AmericaBlog: Hillary, Unlike Obama, Only Talks About Gays To Gay Press

My friend Phil Attey asks why Obama keeps mentioning gays and lesbians in his speeches - speeches he makes to the public at large, not just gay audiences - and Hillary never does. Phil writes:

Last month, a gay Philadelphian LGBT publisher raised the issue that Senator Obama, though often addressing LGBT issues and including us in his major speeches, was not granting his publication an exclusive interview. Senator Obama quickly addressed the issue and granted an exclusive interview to the national LGBT publication, The Advocate.

Tonight, following the Pennsylvania Primary, Senator Obama once again showed his commitment to our community by including us in his address to the nation. Senator Clinton, speech, once again, did not include us, and it brings up the issue that hers never do.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[WaynesWhirled]

Hillary doesn't have a "gay problem". She consistently recieves the majority of the LGBT vote. She consistently speaks out about LGBT issues, Obama on the other hand has to be forced into speaking with gay media. And if Hillary was afraid that she will be viewed as pro-gay as this ridiculous article suggests, why would she attend (and be photographed) attending so many gay pride marches, where as Obama has never even attended one.

[butchie65]

She sent Chelsea out at whatever time of night with Rendell, why didn't she go there herself ? She sends her to a gay bar and uses her own daughter. If she is for the gays then do it yourself, don't send your daughter. She's nothing but a hypocrite just like someone else said.

[AdamX]

Is Huma Abedin Hillary's lover? That might explain part of her "Gay Problem".

Who knows - yet. But, there are only 4 possibilities:

1: Hillary has no romantic life and is sexless.

2: Hillary does it with Bill.

3: Hillary has a guy on the side.

4: Hillary has a woman on the side.

[DeanLowe]

If she has such a problem with Gays then why would she go to any Pride parades? Has Obama ever been photographed at a Pride parade?

[Vern58]

Does the presence of one politician at a pride parade automatically ensure the community's loyalty. I am sorry, but it looks more like the vote pandering HRC we have all come to know and love was doing what she does best. I am certain she would throw us under the next bus if it was politically expedient for her to do so, just as her husband did.

[joeyp404]

Would it hurt for Barack to pander once in a while?

[paul15260]

She was at the pride parade with a big black hat.

[JackNasty]

Can you think of a bigger non-issue than attending a gay pride parade or giving an interview to a Hillary supporting editor in Pennsylvania because I can't?

Hillary supports keeping most of DOMA. Her husband signed it into law . Twice burned by the Clintons is enough for most of us.

Obama talks about homophobia in black churches. He has pledged to repeal both DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell in their entireties.

Get your priorities in order, girlfriend.

[OverIt]

I'm soooo OVER Hillary AND name-trolls!

[BatedBreath]

I like that hat, Hill.

[WaynesWhirled]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/04/politics/main3993547.shtml

Hillary Clinton has pledged to eliminate the disparities for same-sex couples under Federal law, effectively ending the DOMA policy. CBS news covered the story (click the link above and read it for yourself) it was a big announcement, but I guess Obama supporters only read and hear what they want to.
She has also pledged to end the military policy of Dont Ask Dont Tell.

[PrdAmerican]

So has Obama...he has pledged to lift the ban on gays in the military and repeal ALL OF DOMA if it arrives at his desk.

http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2007/06/obama_and_doma.html

[mooph]

They're such copycats! ;)

[JackNasty]

"So has Obama...he has pledged to lift the ban on gays in the military and repeal ALL OF DOMA if it arrives at his desk."--PrdAmerican

Yes, he has many times.

[mooph]

Good on her.

But the part she's not pledging to repeal is that no state (or other political subdivision within the United States) need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.

If she gets the Federal non-recognition of same sex marriage repealed, then it opens the door to throw out the second part (above) pursuant to the rules of marriage recognition. But wouldn't it be best to just have that part repealed too?

[WaynesWhirled]

You seem to be advocating gay marraige, which is a position Obama has said he is against. To eliminate all disparities under Federal law for same sex couples would end DOMA. You seem to be making an arguement about State laws, which is for a Governor and State Legislators to decide, not a President.

[S1m0n]

Believe that one when you see it, and not a second before.

[RThM]

Admit it, Penn. WaynesWhirled is one of your sock puppets. Pledge. Pledge. Pledge. In the end she really hasn't done that much except toss a few crumbs to distract a few pigeons.

