Not much of a debate if you ask me. Democratic candidates, one at a time, get asked pointed questions about their position on issues that matter to gays. Ryan Sager has a good liveblogging summary, and the Sun-Sentinel has a write-up:
The candidates underscored differences with Republicans on gay and lesbian rights, but leading candidates also faced aggressive questioning on their reluctance to embrace marriage for same-sex couples.
All of the Democratic candidates support a federal ban on anti-gay job discrimination, want to repeal 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.
Sure, but that's the easy stuff, what about gay arriage, an idea against which amendments have passed by large margins in most states of the union, including states that Democrats need to win the presidency.
Supports same-sex marriage:
- Obama: no, civil unions only.
- Hillary: no, civil unions only.
- Edwards: no.
- Richardson: no, country isn't ready.
- Gravel: yes.
- Kucinich: yes.
Serious candidates say no.
The gay-issues folks need to lower their expectations, they are not getting anything from the Democrats, and they sure won't be able to turn to the Republicans. Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, who haven't been anti-gay crusaders exactly, wouldn't dare to even show up at a forum like this.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. I personally don't see any problem with gay marriage. Some think marriage is only between a man and a woman, yet married people get divorced as quickly as they decide to get married. Here are people, who have been together for years, but aren't allowed to get married, because some feel marriage is sacred. Well the fact is the gays would probably treat it with more respect than some straight couples.
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Patrick at 1:54PM on Aug 10th 2007
2. I'm not a lawyer, but it seems to me that if a church official performed a gay marriage, the state could not rule it illegal. Any thoughts?
Steve Bonomo at 5:54PM on Aug 10th 2007
3. well patrick, the concept of marriage started out as a religious thing.greeks, romans,even pagans may have accepted same sex coupling,but they never allowed that type of marriage.and sense most of our laws are based on a mixture of greek, roman, religious writings i would say there is a very strong arguement for not allowing them.( don't get me wrong if you have benefits due to you, you should have the right to give them to whom ever you chose,they are yours after all)
having said that i am also forced to agree with steve. if a preacher says your married,then in the eyes of god you are. and no law can change that.
check you bill of rights.(religious freedom and all that jazz)
carl at 12:09AM on Aug 11th 2007
4. The open minded enlightened sexual identity entities , mixed in with all the perverted sexual fetishes for a sexual orientation rape kit of a destination for molestation that's the truth of the homosexual agenda situation.
Gays like to compare themselves to discrimination like racism to seek sympathy for there abnormality. It's a choice of how one decides to live there life. Anyone can become a drug addict it doesn't mean it's right, but it's a choice. Think any harm would be done if drug addicts go into the schools and tell children it's ok to try drugs?
When they began pushing for homosexual special rights it all started out with what ever two adults do in their bed room is up to them , seems fair and doesn't bother anyone. Then it all changed to come out of the closet , recruit and corrupt as many as you can especially young children .
The school systems were attacked with homosexual propaganda like Adolf Hitler's youth group mind control , your a racist , bigot and you make the Nazi death camp administrators look like Sunday school teachers if you don't agree and support homosexuality 100 % .
Gay Organizations have already infiltrated school systems and are teaching children it's ok to be gay before they are even old enough to know what sex is. To be fair must we have heroin awareness days in school and have junkies come in and teach the kids how to shoot up so they don't get aids. Just like the gay groups it would be in the guise of doing good helping prevent aids . When all it's really doing is getting children sexually active early so they can join the aids lottery.
Next target was the churches and trying to change truths into lies . Total acceptance of homosexuality is being forced on everyone . I reject homosexuality and all sick perverted sex fetishes they are trying to make special civil rights.
Johnny Audacity at 11:41AM on Aug 11th 2007
5. As A Gay Couple of 8 wonderful years I must say that I hate the word Gay Marriage. I just want marriage equlity! When there was firstlegalized inter-racial marriage it was not called that in the law! It also gave Chruches the rihgt not to marry those couples. Now it would be better if they did get married.
