Bill Clinton Comes Out For Gay Marriage In New York

Add Bill and Chelsea Clinton to the ever-expanding list of politicians pushing for gay marriage.

In a statement released by the Human Rights Campaign, Bill Clinton said:

Our nation's permanent mission is to form a 'more perfect union' - deepening the meaning of freedom, broadening the reach of opportunity, strengthening the bonds of community. That mission has inspired and empowered us to extend rights to people previously denied them. Every time we have done that, it has strengthened our nation. Now we should do it again, in New York, with marriage equality. For more than a century, our Statue of Liberty has welcomed all kinds of people from all over the world yearning to be free. In the 21st century, I believe New York's welcome must include marriage equality.

At a launch party for a non-profit group, Chelsea Clinton said she hopes gay people in New York will be able to marry their best friend, just like she did when she and husband Mark Mezvinsky wed last summer.

"I certainly expect my straight friends to help us achieve that for all New Yorkers, for all Americans, and for the children that, at least, Marc and I hope to have someday," Clinton said.

The Clintons' support comes shortly after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he'll travel the state promoting a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage.

Polls show a record number of New Yorkers support marriage equality, and Gov. Cuomo has taken an increasingly active roll in ensuring legislation gets passed.

Comments

[jugganaut]

07:22 PM on 05/10/2011

Better late than never.

And for all you folks saying Bill is a cynical opportunist, how quickly you forget how he tried to "gay integrate" the military almost immediately upon being elected, only to get politically creamed for it.

That certainly wasn't a very popular stance back then, yet he took it. Granted, the way he went about trying to reverse the ban was poorly thought out, but at least he tried.

And he's certainly trying to help now by lending his weight to the effort when it's STILL useful. You may think the battle is already won in NY, but that's what people thought in Cali too. So Bill is at least implicitly trying to atone for his past mistakes as Prez by pitching in now to try to make sure a repeat of Cali doesn't happen.

So fer cryin' out loud, will you people cut Bill some slack?

[rsttho557949]

09:28 AM on 05/10/2011

Gee, what a surprise. Bill would also support that people should be able to do ANYTHING that feels good. Got to hand it to Karl Marx, his supporters come in every size, age, sex and race. It's also amazing just how many people keep falling for that Camelot/Utopian fantasy that these men-with their own deviant agendas- can make it happen. These men will support the "law"( the smack in the face realization that Utopian fantasies only bring more misery and suffering to the whole) but they are about power, exaltation and deviant agendas.

[anthonybrown]

06:55 PM on 05/09/2011

Now that Clinton has finally recognized that gay humans should have the same protections as non-gays, perhaps he will soon recognize that humans over nine months-old should have the same protections as those over nine months-old.

[Simon Perkin]

10:35 AM on 05/09/2011

AWESOME!

[Matt12]

08:29 PM on 05/07/2011

Too little, way toooo late. Opportunist

[valeskas]

11:45 AM on 05/08/2011

Why are you saying he is an opportunist, he is not running for any office. What a crock .

[the crustybastard]

06:00 PM on 05/09/2011

Just like Sam Nunn, the architect of the Homosexual Conduct Law (a/k/a DADT), Bill Clinton suddenly prefers to distance himself from his prior endorsement of homophobia.

Pathetic.

[zabbadu]

12:43 PM on 05/07/2011

I propose we bestow upon President Clinton the honorary title of First Gay President!

Way to go Bill

[the crustybastard]

06:36 PM on 05/09/2011

No, not ever. Bill Clinton has never been an equality ally. Quite the contrary, he congratulated himself in a campaign ad for his first-term Christian conservative values voting record.

In fairness, it was a record any Christian conservative would envy.

CLINTON/GORE CHRISTIAN RADIO AD
Transcribed 14 October 1996

"Protecting religious freedom. It's the foundation of our nation.

