Gay rights finally get due at presidential forum on TV

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | August 10, 2007 | Patrick Healy

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Six Democratic presidential candidates broke new ground Thursday night by participating in a televised forum devoted to gay issues, all voicing strong support for equal rights and government benefits for gay Americans - though the three leading candidates said they oppose same-sex marriage.

With the candidates generally agreeing on the major issues at hand, questioners at the forum - organized by the Human Rights Campaign and Logo, a gay-themed television network - chose to dig deeper into their personal attitudes and experiences. In particular, they grilled former Sen. John Edwards, who has expressed religious concerns about same-sex marriage and who, according to a former consultant of his, once said about gays, "I'm not comfortable around those people."

Edwards moved swiftly to deny making that remark. When one of panelists at the forum, the singer Melissa Etheridge, asked if he felt "OK right now" in a roomful of gay people, he said with a chuckle, "I'm perfectly comfortable."

Turning serious, Edwards added: "Can I just tell you - that's not true. Someone else said it, and it's not true, it's not true. It came from a political consultant, and he's just wrong. Elizabeth and I were both there, and we've said it's wrong."

A political consultant, Robert Shrum, attributed the comment to Edwards in a recent book and has stood by his account.

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[panthermom]

While I know this “debate” happened, I just heard one snippet, one of the questions was, “what if someone on your staff was a transgender individual and was going to get the operation, how would you feel about it and who was the most influential person in your past in regard to homosexuality?”, that was the gist of it. I LMAO, please, there are terrorists that would like to nuke us, we have illegals invading our country and a blatantly corrupt goverment and the big question is how do you FEEL about a he wanting to become a she. I would expect a skit like this on Mad TV. These people are the biggest attention hounds ever. I guess they don’t care if we are nuked as long as they don’t detonate the device in a gay night club. If it was not so dang scary it would be hysterical, the Dems have truly lost their minds.

[Bommer]

We should have put a straight Freeper plant in there doing a gay lisp impression:

"Yessssss I would just love to know if you accept homosexual behavior as normal and if you do, who would you have gay sex with? Hillary, you don't have to answer that question, we already know. Oh and Janet Reno says "Heeey!"

[Anti-Bubba182]

I wonder what Harry Truman would think of the Democrat candidates KowTowing to organized Gay Activists in a National Forum.

[toddlintown]

It was pitifully embarrassing. I was especially impressed with Melissa Ethridge as a questioner. I was waiting for her to tell the Hildabeast that she could lick her in a fair fight. Kudos also to the after debate round-up when they spent a few minutes with a guy in drag (nice pearls) for his opinions.

[Rush4U]

I’m surprised they didn’t have Rudy on hand for the debate as well. After all, no one has done more for gay rights than Rudy Guliani.

[Beckwith]

What is a gay right?

[toddlintown]

“After all, no one has done more for gay rights than Rudy Guliani.”

But only when he found time to break away from Ground Zero. /s

[toddlintown]

“What is a gay right?”

And is it different than a gay left?

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

Pandering to less than 1% of the population. Homosexuals are the most selfish, “me it’s all about me” ever to exist.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

This is good news, folks. Let the Dems pander to the homosexuals. They're going to alienate the swing and independent voters.

The best thing about this election is that the Dems are finally running as the hard leftists they are. No more of this moderate, "New Democrat" crap, I want to see the socialists for who they are so folks can compare and contrast candidates.

[papasmurf]

Homosexuals have NO rights due to their chosen lifestyles. They have NO right to protection of said lifestyle anymore than do you or I of our lifestyles.

You can be a pole dancer, or a carpet muncher all YOU and your, legal aged, CONSENSUAL partner(s)want, that’s YOUR right. I don’t care one iota.

That’s YOUR business, let’s keep it that way.

[Beckwith]

I want to see the socialists for who they are so folks can compare and contrast candidates.

Here they are -- and don't miss the uber-lefties on Progressive Democrats of America's Advisory Board

[momf]

I am sick and tired of the homosexuals and their supporters usurping a perfectly good word (gay). My dictionary isn’t quite as old as I am, however gay in regards to homosexuals is the 5th definition and is slang. Gay is many things - and the most common usages BEFORE the homosexuals took it to describe themselves was mirthful, bright and lively. I don’t equate those definitions to being homosexual. In the ‘50s I had a dear friend who was homosexual. He wasn’t any of the above definitions, but he was a neat person. Why should the majority of the population avoid using the word gay because it is being used to mean homosexual!

[NewJerseyJoe]

STILL waiting for the Democrat candidates to meet with Christian groups, to debate and discuss THEIR needs and concerns.

{{ crickets chirping }}

[JustaDumbBlonde]

" I was especially impressed with Melissa Ethridge as a questioner. I was waiting for her to tell the Hildabeast that she could lick her in a fair fight."

What a choice of words!