many activists — craving bolder support for same-sex couples — view the unprecedented event with mixed emotions.

Though pleased that all the candidates of a major party are courting their votes and endorsing the bulk of their political wish-list, they are frustrated that none of the front-runners is calling for legalization of gay marriage.

The forum, to be held in Los Angeles, is co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay-rights group that has become increasingly influential in Democratic politics, and by Logo, the gay-oriented cable channel that will provide a live telecast and Internet simulcast. Every Democratic candidate except Joe Biden and Chris Dodd plans to participate.

Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese will serve as a panelist, along with singer Melissa Etheridge and Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart.

"I hope we can get genuinely heartfelt answers," said Solmonese, who wants the leading candidates to explain why they remain wary of gay marriage.

Organizers say the forum marks the first time that major presidential candidates will appear on TV specifically to address gay issues.

"Simply seeing the candidates step on a stage to speak to a national gay television audience may be as moving as anything they say," said Logo's president, Brian Graden.

Logo, available in about 27 million homes, offered to hold a second forum for Republican candidates, but the GOP front-runners — less supportive of gay-rights initiatives than the Democrats — showed no interest, said Logo general manager Lisa Sherman.

The Democrats will appear sequentially at 15-minute intervals during the two-hour forum, never sharing the stage with one another.

All of them support a federal ban on anti-gay job discrimination, favor repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly in the military and support civil unions that would extend marriage-like rights to same-sex couples.

But thus far, only two longshots — Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel — have endorsed nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage, which a majority of Americans oppose.

"No viable mainstream contender for president is going to support gay marriage in this election cycle," said Ethan Geto, an adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton on gay-rights issues. "I hope that's going to change in the next couple of elections."

Geto suggested that Clinton's hesitancy on same-sex marriage stemmed from her religious upbringing. Yet he also described her as a passionate supporter of other gay-rights causes who is willing to raise those issues even before non-gay audiences.

One of Clinton's chief rivals, John Edwards, has acknowledged wrestling with his stance on gay marriage.

"I feel enormous conflict about it," he said in a televised debate in July. "This is a very, very difficult issue for me."

He noted that his wife, Elizabeth, broke ranks with him in June and publicly endorsed same-sex marriage.

The third Democratic front-runner, Sen. Barack Obama, belongs to the United Church of Christ, which supports gay marriage, but Obama has yet to go that far.

Many gays and lesbians have submitted questions they would like posed at the forum; Charlene Strong of Seattle said she'd like to be there in person.

Her longtime partner, Kathryn Fleming, died in December after being trapped by floodwaters, and Strong was initially barred from the hospital room because she was not considered immediate family.

"I'd like the candidates to spell it out — what would you do to be sure that doesn't happen," Strong said. "How do you get to full equality?"

Evan Wolfson, a gay-rights lawyer and executive director of Freedom to Marry, said the good news — in his view — is that all the Democratic candidates support fairness for same-sex couples.

"The bad news is they haven't yet grasped that equality in marriage is how you achieve that fairness," Wolfson added. "There is no substitute. They wouldn't trade their marriage for a civil union. Why should gay Americans?"

Wolfson said he was frustrated by the candidates' sometimes awkward answers regarding same-sex marriage.

"Americans would respect someone who leads, rather than someone who ducks and evades," he said.

Another activist, Kate Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said she was unsure to what extent the candidates' hesitancy reflected deep-set beliefs as opposed to political calculations.

"Either way, it leaves lesbian and gay couples in the position of being publicly regarded as an inferior kind of relationship," she said.

However, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., one of two openly gay members of Congress, said he understood the candidates' caution.

"It's not wrong for people trying to become president to take political considerations into account," Frank said. "I don't want a bunch of martyrs on my side."

Among the Republicans, none of the candidates favor repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and only former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has supported limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.

Some conservative activists have denounced the upcoming forum.

"It's disgraceful that our nation's moral standards have now dipped so low that it's considered 'tolerant' to hold a debate organized entirely around the promotion of sexual immorality," said Matt Barber, cultural issues policy director for Concerned Women for America.

**kfrost06** · 08-08-2007, 03:30 PM

Tock, any thoughts on this?

