How can Hillary be better for gay rights...?

[Avalon6]

If her base depends on blue collar white voters, the very people that strongly oppose gay marriage? Think about it, her base made up of older folks, the rural working class, and gun-owning conservative democrats that oppose progressive reforms like gay marriage. Do you really think Clinton would take up an issue like gay rights that would divide her base?

[anonymous171]

1. I think Obama should challenge her on this, just to see what she says.

[sandnsea]

2. Obama should not use gay marriage

as a wedge. He hasn't run a campaign targeted at those people and he needs to, that's all.

[Avalon6]

3. Why not? People don't realize how fragile her base is.

She is depending on blue collar workers, who could easily turn around and vote for McCain.

[sandnsea]

4. Why not use gay people as a wedge??

Gosh, I don't think you have to think hard to figure out that answer.

[anonymous171]

5. Hillary would do it.

[dsc]

10. Yeah I remember Hillary sending an ex gay gospel singer to fundraise for her

in NC and drum up support among her base, no wait, that wasn't her, that was Obama.

[anonymous171]

12. Donnie McClurkin is a popular gospel singer, not just an "ex-gay"

[dsc]

15. what part of gospel singer was unclear in my post?

was it gospel or singer? Yes you deserve all of that snark. I heard David Duke is a great writer, will we be seeing him sometime soon?

[TechBear_Seattle]

20. And Jerry Foulwell was a "popular preacher"

Would that have excused a Democratic candidate who had him stumping for him?

[Bensthename]

6. LOL.. Her homophobe base would fold..

That is a good point.

[TechBear_Seattle]

7. How can gay people support someone who's on the record as strongly against gay rights?

Equal marriage is NOT a single issue. It is: common property, default medical power of attorney, visitation to hospitals and prisons, health insurance, survivor benefits, parental rights and physical, legal and financial protections should the relationship be dissolved. Federal law recognizes nearly 800 DIFFERENT rights, protections and priviledges by statute. States differ, but Washington recognizes another 800 or so. That comes to about 1600 rights that come with marriage.

And you dare tell us that all of these are irrelevant just because some blue collar bigot is "strongly opposed" to my marrying my same-sex partner?

Screw you.

[Avalon6]

8. I'm pretty sure she considers her base of blue collar workers more important

Since that is the only way she can win states like Ohio.

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. That doesn't answer my question, does it? n/t

[dsc]

9. there is one group of Democrats more opposed than older voters

black ones. I don't think this strategy would be terribly effective for him.

[Avalon6]

19. Blacks may oppose gay marriage but I doubt you will find any Fred Phelps among them

[dsc]

22. Meet Rev. Hutcherson

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=72295&mesg_id=72295

The Rev in that thread, who wanted 1000 people to protest a high school day of silence, is black.

[hulklogan]

23. He also convinced many in his congregation to buy Microsoft stock and donate it to the church

so he could fight Microsoft's support of equality for GLBT Americans.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/346431_antiochmsft08.html

My God hates him.

[EFerrari]

11. That's a good question, isn't it. n/t

[closeupready]

16. And the answer, IMO, is she isn't better ultimately. But

responses here to questions about her approach to GLBT issues run the gamut from, "Obama's worse!" to "Obama's worse!"

[EFerrari]

18. Not really. That 20 year history at Trinity means, for Obama,

that he supported a congregation that supported the gay community.

He never shilled for DOMA with anti-gay ads as the Clintons did.

Did his people book that idiot to make a point? Yes, they did.

But, if you honestly look at the history, his is much better.

I guess I just feel pissed that the gay community has to choose between two people who have so little to say.

[closeupready]

24. I agree with you. Don't get me wrong, I dislike both of these candidates.

I'm just trying (as you are) to make a fair assessment, because GLBT issues are very important to me. And so far, nobody has been able to explain precisely why Hillary is a better choice. I can only presume that's because it's unclear even to her GLBT supporters. Not exactly an encouraging sign.

[EFerrari]

26. No, there's nothing to be encouraged about except, maybe, maybe

that for 20 years Obama openly attended a congregation that OPENLY supported the gay community.

That's not much but, it's as much as I can find in either of them.

[Creideiki]

28. I've tried before and it's really late right now

Maybe tomorrow I'll have the energy to try again.

In the meantime, consider this: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/08/gay-power.html

Start looking at voting rates by demographic and finding one with this potential turnout can really be critical in November.

[EFerrari]

30. It's not possible for me to judge the outrage or frustration

at how little either candidate is committing to the GLBT community.

[Smarmie Doofus]

14. No. She leaves that to the "little gray people".

>>>Do you really think Clinton would take up an issue like gay rights that would divide her base?>>>>

i.e. her surrogates. She is ... and will countinue to be.. all things to all people: pretending to be pro-gay in the Philly gay ghetto and media, while pretending we don't exist when talking to a broader audience.

In the meantime, her GLBT surrogates savage Obama over McClurkin and the other religious koo-koos while she herself says ..............................................*nothing*.

(BTW, did you know there are no antigay RW nuts supporting Clinton?? Didya? *NONE*! Only Obama attracts these people. Oh, and see me later about a certain bridge for sale in lower Manahattan)

[NJSecularist]

17. You have no way to prove that the majority of blue collar white Democrats opposite gay marriage.

I'd like to see some data.

[Avalon6]

21. Here you go:

From Pew Research (http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=273):

Notice how the less educated and older demographics tend to be against gay rights (Hillary's base)

[Jed Dilligan]

25. Welcome to DU!

We need more reality-based-community members here.

[NJSecularist]

27. Hillary's base is not Republican blue-collar voters.

Her base is Democratic blue-collar voters. I'd like to see the education breakdown by party.

[PBS Poll-435]

31. Thanks for posting that chart...

The ONLY group to have a decrease in support of adoption is the group that supports Obama 85%+.

Who is going to have the harder sell?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. Her Base Is Also Latino... They Are Most Favorably Predisposed To Gay Marriage

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=20f41f94-d412-4b19-8655-b1412e053db9


As to working class whites, Ms. Clinton can be their Yoda on the road to their enlightenment...

[TheDonkey]

29. Don't worry, they realize Hillary will throw gays under the bus once given the oppurtunity

but there are other pressing issues that are bringing rural voters to Hillary and I'll give you a hint... it isn't arugula.