As a Gay man married to the person I loves was performed by the minister of our Church! Yes Gay people do believe in God at about the same rate as straight people. It is just hard to find a Church that will allow you in or make you feel comfortable.
Let met tell you. I was raise a Mormon in a small town in Idaho. I was never raped and the first time I realized I was different I was only 5! I didn't even know what "Queer" meant until my father told me at 16! I wanted right there to tell him that was me but even though I was very close to both my parents I had to stay in the closet until I finished my Mormon Mission. I had already become an Egael scot! Why did I turn out to be gay! No one chooses to be GAY! Just think about it, when did you have the choice? And why would you want to be hated so much. Why would you want to get almost merdered by some Homo-Ignorat person! We are both 55! How far back in marraige do you want to go? Do you want all women treated as property? Well you don't have to go back that far. Would you like you Minister to marry you to your love? Well 150 years ago you couldn't it was agaisnt the law! Come on people. We are just a very nice neighbot that lives in a very nice town that alllows us to be openly GAY and Proud. Not so much of Proud to be Gay but proud to have made it this far! Heterosexality in not normal! It is only Common! And no marrage is allowed between anyone of the same sex through out The USA. The Land of the free? Does anyone know that a Lesbian worte America the Beautiful that American sing all the time! Think about that next time you hear it!
Michael Thomson at 11:58AM on Aug 11th 2007
6. These Democratic "debates" have morphed into a series of prime time enterainment hours (UTube, Gay and Lesbian enterainers, etc), with focus on issues that most Americans don't put in their top ten, let alone, their top five for PRESIDENTIAL candidates to discuss. That leaves the REAL issues left without discussions! It's even more revealing to Americans that these (serious) candidates would even subject themselves to these ridiculous side shows.
Jean at 12:34PM on Aug 11th 2007
7. I don’t understand why this is a federal issue. Wouldn’t things be a lot easier if this was all up to the individual states?
Kate at 12:46PM on Aug 11th 2007
8. Who? The Dems really hunt for the most obscure. This woman is on par with the snowman on U Tube.
IRONBLUEEYES at 1:51PM on Aug 11th 2007
9. When is the straight peoples' forum??
jt at 3:22PM on Aug 11th 2007
10. Who? The Dems really hunt for the most obscure. This woman is on par with the snowman on U Tube.
IRONBLUEEYES at 6:49PM on Aug 11th 2007
11. gay marriage-no
yes people are disgustingly cheap with the value of the institution of marriage THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD FURTHER ERODE AWAY THE FABRIC WE SO GRAVELY NEED TO DEFEND,HONOR AND RESPECT FAR MORE THAN WHAT THE DIVORCE RATES REFLECT AND PERVERT IT EVEN WORSE TO GAY UNION GROSS DESTRUCTION...EEEEWH. YUK. NO WAY JOSE!!!