[JackNasty]

"Hillary Clinton has pledged to eliminate the disparities for same-sex couples under Federal law, effectively ending the DOMA policy." -- WaynesWhirled

Hillary Clinton supports repealing only section 3 of DOMA. During the HRC/Logo Presidential Forum, Hillary Clinton was the only candidate not to support the full repeal of the DOMA.

Hillary said " ... I want to proceed with equalizing federal benefits. I want to repeal Section 3 of DOMA, which stands in the way of the extension of benefits to people in committed, same-sex relationships, and, you know, I will be very strongly in favor of doing that as president."

Why just Section 3? Why not the whole thing?

Translating Clintonese word parsing into action: Hillary will fight to retaining most of DOMA while doing nothing to repeal Section 3. This is how the Clintons operate.

The Clintons already fooled gay voters twice with Don't Ask in '93 and DOMA in '96. Who's willing to be fooled again?

[truthskr]

May I please point something out? Hillary is NOT going to be the Democratic nominee - arguing amongst ourselves is not going to change that mathematically -based fact.

So, for those of us who are members of the gay community, interested in preserving whatever precious few rights we have in our individual states or even further advancing our rights in this country as full, tax-paying, voting citizens, we need to come to grips with Obama as our nominee. I personally support Obama over Clinton, but those who do not, who feel Obama is operating some subversive anti-gay agenda, you should direct your comments, concerns and criticisms not just here but to his campaign directly. When all of this media-manufactured "Hillary still has a chance" non-sense is finally over, we will have two choices: Obama or McCain. Unless you are a complete self-loather, you will vote Democrat. Or maybe Clinton will run as an Independent, and then you can really waste your vote in Nader-esque style. But unlike Nader, she could probably peel quite a few democrats away, thereby guaranteeing the presidency to McCain.

[Benmyoho]

If not Hillary Clinton, who? Your Osama dude? No way Jose!

[mooph]

Nice fear-inducing (bordering on hate-mongering) name calling. Twice!

[truthskr]

Wow, I pray that you're not gay, using such inflammatory and clearly bigoted language. I'm embarrassed for you.

[blubastian]

truthskr, could you please do the math and show me how Obama will reach that mark of 2,025? I've workrd the numbers and I just don't see how it is possible for either candidate to reach the magic number. It's up to the super delegates and hopefully they will go with the candidate that is sure to beat McCain in November. Hillary Clinton!

[mooph]

Um ... pledged superdelegates? You know, those supers that pledge to vote for a particular candidate? Just like the ones Clinton was touting early in the campaign?

Yeah, it'll come down to the convention before they can make their selection valid, but still....

[truthskr]

Neither Hillary or Obama will reach this number, and I have never stated that Obama will. But even with her PA win, which only closed the margin between she and Obama by something like 10 delegate votes, Hillary still needs something in the neighborhood of 70-80% of all remaining votes (pledged and super alike). Anyone with an understanding of statistics realizes that this will not happen. I have a math degree and work as an actuary, and no one in my field who I talk to who are following this election in our numbers-crunching way, thinks Hillary has anything much outside of a 1% chance.

Sure, the SDs *could* go Clinton, and therefore against Obama's elected and popular vote wins, but that has been far from the trend for soem time now and to do so would usurp and disenfranchise a huge portion of the Party's base - blacks, progressives/liberals, young Dems, first time voters - and people they will need to defeat McCain. Also, many SDs, as elected officials, looking our for their own best interests and re-elections will likely be very leery of overturning an elected+popular vote win.

Just saying, it's well more than a possibility that Obama is our nominee, and all of the gay genuflecting in the world in the Clintons' direction is not going to change this. We need a plan to address any concerns we may have as an entire community with Obama and move forward with him in partnership.

[mooph]

Sen. Clinton wants to repeal only a part of DOMA, which could have two possible outcomes. The repeal could prevent conflict between states that have different marriage laws on the books, while leaving the door open for individual states to follow in Massachusetts" footsteps.

However, by only repealing one section of DOMA, states could still continue to reinforce bans on marriage for gay and lesbian couples. The media would do well to remember that even the closest advisors and supporters of the presidential hopefuls can misrepresent the facts when it comes to the candidates" positions on complex issues related to the LGBT community.

http://glaadorg.nexcess.net/defense-of-marriage-act/2008/03/

[WaynesWhirled]

Hillary Clinton has pledged to eliminate the disparities for same-sex couples under Federal law, effectively ending the DOMA policy. CBS news covered the story, it was a big announcement, but I guess Obama supporters only read and hear what they want to.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/04/politics/main3993547.shtml

[mooph]

The part of DOMA that she's pledging to repeal is that the Federal Government may not treat same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized by one of the states.