**Brighton** · 08-08-2007, 04:52 PM

Why can't we all just get along. There shouldnt be debates on what rights people have in marraige or whatever. There's a lot of things I don't agree with but that's life really

**m8intl** · 08-08-2007, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by kfrost06

Though pleased that all the candidates of a major party are courting their votes and endorsing the bulk of their political wish-list, they are frustrated that none of the front-runners is calling for legalization of gay marriage.

Politically, this is smart inasmuch as most red states are full of homophobes. While I fully support gay marriage, Democrats campaign as political prision bitches while the Republicans aren't afraid to fight dirty. It's widely acknowledged that Karl Rove worked to get anti gay right intiatives on the ballets in battle ground states in 2004. Sagaciously, he posited that these intiatives would draw some members of the religious right, whom otherwise might not bother vote. Once at the poles, these voters were also likely vote for Bush. Unfortunately, Rove's genius is also what makes him such a heartless bastard. I think the Democrats are growing wiser, and it's about fvcking time.

**Brighton** · 08-08-2007, 05:28 PM

I'll agree it is smart not to do so. As soon as one of them were to voice advocacy it'd might as well be over

**Logan13** · 08-08-2007, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by m8intl

Politically, this is smart inasmuch as most red states are full of homophobes. While I fully support gay marriage, Democrats campaign as political prision bitches while the Republicans aren't afraid to fight dirty. It's widely acknowledged that Karl Rove worked to get anti gay right intiatives on the ballets in battle ground states in 2004. Sagaciously, he posited that these intiatives would draw some members of the religious right, whom otherwise might not bother vote. Once at the poles, these voters were also likely vote for Bush. Unfortunately, Rove's genius is also what makes him such a heartless bastard. I think the Democrats are growing wiser, and it's about fvcking time.

Are you trying to label Republicans as homophobes? Making sweeping derogatory statements, such as your's, is ignorant. Put the kool-aid down, and try again.

**Tock** · 08-08-2007, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by kfrost06

Tock, any thoughts on this?

Not really.

The only guys I've seen running for President that I really like are Ron Paul and Mike Gravel.

**Logan13** · 08-08-2007, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tock

Not really.

The only guys I've seen running for President that I really like are Ron Paul and Mike Gravel.

That demonstrates just how fringe you are..........
Regardless, if they get you to vote, great!

**Tock** · 08-08-2007, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Logan13

That demonstrates just how fringe you are..........
Regardless, if they get you to vote, great!

So, what do you have against Ron Paul? He's a Republican . . .

In any event, I live in Texas -- this is a state where Jesus Christ himself couldn't get elected if he ran as a Democrat. So, as Red as Texas is, I could vote for any Democrat, and all of Texas' electoral votes are gonna go to the Republican.

**mcpeepants** · 08-12-2007, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by kfrost06

NEW YORK - The gay-rights movement reaches a milestone Thursday when its agenda is the subject of a televised Democratic presidential forum. Yet many activists — craving bolder support for same-sex couples — view the unprecedented event with mixed emotions.

Though pleased that all the candidates of a major party are courting their votes and endorsing the bulk of their political wish-list, they are frustrated that none of the front-runners is calling for legalization of gay marriage.

The forum, to be held in Los Angeles, is co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay-rights group that has become increasingly influential in Democratic politics, and by Logo, the gay-oriented cable channel that will provide a live telecast and Internet simulcast. Every Democratic candidate except Joe Biden and Chris Dodd plans to participate.

Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese will serve as a panelist, along with singer Melissa Etheridge and Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart.

"I hope we can get genuinely heartfelt answers," said Solmonese, who wants the leading candidates to explain why they remain wary of gay marriage.

Organizers say the forum marks the first time that major presidential candidates will appear on TV specifically to address gay issues.

"Simply seeing the candidates step on a stage to speak to a national gay television audience may be as moving as anything they say," said Logo's president, Brian Graden.

Logo, available in about 27 million homes, offered to hold a second forum for Republican candidates, but the GOP front-runners — less supportive of gay-rights initiatives than the Democrats — showed no interest, said Logo general manager Lisa Sherman.

The Democrats will appear sequentially at 15-minute intervals during the two-hour forum, never sharing the stage with one another.