MICHELLE COVAIS at 6:52AM on Aug 12th 2007
12. Is it NFL season yet?
phoenix arizona auto insurance, car, home owner, life insurance quote at 8:41PM on Aug 12th 2007
13. I try to watch all the debates and on Logo's forum Barack Obama was lying his head off when it came to the root subject of Equal and Civil Rights for all Americans. I have been calling Barack Obama a racist and invite him to sue if I’m acting in bad faith. I say there is a reason a former civil rights attorney does not run for president with civil rights as a main issue and if you are a Hispanic American from the state of Illinois this concerns you. It can be verified having already been placed on repeated formal notice Barack Obama has taken no action to stop or even call for any investigation into IDHR & EEOC’s discriminatory practices that mistreat, harm , and prevent Illinois Hispanic American complainants from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to by IDHR & EEOC. There can be no dispute that since 2004 I was and still now am not being allowed to assert & memorialize a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination with IDHR & EEOC focusing instead on manipulating the charging process by IDHR & EEOC repeatedly pressuring me to sign (upon threat of dismissing my charges) only IDHR & EEOC prepared “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination in which IDHR & EEOC never memorialized my clear unambiguous claim of discrimination based on RACE that I have always maintained against Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW since 2004. Even to date IDHR & EEOC have not provided me any state law or state rule and/or federal law or federal rule that excludes and/or prohibits any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from asserting and memorializing a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination at the agency IDHR and/or at the agency EEOC. Despite bringing this to Barack Obama’s attention Barack Obama and his office having full knowledge and understanding has continued to ignore the fact that I, one of his Illinois Hispanic American constituents, is unlawfully being treated unequally by IDHR & EEOC. IDHR & EEOC (For instance but not limited to) has attempted to dissuade me, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, from filing charges, misrepresenting facts in the public record, and IDHR & EEOC is excluding & denying me , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, a fair & full opportunity to memorialize my assertion of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges during the charge process without IDHR & EEOC ever providing in a clear straightforward honest manner an actual written legal justification that shows under what actual discriminatory Illinois law and/or federal law allows IDHR & EEOC to exclude any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to & enjoy as matter of record at IDHR & EEOC. As a result of Barack Obama’s failure to insure that his Illinois Hispanic American constituents are not being prevented from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert discrimination based on RACE at the agencies IDHR & EEOC and Barack Obama’s failure to even call for an investigation to immediately redress this serious matter Barack Obama is effectively aiding and abetting Race discrimination, obstructing justice, and shielding Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW from ultimately being held accountable for Hormel Foods Corporation and UFCW (for instance but not limited to) violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting me an Illinois Hispanic American citizen to discrimination based on RACE. The fact and truth of the matter is Barack Obama can not deny that I one of his constituents, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, brought to his attention that there is substantial evidence about IDHR & EEOC interfering with my right for an investigation into my claim of discrimination based on RACE against Hormel Foods & UFCW from ever being conducted to date. Because I , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, have the audacity to believe I am equal under the Laws of the United States Of America I refuse to believe IDHR & EEOC, Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW (Despite Barack Obama’s inaction) are above the law and will not ultimately be held accountable for the above mentioned actions.
Chaos45i at 3:22PM on Aug 13th 2007
14. Do any of you actually think before you hit the enter button. Listen to yourselves, everyone talks up agreeing to disagree and instead you people only knock each other down. This is what is wrong with this country, God bless it, today. We are taught as children to care and love everyone reguardless of the color of skin, social standings, what have you, YET you stand against everything you teach or try to teach your very own children when you stand and blast me for my lifestyle or anyone else for that matter. We need to stand together as a nation or as the old saying goes we fall divided. You need NOT approve of my lifestyle nor I of yours, but that doesn't mean that I don't still care about the final outcome for my fellow man. Why must people be led by ignorance just to bypass a theory of live and let live? I am not asking you to become a PROUD MEMBER of the Gay and Lesbian community, I am simply suggesting that we share a common road so why dig potholes for each other why not just travel in harmony all the while bettering the lives of all children in this country? Don't we all tell our children to strive for good sportsmanship? So why do we as adults fight so hard against it? You live your life and I will live mine, but honestly the world would be a much better place if we all made a fair and honest attempt to get along. How about we just do away with marriage all together and only allow civil unions whether for a straight couple or a gay couple. As a footnote to the heterosexual population who wish to oppress the Gay and Lesbian community, Remember the old saying is that when you truely have to work and fight for something it means more to you, SO I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US TO LEARN THE TRUE AND HONEST MEANING OF THAT VERY STATEMENT AND REMEMBER YOU CHOSE THE BATTLE NOT US!
Stephanie at 9:26AM on Aug 14th 2007
15. Gay and Lesbian is a desease needed to be cure through professional and experience specialists.The fact that our minds control our thoughts and actions speaks volume to the point that these people really need help.They got caught in false imagination and pretense and also associated with shy,fear and low self esteem.Other reasons stemmed from life experiences and upbringing at home also influence their mind and character.Emotion cannot translate to changing sexual organs but emotion can be control by the God given part of the whole body call the BRAIN.
Jor at 2:30AM on Aug 16th 2007