Biden discusses gay rights in Iowa

[jillan]

Sioux City, Ia. - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Saturday discussed gay rights related to health care, civil unions and the military at a campaign stop in Sioux City.

Biden, speaking to an estimated 100 supporters at an early morning breakfast, said coverage under his proposed health care plan, or any universal plan, must be guaranteed as a constitutional right to all citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Biden added that he supports civil unions but not marriage for same-sex couples. He added that he does not think "it is the responsibility of the government to be able to define for a religious-based organization what constitutes a marriage."

The issue of gay marriage heated up in Iowa recently after a ruling from a Polk County district judge struck down Iowa's ban on same-sex marriage. The ruling is on hold pending a state Supreme Court appeal, although two men were able to get married in Des Moines.

The Delaware senator also said he feels the military's current "don't ask, don't tell" policy related to gay service members is a "bizarre" one. The military's major responsibility is to keep high standards, he said.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070916/NEWS09/709160333

[gateley]

1. The article also mentions he asked a soldier in Iraq what his opinion was and the

response was "Who cares? The question is can he shoot straight?" Something that's never occurred to a lot of the other politicians -- ask the people themselves.

[jillan]

2. I remember at one of the debates he said that if you are in a foxhole

with someone, you don't care if they are gay or not.

The whole "don't ask, don't tell" policy is
really, really dumb.

[gateley]

3. And as Biden said "bizarre". nt

[jillan]

4. Bizarre - a much better word to describe 'don't ask, don't tell" nt

[murbley40]

5. kick

:kick:

[BR_Parkway]

6. While I appreciate the support Senator, when are you going to introduce

legislation to repeal DADT? We have all these sitting Senator/Pres candidates saying how wrong it is and how they will do something about it if/when elected.

Last I checked, Congress wrote the laws - why haven't any of these Senators introduced legislation to repeal what they consider "bizarre" rules?