The part she's not pledging to repeal is that no state (or other political subdivision within the United States) need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state.

[ohmercy]

From Gay City News 2006
http://tinyurl.com/yb4hm9

Quinn opened the meeting recalling a number of issues-LGBT-related and not-which she had worked with Clinton on in the 10 months since she's been the Council leader. She focused in particular on their efforts to strategize about the Senate Democrats' response to this summer's efforts by Republicans to revive a federal constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage beaten back in 2004.

"Every single time since I've been elected speaker, I ever time I've picked up the phone to ask Senator Clinton to help the LGBT community, she has said yes," Quinn said. "She's assigned staff, she's taken her own time and political capital to put in on the deal."

Ethan Geto, a long-time gay activist who described himself as an advisor to the senator on LGBT issues, introduced Clinton, addressing what he called "the elephant in the room."

"We're engaged in a dialogue with someone who has the stature, who has the credibility, the viability to be the party's standard bearer in 2008," he said. "I think when you look at Senator Clinton's record, she may not agree with us on every last policy issue, but when you look at the totality of the record, there is no one in this country who may be the president of the United States with whom we have a warmer, a stronger, a closer productive working relationship."

[WaynesWhirled]

That's a great post, Thanks for that.

[ohmercy]

;)

No use arguing with people who are closed minded.
They have the next big thing and thats all that counts.
consume, eat it up till the next big thing comes.

Its a consumer nation and we are being sold the next big thing.

McCain will be Pres because the media thinks they owe him so all the fawning they did over Obama they will be giving back to McCain... you can see it happening already.

[k6007]

What about the rest of the country. I'm sorry I don't throw the good of All under the bus in favor of a particular niche of it's society.

The clintons have been a disaster for this country, indeed, the world........Happy self-serving.

[blubastian]

I may be gay but I'm not a Clinton supporter based on just one issue. I am also a gun owner living in a small rural Nebraska town. My partner is a Vietnam era vet and her son is an Iraq war vet. We are concerned about the environment, the economy, the price of gas and resulting high price of food. We have no intention of throwing the country under the bus, that's why we will continue to support Hillary Clinton!

[GregQuindel]

So, she's the first to accept an invitation by LOGO for an interview. Then she elequently expresses her support for gay issues and brilliantly does it in a fashion that can't be twisted into an attack ad but somehow that's not good enough. Silly.

[WaynesWhirled]

It's not gays that are complaining, it's just obama supporters trying to get the LGBT community to forget that Obama had to be forced into even talking to the gay press, and that he has anti-gay bigots representing his campaign.

It's pretty pathetic.

[Siryn]

He hasn't been forced - he's treated the press, gay or not, equally and that is, very few get exclusives. Some disgruntled queen's bar rag doesn't rank against The Advocate, for whom he has given interviews (and he gave his before the silly queen's rant was posted).

As for the McClurkin thing, it was explained in his previous interview with The Advocate - Obama didn't know, and McClurkin was hired to SING. That's it.

[CivilDisobedient]

I know this is bullshit. Obama is just trying to make up for touring the south with a rabid homophobe. Hillary has much higher approval ratings among gays than Obama does.

[RonnieDebb]

What does Obama have to do with AmericaBlog?

[truthyguy]

I guarantee you there are some numbers somewhere in the Clinton campaign portfolio that tell Hillary to avoid this issue. It may be because she seeks votes of the republican wing-nuts who want a Constitutional amendment against gay marriage or the religious right who are unhappy with McCain. But there is something because HRC does nothing unless she thinks there is something in it for her.

The day she concedes cannot come soon enough for me. She is the most divisive figure to come to the democratic stage in the last 50 years. Add to that her disapproval rating generally and specifically among republicans, and you have a candidate who cannot win and is intentionally undermining Obama in an effort to set the stage for a run in 2012.

[WaynesWhirled]

Hillary has been an advocate to the LGBT community for decades! The very picture that HuffiePuff used for this article was taken at a gay pride event that Hillary marched in! I don't see Obama marching in any pride parades - EVER.

