Major breakthrough: HRC supports equal FEDERAL benefits for gays.

[pnwmom]

Now it's time for Obama to step up, too.

And for those who don't get it: this was a BRAVE step for her to take before the Pennsylvania election -- it may well cost her votes there. Pennsylvanian voters are NOT like voters in Massachusetts or Vermont.

http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/Sen._Clinton_calls_for_equal_federal_benefits_for_gay_cou_0403.html

Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she would defend gay rights as president and eliminate disparities for same-sex couples in federal law, including immigration and tax policy.

Clinton said states such as New Jersey and Massachusetts are extending rights to gay couples "and the federal government should recognize that and should extend the same access to federal benefits across the board. I will very much work to achieve that."

Clinton's comments came in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News that was posted on its Web site Thursday.

SNIP

Clinton said she opposes a measure that would ban gay marriage in Pennsylvania.

"I would be very distressed if Pennsylvania were to adopt that kind of mean-spirited referendum and I hope it won't happen," she said.

Clinton's Democratic rival Barack Obama and Republican John McCain declined the newspaper's invitation for an interview. The paper criticized Obama and highlighted his refusal to talk by leaving a blank space on the front page where his interview would have appeared.

Clinton also said she would:

_ Eliminate her husband's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that prevents gays from serving openly in the military. . . .

_ Be "very strongly outspoken" against foreign governments that execute gays and use financial assistance and other leverage to prevent the killings.

_ Support federal domestic partner legislation to extend rights to all same-sex couples.

SNIP

[Orangepeel]

1. Obama has always full federal benefits. It's on his site and he said so the other day on Hardball.

Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as
married couples, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency as well as equal
health insurance, employment benefits, and property and adoption rights. Obama also believes we need
to fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal
legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex
couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/lgbt.pdf

[pnwmom]

2. Why did he refuse an interview with the gay newspaper then?

[NJSecularist]

5. Good grief. What does one have to do with the other?

Talk about looking for something to get offended about.

[pnwmom]

10. In the midst of the PA primary campaign, he and McCain refused an interview

with the Philadelphia Gay News -- if you read the OP, that's what it says.

Only HRC agreed to talk with them.

What does it have to do with his stance on gay issues? It appears that he'd rather skirt the issues than talk about them.

[Zachstar]

13. Even tho they are right in his site?

What on earth is wrong with you?

[pnwmom]

18. They are not listed ANYWHERE among the "issues" on Obama's site.

I have looked there before, and I looked there just now.

It turns out they are not easy to find, unless you know to look under "People" rather than issues -- and unless you happen to know -- as many ordinary voters would NOT -- that clicking on the letters LGBT would get you to a page stating Obama's positions on gay rights.

I don't think it's an accident that he doesn't include gay rights among the "issues." Sorry, but I don't. It's clear to me that this is an issue that he doesn't want up front and center.

[NJSecularist]

20. Good grief.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

Look at this site. Where does it say anything about LGBT rights under "Issues".

Your strawman argument is getting exposed.

[pnwmom]

25. But she WAS willing to have a long interview with the Philadelphia Gay News,

in the midst of the primary campaign, while McCain and Obama were not.

You're right -- I hadn't looked at her website. I hadn't needed to. Her views on the issues were strongly expressed in her interview.

[NJSecularist]

33. Obama's views on the issues were strongly expressed in his Colege Hardball Tour

This cognitive dissonance and ignorance by you does nobody any good...

[pnwmom]

41. This was the first I ever heard of that, since I avoid watching Hardball.

As do many progressives. Sorry, but I'm unlikely to ever become a Tweety fan.

Even if Obama gives him a thrill up his leg. (Yeah, I did hear about that.)

[CitizenRob]

40. So he won't talk to a tiny newspaper.

I'm gay and I didn't expect Hillary to do a Bay Area Reporter (gay paper) interview anytime soon.

[pnwmom]

44. It was actually a pool of LGBT newspapers, acting together, that were unable

to obtain an interview, not just one.

I found that out on the site of the PGN itself.

[NJSecularist]

26. Wow.

Go look at this site.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com

LGBT rights aren't even listed under "Issues".

[CitizenRob]

45. THANK YOU. Hillary won't even MENTION us as existing on her site.

[cali]

36. he said it in front of a live audience of thousands and a TV

audience of millions on Hardball's College Tour, and that's riskier than saying it to a magazine with a small readership. He's said it over and over. You look pathetic and nitpicky.