When the Justice Department went after a church to gather the parishioners' tithing money, the government was stopped cold because President Clinton overturned the government's policy and protected us. It's not the only time he's defended our values. Don't be misled by Bob Dole's attack ads.

President Clinton wants a complete ban on late term abortions except when the mother's life is in danger or faces severe health risks, such as the inability to have another child.

The President signed the Defense of Marriage Act, supports curfews and school uniforms to teach our children discipline.

The President enacted the V-chip to block out violent TV programs. His crime bill expanded the death penalty for drug kingpins. Bob Dole opposed him and is resorting to untrue negative attacks. President Clinton has fought for our values and America is better for it.

Paid for by Clinton/Gore 96"

[wakeup804]

11:42 AM on 05/07/2011

Thanks Bill

[eareks]

11:34 AM on 05/07/2011

No cigars at this time?

[yournext865]

10:31 AM on 05/07/2011

Im glad that bill has seen the light but couldn't he have come out in support during his presidency?

[Atwill]

08:18 AM on 05/07/2011

good for him, but why didnt he do this when he was in office

[the crustybastard]

06:02 PM on 05/09/2011

Because he has no principles.

[ZombyWoof]

04:42 PM on 05/06/2011

There are rumors that next week Bill Clinton will be giving his opinion on the wheel and sliced bread.

[Dragoon]

02:35 PM on 05/06/2011

Thank you for finally taking a stand Mr. President, albeit 15 years late. Gutsy call. Way to put it on the line. Also will you be campaigning in New York against incumbent Dems who voted against Gov. Patterson's marriage equality bill?

[pbnyc59]

01:53 PM on 05/06/2011

Times have changed since Clinton was President. Polls show most of NY is in favor, and with Cuomo not only backing, but pushing this, it will finally go through.

[Weaziller]

12:46 PM on 05/06/2011

"As for DOMA, Clinton said he doesn't like it but that it was the lesser of two evils.

"The reason I signed DOMA was—and I said when I signed it—that I thought the question of whether gays should marry should be left up to states and to religious organizations, and if any church or other religious body wanted to recognize gay marriage, they ought to," he said. "We were attempting at the time, in a very reactionary Congress, to head off an attempt to send a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to the states. And if you look at the 11 referenda much later—in 2004, in the election—which the Republicans put on the ballot to try to get the base vote for President Bush up, I think it's obvious that something had to be done to try to keep the Republican Congress from presenting that. The president doesn't even get to veto that. The Congress can refer constitutional amendments to the states. I didn't like signing DOMA and I certainly didn't like the constraints that were put on benefits, and I've done everything I could—and I am proud to say that the State Department was the first federal department to restore benefits to gay partners in the Obama administration, and I think we are going forward in the right direction now for federal employees."
http://www.baltimoregaylife.com/news/national_news/bill-clinton-regrets-doma-and-dont-ask-dont-tell.shtml

[JackNasty]

03:00 PM on 05/06/2011

Clinton's revisionary nonsense makes me sick. There was no proposed amendment in 1996. The whole story is a fabrication, a made-up face-saving rationalization.

Even now Clinton lacks the courage to confess his own cynical exploitation of the issue in 1996. He even campaigned on his support for DOMA in the red states that year, which was also the year of Monica.

[Weaziller]

11:30 AM on 05/09/2011

Well, above all else he's a politician I suppose.
I'm not sure what he has to gain by supporting it now, but better late than never.
I'm just really happy that my state is finally going to do what's right. It's absurd to me that gay marriage isn't yet legal in NY, of all places.

[JackNasty]

12:44 PM on 05/06/2011

Your support now is appreciated, Bill but you are a little late to the party.

When you supported DOMA in 2006 you diod a great deal of harm. You need to apologize. You might spend a few million on undoing the damage now foi you want to atone for your sins.

[JackNasty]

12:45 PM on 05/06/2011

Correction: When you supported DOMA in 1996 you did a great deal of harm. You need to apologize. You might spend a few million on undoing the damage now foi you want to atone for your sins.