[Jellybelly]

Gay Pride is coming up in June. Let's see if Obama marches in a parade, somewhere anywhere. He never has. Hillary marches every year even in non-election years.

[WaynesWhirled]

Gay Pride is coming up in June. Let's see if Obama marches in a parade, somewhere anywhere. He never has. Hillary marches every year even in non-election years.

---------

That pretty much says it all. If Obama is such an advocate for the gay community, where has he been all these years? Chicago has a large gay community, why hasn't he been a advocate for them? Why did he have to wait until he is running for President? Hillary has been an advocate to the gay community for decades as has Bill and now even Chelsea has started to continue the family tradition. That's why Gays support Hillary. ACTIONS, NOT WORDS.

[NYC07]

Hillary did NOT march in last years Gay Pride Parade in NYC. She didn't want to offend her Republican Masters.

[blubastian]

If you go to this site
http://truthteller998.vox.com/library/photo/6a00e398d82fd1000200f48cfe5fac0001.html
you will see a picture of Hillary marching in the Gay Pride Parade NYC 2008

[WaynesWhirled]

The picture used for this very article is one of Hillary marching in a gay pride parade. Obama has NEVER marched in one.

[RThM]

You're right. But she also didn't march because it was strategically too close to her run for the Democratic nomination. She doesn't want to be too close to anything she thinks will hurt her. It's total political calculation. It's the same reason she didn't anywhere near a gay bars while she was campaigning in Pennsylvania but sent in Chelsea in under the cover of darnkess instead. Those wacky kids, granny, they will associate with such people! How is it that someone who will so obviously keep gays at arms to suit an agenda is supposed to be considered a true friend? But don't worry, Clinton supporters. If her absence makes you sad, she'll certainly be back with a big hug when it's time to pick pockets again.

[NYC07]

He spoke out about Homophobia in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's own chruch. When Hillary does that them maybe we will see some real concern from her for the Gay community !!

[CivilDisobedient]

"He spoke out about Homophobia in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's own chruch.."

Why didn't he attend Dr. Kings memorial service this year? He owes nearly all to Dr. King.
He has even said as much.

[WaynesWhirled]

Bill and Hillary have been speaking out on issues concerning the gay community for years. I remember back in the 90s when AIDS had just hit America, people were near hysterical with fear. They wanted to round gay people up and force us into quarantine. The Clintons stood up for the LGBT community and advocated that gays and people with AIDS should be treated with kindness and respect. And it was not an easy thing to do, and definately a lot more politically risky than giving some pretty speech in a church. Not to mention the work Bill Clinton's charity foundation has done in the fight against AIDS. Obama has NO record on gay rights compared to the Clintons.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

[PackyJ]

Some Gay Pride parades are self-defeating.
Marching down the street dressed as a giant penis in a pink tutu really does little to rally straights, even liberal ones, to the cause.
I'm pro-gay rights, but see no political reason for Obama to march alongside a giant penis.

[WaynesWhirled]

Then you have no idea what pride parades are all about. It's about affirming pride in ourselves and our community. Something that Obama might have discovered if he had ever bothered to do more than pay lip service to the gay community.

[k6007]

Like her vote on the defense of marriage act? How about Bill's "Don't ask, don't tell?"

But hey, by all means enjoy that parade!

[WaynesWhirled]

DADT was the first and only policy that allowed gays to serve. Before that it was DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. The Clintons were standing up for gays when no one else would. Try learning about gay history before you spout nonsense.

[provgrays]

Why are some people so sensitive about Hillary's use or non use of the word "gay". The word once meant happy or joyful and now it's a word that many people, including politicians, find threatening. I understand that many gays and lesbians deal with discrimination and even physical attacks, but why is it necessary to trumpet sexuality that many find inappropriate or immoral?

People may do as they please and privacy and dignity should be respected by everyone. I'm only saying that some people are uncomfortable with homosexuality and lesbianism and you can't expect people to behave in precisely the way you want them to. Politicians must tread carefully around sexual identity because it is so loaded and politically dangerous. For politicians, that's the real world.

If some do find the topic threatening, they have the right to feel that way as long as make an honest attempt to examine their thoughts and to treat others with respect, no matter what their orientation is.

[blubastian]

I can earn respect without help from the government but equal rights has to be fought for on a national level. I trust Hillary Clinton to take on that fight.

[WaynesWhirled]

My thoughts exactly blubastian. Gays want equal rights, if we don't speak out, that will never happen.

SILENCE = DEATH