[pnwmom]

37. I don't watch Hardball, if that's what you're talking about.

You got me there.

[CitizenRob]

49. I know it's hard to imagine gays are PEOPLE for some people...

http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

[NJSecularist]

14. Obama has the right to refuse an interview with any magazine.

Just because it is a gay magazine doesn't give them special rights.

Nice job sidetracking though, from your original point. I see you tried for that GOTCHA and you failed.

[Zachstar]

16. Yes his point has been fully proven BS in my view.

The side crap is not going to work Clinton supporters. The bag of tricks has been used up.

[pnwmom]

27. I'm not a Clinton supporter. I'm bi-candidate.

But I am, as the daughter of a gay man, a member of the gay community. That's where my interest here lies.

[Lerkfish]

47. why did Clinton agree to talk to Scaife, then?

we could go round and round on this.

[rodeodance]

24. Good grief--he is in PA--sends the wrong message--not that I care

[GarbagemanLB]

6. ...your question was answered, and yet instead of acknowledging, you just post another question...

[pnwmom]

17. I went to Obama's website, and read through all the "issues" and NONE

of them -- not Civil Rights, or Family, or any other issue -- addressed the members of the gay community.

Why not? Isn't gay marriage a matter of civil rights? Aren't families with gay parents included among families?

Finally, after several false starts, I got to the "People" section -- and 2/3 of the way down the list it says "LGBT." Even then, unless you knew what LGBT meant -- which MANY voters would not -- you wouldn't know that clicking on that link would bring you to Obama's positions on gay issues.

I was looking specifically looking for his positions, and I couldn't find them. So the question is -- why? Why is it so hard to find his stance on these issues? Did they set up his site this way so that people who weren't familiar with the term LBGT wouldn't find this information unless they were really looking for it?

[Zachstar]

19. So what is the site supposed to call LGBT?

The many thousand slang words?

The point of such a page is to show the issues that are important to people. If a person is serious about an issue they will know what the standard word is.

If I am serious about the Space Shuttle I know what STS means. (Shuttle Transportation System)

[anigbrowl]

34. At least he has a people section - you won't find anything on hillaryclinton.com

I had to search on google to find a page on the issue (http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/lgbt/).

[Syrinx]

38. links

http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/lgbt.pdf

[CitizenRob]

42. I saw his position on his website, supports Civil Unions (ie, Sep. but eq) same as Hills

"LGBT home" at BarackObama.com

[Zachstar]

7. pnwmom, What does that got to do with anything?

Your point got shut down and now you want to twist it. That is not going to work.

[EmilyAnne]

9. What newspaper? When? What did he say in his refusal? Its hard to glean much meaning from your

statement.

I heard Barack Obama say the exact same thing, that he supported full federal benefits for gay couples in a civil union. He mentioned, in fact, that there are 1200 particular rights and privileges that gay couples without civil unions are denied.

[Zachstar]

11. It is strange. Why do some Clinton supporters want to go with the gay couple issue to attack Obama?

It will not work. It never worked!!

And it wont do anything in PA.

[pnwmom]

23. I am not a Clinton supporter.

I think they both have strengths and weaknesses. For example, she's better on health care and gay issues. He's better on Iraq and fund-raising (which is very important). I will be happy to support either of them in the general election.

But I think, knowing Pennsylvania politics, her willingness to be interviewed by the Philadelphia Gay News -- which won't help her among typical PA voters -- was significant.

[thewiseguy]

28. She already has the endorsement of the two major gay groups there

Plus you do not the real reason why Obama refused to give this interview and neither do I. So lets not speculate here.

[pnwmom]

21. The OP says that he and McCain refused interviews with the Philly Gay News.

HRC was brave enough to give one.

[thewiseguy]

22. Really...what does one thing have to do with the other?

[totodeinhere]

30. He gets way more requests for interviews than he could ever have time for.

After all, he only has 24 hours in a day. I suspect that there is nothing more to it than that.

But let's be clear, Obama supports full legal rights for couples in civil partnerships. His position is identical to that of Clinton.