All of them support a federal ban on anti-gay job discrimination, favor repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly in the military and support civil unions that would extend marriage-like rights to same-sex couples.

But thus far, only two longshots — Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel — have endorsed nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage, which a majority of Americans oppose.

"No viable mainstream contender for president is going to support gay marriage in this election cycle," said Ethan Geto, an adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton on gay-rights issues. "I hope that's going to change in the next couple of elections."

Geto suggested that Clinton's hesitancy on same-sex marriage stemmed from her religious upbringing. Yet he also described her as a passionate supporter of other gay-rights causes who is willing to raise those issues even before non-gay audiences.

One of Clinton's chief rivals, John Edwards, has acknowledged wrestling with his stance on gay marriage.

"I feel enormous conflict about it," he said in a televised debate in July. "This is a very, very difficult issue for me."

He noted that his wife, Elizabeth, broke ranks with him in June and publicly endorsed same-sex marriage.

The third Democratic front-runner, Sen. Barack Obama, belongs to the United Church of Christ, which supports gay marriage, but Obama has yet to go that far.

Many gays and lesbians have submitted questions they would like posed at the forum; Charlene Strong of Seattle said she'd like to be there in person.

Her longtime partner, Kathryn Fleming, died in December after being trapped by floodwaters, and Strong was initially barred from the hospital room because she was not considered immediate family.

"I'd like the candidates to spell it out — what would you do to be sure that doesn't happen," Strong said. "How do you get to full equality?"

Evan Wolfson, a gay-rights lawyer and executive director of Freedom to Marry, said the good news — in his view — is that all the Democratic candidates support fairness for same-sex couples.

"The bad news is they haven't yet grasped that equality in marriage is how you achieve that fairness," Wolfson added. "There is no substitute. They wouldn't trade their marriage for a civil union. Why should gay Americans?"

Wolfson said he was frustrated by the candidates' sometimes awkward answers regarding same-sex marriage.

"Americans would respect someone who leads, rather than someone who ducks and evades," he said.

Another activist, Kate Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said she was unsure to what extent the candidates' hesitancy reflected deep-set beliefs as opposed to political calculations.

"Either way, it leaves lesbian and gay couples in the position of being publicly regarded as an inferior kind of relationship," she said.

However, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., one of two openly gay members of Congress, said he understood the candidates' caution.

"It's not wrong for people trying to become president to take political considerations into account," Frank said. "I don't want a bunch of martyrs on my side."

Among the Republicans, none of the candidates favor repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and only former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has supported limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.

Some conservative activists have denounced the upcoming forum.

"It's disgraceful that our nation's moral standards have now dipped so low that it's considered 'tolerant' to hold a debate organized entirely around the promotion of sexual immorality," said Matt Barber, cultural issues policy director for Concerned Women for America.

The democratic candidates, excluding Kucinich and Gravel, keeping disappointing with each passing especially with the george bush clones of republican candidates, excluding ron paul. they won't take a stand for equal rights because it is politically unpopular. i'm glad the the top tier democrats were not around when we needed to pass the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th amendments, the civil rights act, and the voting rights act.

**brewerpi** · 08-13-2007, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by Tock

So, what do you have against Ron Paul? He's a Republican . . .

In any event, I live in Texas -- this is a state where Jesus Christ himself couldn't get elected if he ran as a Democrat. So, as Red as Texas is, I could vote for any Democrat, and all of Texas' electoral votes are gonna go to the Republican.

Wan't Ann Richards a Democrat?

**Coop77** · 08-13-2007, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by brewerpi

Wan't Ann Richards a Democrat?

Ann Richards was elected because the Governor before her, Bill Clements, made some of the biggest blunders in political campaign history. He told a reporter "Texas weather is like rape, you might as well lay back and enjoy it." Every woman in Texas was out for his balls. Ann, being a woman, coasted in.

The next time around she lost soundly to a guy with no political experience or qualifications at all, other than a famous name.

**Kratos** · 08-13-2007, 11:19 PM

Dudes out barbecuing, I like you dog, I like you too dog, lets get married...disgusting!
-black Bush

**Carlos_E** · 08-14-2007, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by kfrost06

NEW YORK - The gay-rights movement reaches a milestone Thursday when its agenda is the subject of a televised Democratic presidential forum. Yet many activists — craving bolder support for same-sex couples — view the unprecedented event with mixed emotions.

