Clinton Says She's 'Evolved' On Gay Marriage

[William769]

(New York City) In an appearance early Wednesday evening in front of roughly three-dozen LGBT leaders, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton indicated that she would not oppose efforts by Eliot Spitzer, the odds-on favorite to become the new governor, to enact a same-sex marriage law in New York.

She also suggested that language she used when she first ran for the Senate in 2000 explaining her opposition to marriage equality based on the institution's moral, religious, and traditional foundations had not reflected the "many long conversations" she's had since with "friends" and others, and that her advocacy on LGBT issues "has certainly evolved."

On Wednesday, Clinton presented her position on marriage equality as more one of pragmatism.

"I believe in full equality of benefits, nothing left out," she said. "From my perspective there is a greater likelihood of us getting to that point in civil unions or domestic partnerships and that is my very considered assessment."
Clinton addressed a gathering organized by the Greater Voices Coalition made up of LGBT Democratic organizations citywide. Leaders of those clubs, along with out elected officials, including Democratic district leaders and state committee members, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, state Senator Tom Duane, and Assemblymembers Deborah Glick and Daniel O'Donnell, were in attendance. The meeting, which was held at the Upper East Side home of a Clinton supporter, ran for more than an hour.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606clinton.htm

I knew she would come around, Thats one thing I love about her, she's willing to learn.

[rodeodance]

1. so nice to see thinking, refective Senators. Thanks Hil.

[keepCAblue]

2. Separate but equal.

"civil unions or domestic partnerships" :puke:

Seems she's still got some evolving yet to do.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Train's pulling out. Clinton jumps on board.

Spitzer ( next Gov. ) is backing marriage. State senate pick-ups likely on Elliot 's coat-tails.Legislative approval is exponentially more likely next year. Marriage equality in NYS once a pipe dream, is nearing reality.

Thanks , Hillary, for your fearless and tireless advocacy of marriage equality over the years. What a leader. What a visionary.

Yeah.

[Sapphocrat]

4. Pander, pander, pander. n/t

[davidinalameda]

5. I have to give her props on this

it's a good start and now maybe Bill will come out and say it was a mistake for him to sign DOMA

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Long life is a blessing, but to live that long would be a curse n/t

[readmoreoften]

6. I wonder if she'll change her mind back when she talks to a

different constituency.

[IndianaGreen]

7. We cannot afford to wait for Hillary to "evolve" on LGBT rights, the war, etc.

Hillary is still trying to have it both ways! She tells small groups of LGBTs that she is "evolving" on what should have been a core issue. This is like hearing segregationist George Wallace say that he no longer supports segregation but sees nothing wrong in "red lining," the practice of keeping Blacks and other minorities from buying homes in white neighborhoods.

Heteros don't read gay publications, so they wouldn't know about Hillary's "evolution" on LGBT marriage rights, and they won't know about it until Hillary speaks out publicly and forcibly on this issue.

We can ill-afford to wait for Hillary to "evolve" on LGBT rights, the war in Iraq, or anything else. We have better candidates that will be running in 2008 for President that have not waffled on LGBT rights, or on the war.

[ronnykmarshall]

8. How DARE she????????

:sarcasm:

I loves me some HIL-rey!

[TaleWgnDg]

9. "Hillary, Hillary, Hillary . . . "

Is it the art of compromise upon compromise to the eventual goal? Or is it merely a wetting of your finger into the political wind of the day? Centralist leanings this way or that? Appeasements?

It is known that Mrs. Clinton has a law degree from one of America's best law schools; therefore, she does know -- and quite well, too -- that marriage grants all the benefits, privileges, duties and obligations under the entire umbrella of state and federal laws, as well as arguably foreign laws too. Thus, Mrs. Clinton well knows that anything less in law is discrimination, period.

Evolve? Nah. Just making political hay, s'all.

[Vorta]

10. Political Reality

• She can't do us any good if she can't get elected.

• Do you think George Bush or half of the Reps in Congress give a rat's ass about gay marriage? They don't, but they do exploit it and it works.

• There are plenty of gay people who still have plenty of work to do to make this happen. They need to make sure that their parents are voting with their children. I know a surprising number of gay adults who "don't talk about it" with their parents. They have parents who vote Republican who are clueless at how vicious the Republicans truly are in this regard. They think they are voting for economic and national security (not that that's true either).

We are winning in the street and the living room, but we still have tons more to do.

[sui generis]

11. a whole stack of political hay

Hillary, here's a question that needs a direct answer:

Do you support equal marriage, yes or no?

Not "do you plan to oppose or get in the way", because that's dishonest.

I appreciate the grudging nod to growing up into a full human, but we don't need people who aren't LEADERS on the topic manifesting LAW on the topic.