[dbackjon]

61. He was too busy hanging out with homophobes?

[Zachstar]

4. And that ends any thought that Obama is not stepping up to the plate.

[UALRBSofL]

12. Clinton has said this months ago so why did they all the sudden

decide to print it now. Just google GayWired and once at there site search Hillary Clinton DOMA and there is an article about Federal Benefits and how she supports Federal Benefits for same sex marriages in all the states. So, Hilary was for it before Obama was.

[Zachstar]

15. You dont tell people to go search. You link

And what part of "Always" is not understandable.

And while we are on the subject. If both candidates support the same thing. What on earth is the discussion about? And how does that affect results in PA?

This is pointless.

[not_too_L8]

3. Where have you been? Obama's for equality

said it awhile ago

[Zachstar]

8. Looks like they are getting desperate in my view.

I have seen this crap tossed before. For some reason they keep trying it even tho it does not stick.

If Clinton is just now saying this then SHE is the one who has some explainin' to do

[pnwmom]

29. But he doesn't want to talk about it to the Philadelphia Gay News during

the Pennsylvania primary campaign.

Some support.

[thewiseguy]

32. Again what does one thing have to do with another?

You should go ahead and research Obama's stances and the speeches he has given to the gay crowd before you come here and throw non sense around.

[pnwmom]

35. "The gay crowd"???

WTF?

[thewiseguy]

39. He has given speeches to gay supporters

Would not be too hard to look that stuff up.

http://www.observer.com/2008/obama-feasibility-gay-marriage-rights

[thewiseguy]

43. Obama addresses gay crowd at NYC fundraiser

http://www.towleroad.com/2008/04/barack-obama-ad.html

Yes gay crowd.

[pnwmom]

48. You used the term "the gay crowd."

Which has a very different connotation than to say that he spoke to a large crowd of gays.

Thank you for clarifying this.

[thewiseguy]

51. The title of my link does say "gay crowd". Stop overanalyzing things!

[pnwmom]

53. That was an after-the-fact link. I had no way to know about it at the

time I responded to your post. Did you expect me to read your mind?

I thanked you for clarifying what you meant. Enough already.

[goletian]

54. so what? you were wrong, end of story. nt

[madrchsod]

31. the problem is both of them will need

over 60 senators to pass anything. i doubt they will have that luxury. there are to many cowards on the democratic side of the aisle...

[Barack_America]

46. If I recall, this is one part of DOMA.

Both candidates are full the repeal of this portion.

There is another part to DOMA; Obama is for its repeal as well, Hillary is not (though it seems to be for strategic reasons, not a lack of commitment for gay rights).

Neither candidate supports gay marriage.

[pnwmom]

52. She opposes a PA ban on gay marriage, calling it "mean-spirited."

Which is an important first step.

"Clinton said she opposes a measure that would ban gay marriage in Pennsylvania.

'I would be very distressed if Pennsylvania were to adopt that kind of mean-spirited referendum and I hope it won't happen,' she said."

[Barack_America]

55. Again, no policy distinction here.

I am certain that Obama too would oppose a Pennsylvanian gay marriage ban, as it would almost certainly be used to deprive gay couples the right to civil unions.

[pnwmom]

62. Then why didn't he at least send the newspaper (actually, a pool of

newspapers) written responses to their questions?

[JoFerret]

50. Hillary LEADS the way again

.

[Barack_America]

56. Lol. Except that Obama proposed this MONTHS ago.

As did Hillary, as well, to be fair.

Their relative positions on DOMA is old news.

Nice try though.

[JoFerret]

57. Obama will "deliver" gays from their sin

and they will be so grateful.

[Barack_America]

58. Yeah. Okay, nutjob....

Whatever you say.

:eyes:

[JoFerret]

59. When in doubt over the issues...

call someone names.
That's always a handy strategy.

[Barack_America]

60. My friend, I know the issues. I know the candidates' positions.

You do not. Which is why you've responded as you have in this thread.

You do not know what you are talking about.

None of what you have written is based in fact.

I don't know what your motive is here, but it apparently is not to educate yourself.

[JoFerret]

64. My dear friend - arrogance and

ignorance aligned with false assumptions and vituperation are an unsavory combination.

Memo to self on education:
I must never question orthodoxy from my friend and must believe everything she says.
I must never question orthodoxy from my friend and must believe everything she says.

[pnwmom]

63. No, just his friends like McLurkin.

Oh, that's right -- we're not supposed to mention that name anymore.

It makes people uncomfortable.