Though pleased that all the candidates of a major party are courting their votes and endorsing the bulk of their political wish-list, they are frustrated that none of the front-runners is calling for legalization of gay marriage.

The forum, to be held in Los Angeles, is co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay-rights group that has become increasingly influential in Democratic politics, and by Logo, the gay-oriented cable channel that will provide a live telecast and Internet simulcast. Every Democratic candidate except Joe Biden and Chris Dodd plans to participate.

Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese will serve as a panelist, along with singer Melissa Etheridge and Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart.

"I hope we can get genuinely heartfelt answers," said Solmonese, who wants the leading candidates to explain why they remain wary of gay marriage.

Organizers say the forum marks the first time that major presidential candidates will appear on TV specifically to address gay issues.

"Simply seeing the candidates step on a stage to speak to a national gay television audience may be as moving as anything they say," said Logo's president, Brian Graden.

Logo, available in about 27 million homes, offered to hold a second forum for Republican candidates, but the GOP front-runners — less supportive of gay-rights initiatives than the Democrats — showed no interest, said Logo general manager Lisa Sherman.

The Democrats will appear sequentially at 15-minute intervals during the two-hour forum, never sharing the stage with one another.

All of them support a federal ban on anti-gay job discrimination, favor repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly in the military and support civil unions that would extend marriage-like rights to same-sex couples.

But thus far, only two longshots — Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel — have endorsed nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage, which a majority of Americans oppose.

"No viable mainstream contender for president is going to support gay marriage in this election cycle," said Ethan Geto, an adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton on gay-rights issues. "I hope that's going to change in the next couple of elections."

Geto suggested that Clinton's hesitancy on same-sex marriage stemmed from her religious upbringing. Yet he also described her as a passionate supporter of other gay-rights causes who is willing to raise those issues even before non-gay audiences.

One of Clinton's chief rivals, John Edwards, has acknowledged wrestling with his stance on gay marriage.

"I feel enormous conflict about it," he said in a televised debate in July. "This is a very, very difficult issue for me."

He noted that his wife, Elizabeth, broke ranks with him in June and publicly endorsed same-sex marriage.

The third Democratic front-runner, Sen. Barack Obama, belongs to the United Church of Christ, which supports gay marriage, but Obama has yet to go that far.

Many gays and lesbians have submitted questions they would like posed at the forum; Charlene Strong of Seattle said she'd like to be there in person.

Her longtime partner, Kathryn Fleming, died in December after being trapped by floodwaters, and Strong was initially barred from the hospital room because she was not considered immediate family.

"I'd like the candidates to spell it out — what would you do to be sure that doesn't happen," Strong said. "How do you get to full equality?"

Evan Wolfson, a gay-rights lawyer and executive director of Freedom to Marry, said the good news — in his view — is that all the Democratic candidates support fairness for same-sex couples.

"The bad news is they haven't yet grasped that equality in marriage is how you achieve that fairness," Wolfson added. "There is no substitute. They wouldn't trade their marriage for a civil union. Why should gay Americans?"

Wolfson said he was frustrated by the candidates' sometimes awkward answers regarding same-sex marriage.

"Americans would respect someone who leads, rather than someone who ducks and evades," he said.

Another activist, Kate Kendell of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said she was unsure to what extent the candidates' hesitancy reflected deep-set beliefs as opposed to political calculations.

"Either way, it leaves lesbian and gay couples in the position of being publicly regarded as an inferior kind of relationship," she said.

However, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., one of two openly gay members of Congress, said he understood the candidates' caution.

"It's not wrong for people trying to become president to take political considerations into account," Frank said. "I don't want a bunch of martyrs on my side."

Among the Republicans, none of the candidates favor repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and only former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has supported limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.

Some conservative activists have denounced the upcoming forum.

"It's disgraceful that our nation's moral standards have now dipped so low that it's considered 'tolerant' to hold a debate organized entirely around the promotion of sexual immorality," said Matt Barber, cultural issues policy director for Concerned Women for America.

How about a link to your source.