Dems Stop Short of Endorsing Gay Marriage

[kayell]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030716/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_gays_4

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The leading Democratic presidential candidates support gay couples having the same legal rights as husbands and wives, but stop short of saying they have a right to marry.


Most of the White House hopefuls attending a presidential forum hosted Tuesday by the Human Rights Campaign — a leading gay advocacy group — expressed their support for gay civil unions.


Only three candidates — Al Sharpton, Carol Moseley Braun and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio — said federal law should approve same-sex marriages.


The comments of the top candidates did not go over well with some in the crowd. The audience hissed when Sens. Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts said marriage is a right reserved in America for men and women.

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[wryter2000]

1. Hmmm...

I caught some of the discussion last night on CSPAN-2. Carol M-B also said that marriage was a function of state law, so I wouldn't say she said the federal government ought to back gay marriage.

Dean did very well, imho, even though Donalson more or less pinned him down with "So it sounds like you'd support everything except using the word 'marriage.'"

When they announced Lieberman, we turned off the TV. We *knew* what to expect from him, and we were right.

[LeftCoast]

2. Wishy-washy middle-of-the-roaders

Out of all these folks (not counting Sharpton, Braun & Kucinich), only Dean has satisfactorily anwered this question.

Oh, and what the hell is up with this:

"The audience hissed when Sens. Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts said marriage is a right reserved in America for men and women."

Gee, like I needed any more reason not to want to vote for Lieberman. Kerry's a surprise (and a massive, massive disapointment). Only way I'll vote for either of them is if there's no other choice.

[dolstein]

3. Middle of the roaders? Gimme a frigging break

Sorry, but I just don't buy the argument that someone who stops short of endorsing gay marriage (and that would include Howard Dean) is a "middle of the roader." This is the most gay friendly group of Democratic candidates we've ever had, and frankly it makes little sense for any candidate with the hope of getting the nomination to get any further to the left on this issue than they already have. It's not as if there's any chance of pushing a gay marriage bill through the Congress. Hell, I doubt there's even a Congressional majority in support of relaxing the don't ask don't tell policy. So all this talk about gay marriage is just that -- talk. It's easy for people like Braun and Sharpton to come out in favor of gay marriage -- neither of them can win the nomination, much less the general election. You sound like someone who's far more interested in nominating a left-wing candidate than electing a new president. If you think that a Bush landslide is going to advance the gay rights agenda, I'd sure like you to explain how.

[w4rma]

4. I agree, dolsein

This issue needs to be treated as a marathon, not a sprint.

[dsc]

5. We may not need Congress on DADT

The reason President Clinton was unable to unilateraly lift the policy of exclusion was the anti sodomy law in the UMCJ. That may well be moot now. If that is the case a Democratic president can simply do what Truman did.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

6. Related Article

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=16108&mesg_id=16108&page=

DTH
DU Moderator